1 – Sun and surf: Kao to relaunch sun care brand Allie with ‘ocean safety’ focus in 2022
Kao Corporation is relaunching its sun care brand, Allie, with a series of new ‘ocean safe’ products that align with recent regulations implemented to preserve the marine ecosystem.
Launched in 2000, Allie is a mass-market sun care brand from Kao that has been widely available in health and beauty retail stores around Asia.
On December 9, Kao announced that Allie was set for a relaunch, which would see a new line of products and a renewed focus on sustainability. In particular, the brand would now focus on ocean safety.
The new Chrono Beauty range will be launched on February 12 next year beginning in Japan.
2 – Doubling down in China: Coty aiming to more than double sales over the next three years
US beauty major Coty is aiming to more than double its sales in China by tapping into opportunities with prestige beauty and e-commerce.
Compared to its rivals, the firm behind Covergirl and Max Factor is relatively new in China, only establishing a subsidiary in 2016. Today, China only accounts for 4% of Coty’s total revenue.
“Although Coty has been around since 1904, I remind you that we are still young in China,” said Guilhem Souche, managing director of Coty China.
In the last fiscal year, total sales in China increased by 31% and in the first quarter of the 2022 fiscal year, China saw growth of nearly 50%.
3 – The right choice: Retailer A.S. Watson sees P&G collaboration as opportunity to expand sustainable beauty offerings
Health and beauty retailer A.S. Watson says it has taken another step forward in sustainability by co-creating a skin care brand with Procter & Gamble that aligns with its Sustainable Choices product range.
The Hong Kong-based company has been strengthening its commitment to sustainability in the last couple of years.
In October, Watsons announced that it launched a Sustainable Choices range with over 1,600 products. This was in collaboration with leading global players including Beiersdorf, Kao, L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble (P&G), Shiseido and Unilever.
“We’ve been working closely with our strategic supplier partners to offer a wide range of Sustainable Choices products – everything from skin care to shampoo – making it easier for customers to make purchase decisions that contribute to a better world for all,” said Malina Ngai, CEO of A.S. Watson, Asia and Europe.
4 – Evolving tech: Shiseido to expand capabilities of Second Skin to target nasolabial lines
Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido is to extend the capabilities of its Second Skin technology for use on the nasolabial lines – or smile lines – to prevent ‘sagging cheeks’.
Shiseido acquired the Second skin technology in 2018 through the takeover of Olivo Laboratories, a US-based start-up that created the patented XPL Second Skin tech, a breathable, flexible, and nearly invisible artificial skin.
After its acquisition, the cosmetics company spent three years readying the technology for commercialisation, testing the product on around 4,000 people in the US and Japan.
The company first applied the technology to use on the area to diminish undereye bags instantly without the use of make-up.
5 – Monster hit: KATE struggling to keep bestselling mask-friendly lipstick in stock as demand swells
Japanese make-up brand KATE is facing supply issues as demand for its bestselling mask-friendly lipstick, Lip Monster, soars among consumers.
KATE is a highly popular mass-market make-up brand owned by Kanebo, a subsidiary of personal care major Kao Corporation.
In November, Kanebo was compelled to issue an apology for failing to keep up with the market demand for Lip Monster, a transfer-resistant, mask-friendly lipstick it launched over six months ago in Japan.
“We have received a strong response from the market immediately after its release… it has been a big hit and the product has been in short supply. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused to our customers,” said Kanebo in a statement released to the press.
