Answering the call: Kao launches new brand to strengthen position in premium hair care market

With this market segment experiencing an upward trend, Kao has introduced The Answer, a high-quality, results-driven brand.

According to the press statement, the brand targets women who are interested in high-quality ingredients, advanced hair care technology, and proven repair capabilities.

This approach reflects a broader trend in the beauty industry where consumers are increasingly educated about ingredients and demanding transparency and effectiveness from brands.

The line consists of a shampoo suitable for all hair types and three treatments for hydration, repair, and glossiness respectively.

It will be launched at the start of November. Additionally, the brand will be available through an advanced roll out at selected retailers and salons from October.

The Answer is the second hair care brand launched in line with the firm’s hair care business transformation.

CosmeticsDesign-Asia recently reported that the firm is aiming to reach JPY200bn (USD1.38bn) in hair care sales by 2027.

One of the growth drivers it has identified is the premium hair care category.

Its first launch in this segment was Melt and it plans to launch another brand next year.

A century of research​

The products feature five key ingredients:  hydrolyzed keratin, ceramide α, malic acid, lanolin fatty acid, fatty acid glyceride α.

Ceramide α, or bismethoxypropylamidoisodocosane, is the firm’s proprietary ingredient.

The five ingredients are what the firm has identified as the five essential ingredients for hair “based on 100 years of hair care research”.

“Kao has focused on protein and lipids as these two components play a crucial role in maintaining healthy hair that is moisturised, smooth, shiny, manageable, and supple. However, damaged hair, especially hair that has undergone repeated heat styling or colouring, tends to lose these proteins and lipids easily, even with daily washing. To maintain beautiful hair, it is essential to repair the damage and prevent the loss of these components from within the hair.”

Additionally, the brand features Kao’s latest hair care innovation, the Lamella Platform Technology.

It creates layers within the shampoo that store hair care ingredients. This approach allows for the incorporation of a higher concentration ingredients.

This enabled the firm to develop a shampoo formulation with beneficial ingredients while maintaining its ability to lather and rinse off easily.

This is particularly beneficial for damaged hair, as it helps to replenish and retain essential lipids and proteins that are often lost over washes.

The company claims that incorporating the five ingredients in these high concentrations are a world-first.

The company also stated that this technology enabled them to create a formulation with more ingredients than they normally would have.

“In a groundbreaking move, the shampoo contains a large amount of hair care lipid ingredients which were previously difficult to incorporate in shampoos within Kao. The formula includes 12 times more lanolin fatty acids and ceramide compared to previous products by the company, while still maintaining high foam quality and smoothness during rinsing.”