Cosmetics & Toiletries & Household Products Marketing News in Japan articles from January 2002

Cosmetics & Toiletries & Household Products Marketing News in Japan archives from January 2002

New "Smoothing" Category of Cosmetics.
January 25, 2002... Kanebo has launched a new cosmetic range under the category of "Smoothing" products. Unlike beauty lotions that aim to actually reduce blemishes, the key word to this new category of products is simply "Emergency measure", namely the immediate...

Fruit and Vegetable Shampoos.
January 25, 2002... Some of the most popular toiletries and cosmetic products on the market are those containing fruit and vegetable extracts. These products are taking advantage of the natural antibacterial or moisturising properties of azuki beans, apples or...

Beauty Mask with New Substance from Pearl Oysters.
January 25, 2002... Mikimoto Pharmaceutical has developed and released Cosmetics Essence Mask, the beauty mask that uses a newly discovered substance from pearl oysters. The product keeps the skin moist and penetrates to treat rough and dry skin. The company...

Memory Resin Artificial Nails.
January 25, 2002... Kanebo has released an artificial nail product with memory resin. Nail art remains popular and the demand for artificial nails is growing, but the few shapes offered do not often match the nails' natural shape. The new product is called Nail...

Cosmetics Line Does Not Produce Active Oxygen.
January 25, 2002... Face Cosmetics, the large cosmetics maker for beauty-treatment salons, has established subsidiary New Cosme and announced the skincare brand Without (nine products) for cosmetics specialty stores. The company offers to these shops the...

Kose and Nihon L'Oreal Dissolve Financial Relationship.
January 25, 2002... Kose and Nihon L'Oreal say that Kose has agreed to sell its Nihon L'Oreal stock (3.2%) to L'Oreal Paris. The L'Oreal group will thereafter hold 100% of Nihon L'Oreal's stock. In 1962, Kose started production and sales of L'Oreal products in...

Body Soap Made with Rice Bran.
January 25, 2002... Ichikawa Farm of Hokkaido has developed a body shampoo product with Pekalt, a soap manufacturer. This product is made with rice bran and does not use synthetic surface-active agents or preservatives. Known as Yukihikari Shower Body Soap, it...

Shiseido to Sell Luxury Cosmetics in Six More Countries.
January 25, 2002... Shiseido has announced that it will start sales of luxury cosmetics in six more countries: Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Oman. The company carries about 150 items in three brands including The Skincare, a basic cosmetics...

Sales of Cosmetics by Catalogue.
January 25, 2002... Lawson has started catalogue sales of seven basic cosmetics brands popular in Japan and overseas. The company gives away the Girls Cosme catalog free at its 7500 stores all over Japan. Orders are taken through terminals at the store, its Web...

Soap without Beef Tallow Addresses Mad Cow Disease Fears.
January 25, 2002... Shabondama Soap is planning to release powdered laundry soap and bath bar soap that do not use beef tallow but instead use plant oils like palm oil. This development is meant to allay fears about mad cow disease. The laundry soap will be...

Search System for Cosmetics Ingredients.
January 25, 2002... Hyper-House, a Website design company, and Kubaru, a natural cosmetics developer and manufacturer, have jointly developed a system to search for cosmetics ingredient information on the Internet. The Cosme Dictionary can be used for free at...

Luxury Beauty Lotion Sells 45,000 Units in One Month.
January 25, 2002... A 50,000-yen luxury beauty product from Noevir is selling well. In just about a month, the company sold 45,000 units, double the amount it had forecast. The company believes that even though there is pressure to reduce prices, the potential...

Management Game of Virtual Cosmetics Company.
January 25, 2002... L'Oreal Paris, the largest cosmetics company in the world, will start L'Oreal E Strat Challenge 2002, a game in which players manage a virtual cosmetics company on the Internet. The service is for students of different countries and will start...

System to Sell Car Fragrance by Volume.
January 25, 2002... Central Automotive Products has developed Favorite Choice, a system to sell fragrances for cars by volume. This system started appearing in major car products and general stores in November. The unique display resembles a shot bar for...

Improved Cloth Diaper for Adults.
January 25, 2002... Nikkai-NS is releasing Thermodia NS, a cloth diaper product for adults. This product was developed with a group from Kyoto University under the leadership of Professor Tsugiya Fukui, a specialist in clinical epidemiology. The diaper has...

Ko-Pack Clear Case and Labelog Give More Printing Space.
January 25, 2002... Ko-Pack International has earned the international patent (No. 2931251) on a clear carton on which the company's Labelog is attached. Labelog multi-layer seals attach to the carton, effectively creating more display space. The manufacturer is...

Insect Trap Stresses Design, Cleanliness.
January 25, 2002... Asahi Sangyosha is appealing to food and drink establishments and other venues as it markets Clean Trap, a high-design trap for flying insects. It uses 365-nanometer light waves to attract insects inside, where they are caught on flypaper....

Radio Package Saves Resources, Space.
January 25, 2002... Matsushita Electric's Taiwan base is now importing a new miniature radio package from the Thailand factory of Yamato Esuron. The two collaborated on the design of the Shoshigen ("Resource-Saving") Pocket Pack, a soft polyolefin-based package...

Hot and Cold Products for Pain Relief.
January 25, 2002... Try Company has offered two topical pain relief products that take advantage of the company's long experience in cold and heat retaining. First is Gel Care Cold. The entire package goes into the freezer, although the substance inside does not...

JPC Environmental Awards to Olympus, Takara Shuzo.
January 25, 2002... At the 2001 Japan Packaging Competition, the environmental bureau of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has honored the Turbo Momo 646S1S package from Olympus Optical with an award for its reusable design. The package is completely...

JPC Minister's Award Goes to Meiji Seika, Pola Cosmetics.
January 25, 2002... The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry's Award of the Japan Packaging Competition went to two companies in 2001. The debossed package of Fran chocolate from Meiji Seika Kaisha was praised for a design with a three-dimensional look. Pola...

Can Laminating Film Meets Safety Standards.
January 25, 2002... The Unilax LS-765C is a coextruded polyethylene film used to laminate the inside of 18-liter cans without the need for adhesive or solvents. Instead, the film is heat-welded to the sides. Under development since 1998 in partnership with...

Okamoto Kraft Tape with 40% Recycled Content.
January 25, 2002... Okamoto has launched sales of the new Kraft tape Lamiless Green 233. With 40% recycled Kraft paper content, the unlaminated adhesive tape has earned the Japan Environment Association's Eco Mark. On top of the recycled Kraft layer, Okamoto has...

New Substance to Reduce Wrinkles.
January 25, 2002... Kao has developed a substance that reduces skin wrinkles. In joint research with Tokyo Women's Medical University, Kao examined an improved form of a kind of amino acid that is found in the human body and confirmed that it improves wrinkles...

Effective Substance for Hair Growth.
January 25, 2002... Kao has confirmed the effectiveness of a new substance it developed to treat male pattern baldness. This substance, T-flavanone, was engineered to imitate the action of a substance found in St. Johnswort. Kao's study verified that its...

Whitening Component Impedes Creation of Melanin.
January 25, 2002... Ezaki Glico and Penta Pharm Japan have announced the joint development of a component for cosmetics with whitening effect. Ezaki Glico will oversee production while Penta Pharm sells this component to cosmetics manufacturers. The component,...

Microbes Produce Resins with New Functions.
January 25, 2002... Canon has discovered four soil microbes capable of internally producing resins with functional substances previously unknown among such microorganisms. Scientists already knew that some microorganisms can produce polyester resin internally by...

Oji Coated Paper Engineered to Last a Millennium.
January 25, 2002... Oji Paper offers OK Permanence Gloss 21 and OK Permanence Semi-Gloss 21, new coated papers that can keep their output for 1000 years. Oji made the measurement using US industrial standards for estimating life. It also exposed the paper to 20...

Genetically Modified Flowers Change Color in Presence of Soil Contaminants.
January 25, 2002... Suntory has used genetic recombination to create a new petunia, the color of whose flowers can diagnose the presence of soil pollutants. The company has made the breakthrough with the use of a promoter gene discovered at Kobe University. When...

Low-Cost Carbon Dioxide Absorbent Created.
January 25, 2002... A new ceramic material of lithium silicate can absorb the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide far more efficiently than the now-common lithium zirconate. Toshiba and Toshiba Ceramics collaborated on the substance, which can absorb 60% more carbon...

Additive Prevents Static Electricity on Plastic.
January 25, 2002... Sanko Kagaku has created an additive that can prevent static buildup on plastics without affecting color or other basic properties of the material. Known as Sankonor, the additive consists of lithium ions dissolved in an ester solution. The...

New Plastic Resists Protein Sticking.
January 25, 2002... By replacing hydrophobic hydrocarbon radicals with hydrophilic hydroxyl or carboxyl radicals, Sumitomo Bakelite has created a new plastic to which protein will not adhere. That will help scientists who have been troubled in the past when...

Milk Towels.
January 25, 2002... Yasui Shokufu has released "Milk Silk" a range of towel products woven from fibres made from milk and natural silk thread. The range of 4 soft and smooth textured towels are both highly absorbent and also dry quickly following use. The...

Sheet Type Insect Repellent for Clothing.
January 25, 2002... Tokyo based Hakugen has released "Mrs. Lloyd For Clothing" a sheet type insect repellent specifically designed to protect stored clothing. In addition to an insect repelling agent, the sheets, measuring 30cm x 90cm, are also impregnated with an...

Heel Moisturising Sheet.
January 25, 2002... Osaka based Captain has released "Kakato Tsurutsuru Sheet" a unique, hard wearing three ply polyurethane resin moisturising sheet product specifically designed for use on the heels. The product is attached to the inside of the socks with an...

Foot Care Pads.
January 25, 2002... Yokoyama Pharmaceuticals has released "Uonome Pad" a range of 4 bubble wrap type footpads designed to alleviate corn and blister pain. The acrylic pads features bubbles of different sizes and shapes that can be used to protect different...

Cooling Eye Mask.
January 25, 2002... Kawai Giken Hanbai has released "Ai Eye Mask" an eye mask, case, cold insulator and insulating film set designed to relieve tired eyes. The cold insulator is chilled in the freezer and then placed in the case with the insulating film. The...

Bathroom Wipes.
January 25, 2002... Tsumura has released "Bath Pika Senmendai Fukitori Sheets" a soft, mesh type, highly absorbent sheet for wiping away water residue, mould, etc. from wash basins, taps, shelves, etc in the bathroom. The sheets contain an antibacterial agent...

Odour Suppressing Socks.
January 25, 2002... Ohara & Company has released "Shoshu Finger Socks" glove-like socks made of a blend of cotton, acrylic and polyurethane fibres which naturally absorb unpleasant foot odours. The socks, for men, retain their odour absorbing efficiency even...

Body Excess Hair Remover.
January 25, 2002... Nippon Phillips has released "Satinel Satin Ice Body Total" an excess hair remover designed for all of the body except the face. The "Skin Cooler" is first chilled in the freezer then placed on the part of the body from where the hair is to be...

Two Week Contact Lenses.
January 25, 2002... Seed has released "Seed 2 Week Fine" disposable soft contact lenses which only require changing every two weeks. The edges of the lens have been tapered reducing contact with the eyelid when blinking significantly reducing potential...

Pet Bottle Humidifier.
January 25, 2002... CCP has released "PET Bottle Humidifier" a unique room humidifier that uses a conventional 500ml PET water bottle as its water supply tank. Water is first added to a used 500ml PET water bottle. A special cap is then attached and the...

Fast Heating Heating Pad.
January 25, 2002... Tokyo based Nippon Pionics has released "Switch ON" a fast heating disposable heating pad that instantly heats up when the packaging is opened. The product was developed in response to a consumer survey which found that the overwhelming...

Silver Bandaids.
January 25, 2002... Sanpo Pharmaceuticals has released "Ag Kyukyu Bansoko" a bandaid product that uses the antibacterial properties of silver (Ag) to prevent bacteria growth in cuts and scratches, etc. A long lasting antibacterial agent containing pure silver...

Highly Absorbent Toilet Paper.
January 25, 2002... Nisshinbo has released "Doubly Absorbent Toilet Paper for Use with Shower Type Toilets" a 2 ply toilet paper product featuring a unique ridged surface that effectively doubles the absorbency making it perfect for shower type toilets. The...

Fingernail Buffing Sheet.
January 25, 2002... Kobayashi Pharmaceuticals has released "Tsume Pikashu" a sheet type nail buffing product designed to add lustre to fingernails. The double sided sheet contains micro-fine particles (measuring 30 microns in size) smooth the surface of the...

Shoe Horn Walking Stick.
January 25, 2002... Fukushi Yogu Kenkyukai has released a shoehorn attached to the end of a conventional walking stick which enables shoes to be put on and removed without bending over. The walking stick made of aluminium with a silver birch handle features a...

Bifidus Bacteria for Pets.
January 25, 2002... Morishita Jintan has released "Bifidus Bacteria For Pets" available in cat and dog varieties. The bifidus bacteria contains oligosaccaride and other "Good" bacteria that naturally reside in the intestine of animals. The supplement increases the...

Fever Suppressing Jelly.
January 25, 2002... Kobayashi Pharmaceuticals has released "Netsu Sama Tomei [Fever Suppressing Transparent] Jelly" a transparent cooling jelly type sheet that reduces body temperature when applied to the forehead. The cooling effect lasts between 3-4 hours...

Sheet Type Kitchen Cleanser.
January 25, 2002... Kao has released "Kitchen Quickle" a sheet type cleansing product designed to remove grease and other kitchen grime including stubborn grease from around the cooker. The soft cloth construction removes stubborn grease without marking...

Laundry Detergent for Indoor Drying.
January 25, 2002... Daily necessity manufacturing giant Lion has released "Heya Hoshi [Indoor Drying] Top" a specially formulated laundry detergent designed to prevent the occurrence of musty odours in clothes hung indoors. The product was designed in...

New Haircare Products from Mandom.
January 25, 2002... Mandom has started marketing 2 new medicated non-fragrance haircare products for men in their 20s-30s exclusively through convenience stores. The products have been designed to prevent hair loss. The products are: 1) Lucido Yakuyo Ikumo...

After Shave Skin Conditioner.
January 25, 2002... Warner-Lambert have released 2 products under the "Schick Shaveguard After-shave" brand name. The "Water" type is a lotion containing vegetable extracts that prevent rough skin following shaving firming the skin as it does so. Available in...

Electric Room Deodoriser.
January 25, 2002... Tokyo based Nisshin Medico has released "Shoshu Liquid Denki Aladdin" a liquid room deodorising agent designed for use with conventional electronic mosquito repellent devices. The heat from the device activates the ingredients in the...

New Perfume from Avon.
January 25, 2002... Avon Products has released "Little Black Dress" a new "Adult floral" type perfume product. According to the manufacturer, the top note has a spicy freshness consisting of a blend of Cyclamen, apricot flowers. The middle note is of jasmine...

Wireless Between Teeth Cleansing Brush.
January 25, 2002... Osaka based Rapisu has released Shikan Brush Ah ! No Wire" a toothbrush product specially designed to cleanse between the teeth. Exceedingly fine bristles (Thickness: 1.0-1.2mm) have been attached to the handle of the brush enabling then to...

Wire Mesh Screen Cleaner.
January 25, 2002... Kobayashi Pharmaceuticals has released "Amido Kirei Ni Shiage Tai" a cleaning device that uses attachable sheets to remove dust and grime from wire mesh door and window screens. The head of the handheld cleansing device features a sponge to...

Fragrant Toilet Cleanser.
January 25, 2002... Kobayashi Pharmaceuticals has released "Ekitai [Liquid] Buruleto" a fragrant, colourless liquid toilet cleansing agent contained in a plastic, ball shaped dispensing mechanism. The ball, containing a combination of two different cleansing...

Panty Type Sanitary Napkin.
January 25, 2002... Kao has become the first domestic manufacturer to release a panty type sanitary pad under the brand name "Laurier Shorts Ni Natta Super Guard". The price has been left open. The product is designed for women with particularly heavy...

Urine Absorbent Pad.
January 25, 2002... Nepia has released "Nepia Inner Sheet" an ultra thin pad made with a highly absorbent polymer designed for women with mild incontinence. In addition to a thickness of 2.5mm, the discrete pads feature a strong three dimensional gather not...

Hinoki Scented Bath Additive.
January 25, 2002... Akuta has released "Aka Totte Onsenki" a bath additive consisting of domestically grown hinoki (Japanese Cypress) chips, a natural ceramic material and activated coral in a net bag. When placed in the hot bath water, the product removes...

New Bath Salt from Lissage.
January 25, 2002... Lissage Body Designing Bath Salt Half, from Lissage, is the half size version of the company's existing medicated bath additive "Lissage Body Designing Bath Salt." The product contains "Freeze-Dried Seawater Powder" made by freeze-drying the...

Breed Specific Dog Shampoo.
January 25, 2002... Osaka based Erupikku has released "Picnic Shampoo" two shampoo products specifically formulated for Golden Retriever and Retriever breeds. The shampoos are formulated to specifically suit the different hair and skin types of the breeds...

Odour Absorbing Sheet for Pets.
January 25, 2002... a-bis Communications has released "Nioi O Torerun Getcha!" pet (cat and dog) cushion specially designed to prevent pet odours. The cushion is covered with a sheet made of non-woven materials including tourmaline, activated charcoal, cotton...

Cotton Hamster Houses.
January 25, 2002... Osaka based Marukan has released "Fuwa Fuwa Futon Pastel Wata Dama" pastel coloured cotton balls designed as nest building material for small animals. The pink, blue and other pastel coloured balls are made of 100% natural cotton and are...

Juju Cosmetics Expands Fixet Series.
January 25, 2002... Juju Cosmetics has launched 2 new items as part of its "Fixet" series of haircare products exclusively for smoothing out kinks. The products are: 1) Straight Hair Cream In Water (260ml/850 yen); and2) Straight Hair Cream In Water...

Water Jet hair and Scalp Cleanser.
January 25, 2002... Ricoh Elemex has released "Keana Care 8T36" an easy to use, rechargeable head cleansing device consisting of a jet pump and nozzle designed to provide a strong, pulsating jet of water to the head and scalp. The streams of water, emitted at...

Treatment Type Henna Hair Dye.
January 25, 2002... Tokyo based Henna Salon Cream Bath Ebisu has released "Rainbow Henna" a henna based hair dye containing natural treatment agents. The product does not produce the unpleasant odours typically associated with chemical based hair dye agents....

Hair Care Range for Tired Hair.
January 25, 2002... Doctor Mocos Japan has released "Five Star Reef Shampoo" and "Five Star Reef Conditioner" specifically formulated with natural vegetable conditioning agents for damaged hair. In addition to an extract derived from the leaf of the henna...

New Hair Color from Wella Japan.
January 25, 2002... Wella Treatment Color Natural, from Wella Japan, is a fast-acting (10 minutes) gray hair coloring agent. The product contains chamomile extract and bee's wax, adds smooth luster and moisture to the hair while protecting discoloration, and dyes...

Wella Japan Expands Wella Color on Super Manicure Series.
January 25, 2002... Wella Japan has enlarged Its "Wella Color On Super Manicure" series with a new item "Natural Gray." The product is an acid gray hair coloring agent which does not damage the hair, causes no discoloration and dyes gray hair natural fashionable...

New Hair Color from Oppen Cosmetics.
January 25, 2002... Oppen Emett Hair Color, from Oppen Cosmetics, is a medicated cream type grey hair coloring agent which can speedily dye the hair in 10 minutes. The product contains no ammonia at all, includes Aroma Oil and allows the user to color her hair...

Mousse and Wax Hair Styling Agent.
January 25, 2002... Nihon L'Oreal has released "Tec Ni Art Kraft Wax Mousse" a hair styling product featuring the hold of a wax product and the wetness of a mousse. The fine foam blends into the hair enabling the volume to be freely increased or decreased....

New Makeup Brand "Selful Elsia" from Kose Cosmenience.
January 25, 2002... Selful Elsia, from Kose Cosmenience, is a new high quality, high sense and reasonably priced makeup brand mainly targeted at women in their 30s. The series consists of makeup base products (8 items/29 varieties) including foundations and point...

New CollaLift Foundation Series from Juju Cosmetics.
January 25, 2002... CollaLift Foundation, from Juju Cosmetics, is a new series of makeup base products featuring a formulation based on skincare principles. Products in the range include: 1) Wrinkle Cover Pact UV (4 colors/1500 yen each for 13g) - A...

Light Refracting Makeup.
January 25, 2002... Tokyo based LVMH New Cosmetics has released "Makeup Forever Blush Cream" a cream type cheek blush product containing micro size crystals of the inorganic powder sericite. The crystals refract incoming light producing a glowing effect....

Kose Expands Predia Series.
January 25, 2002... Kose has launched 2 new items as part of its "Predia" range of personal-counseling cosmetic products intended for retail in specialty stores which participate in in-store counselor based sales. 1) Naissance Fine Spa Foundation (6...

Portable Lipstick and Foundation Set.
January 25, 2002... Avon Products has released "Clea" a mini size lipstick and foundation set for the spring season. The fragrance free foundation features a non-chemical sun cut agent (SPF25. PA++) while the lipstick contains the treatment agent allantoin,...

Pen Type Eye Liner from Avon Products.
January 25, 2002... Avon Products has released "Couturiere Beaute Auto Liquid Eyeliner" a cartridge type eyeliner combination brush-pen capable of producing both thick and thin lines. The easy to hold and manipulate combination brush pen construction enables...

Moisturising Gel Lipstick.
January 25, 2002... Avon Products has released "FMG Gel Colour Lipstick" featuring a unique "Gel Base" formulation containing a variety of micro fine powders that together produce a natural, long lasting gloss. Available in a range of 10 vivid colours, the...

2 Winter Makeup Collections from Avon Products.
January 25, 2002... Avon Products has released "Avon Makeup Collection Couturiere Beaute" in 2 different varieties. Each set contains a lipstick, face colour, eye colour, eyebrow pencil and a handy carry bag. Price: 12,100 yen for each set. The first set...

New Products in FMG Range.
January 25, 2002... Avon Products has recently released four new items as part of its popular "FMG" range. 1) "Long and Volume Mascara" - A fragrance free mascara featuring a new type brush designed to add length and volume to the lashes while preventing...

Slim Line Lipstick.
January 25, 2002... Avon Products has released "Couturiere Beaute Line Art Rouge" a lipstick product designed to help create sharp lip lines without the use of a lip pencil. The diameter of the lipstick has been almost halved to 6.5mm compared to Avon's other...

Stick Type Foundation.
January 25, 2002... Avon Products has released "Colour Hydro Finish Foundation Stick" a convenient and easy to use stick type foundation that blends readily into any skin type. The fragrance free stick is applied directly to the face where it is then spread...