A look at Asia's most innovative product launches - Mintel roundup

1. Eye care dominating Japan, China, Malaysia and South Korea's markets​

Asia is responsible for the recent and global alphabet craze and innovative product forms ranging from jellies to foams. 

According to Mintel, it’s also home to new and unusual ingredients, which are seen regularly in its eye care product launches.  

This gallery reveals​ products like placenta eye treatments to be dominating Japan's markets while colour cosmetic launches like butterfly lash mascara are in high demand in China.

2. The latest global hair care product launches​​

There are many opportunities to drive sales in the mature shampoo/conditioner market, from more beauty-enhancing/functional men's shampoos to products featuring positive and aspirational benefits for older women.  

The market researcher says more cleansing conditioners are being launched onto the market to address the growing concern around the impact of daily shampooing.

Here, Vivienne Rudd, Director of Global Insight showcases how botanical/herbal extracts have become a 'must have' in shampoos and conditioners​, offering a natural method of adding functional benefits.

3. Skin care - what products are offering after the BB craze​

According to global skin care analyst Christopher Lindsley, while new product launches are not necessarily destined to have a similar impact to that seen with BB creams, certain ingredients have established themselves in the region and have moved to a more mainstream use. 

"Astaxanthin, an algae extract which gives flamingos their red colour, is one example​," he told CosmeticsDesign-Asia.com. 

Lindsley's gallery​ of products feature ingredients like antioxidants which initially seen in facial skin care, has now spread to other categories including the hand/nail care sector.

4. Luxury packaging - innovations in luxury packaging from Asia are often overlooked​

Despite the growth of mass-market Asia products, innovations in luxury packaging from Asia are often overlooked.

According to Dr Benjamin Punchard, global packaging insights director for Mintel, in recent years, high-end glass products from Asian companies, particularly those in Korea, are showing increased competitiveness with European and American products.

He notes that even with the growth of alternatives such as PET and plastic, glass still remains the leading material for cosmetics packaging, with its combination of weight and rich appearance giving it a unique appeal to consumers. 

See here ​for the products he thought best represented this category.