The brand debuted its Face Styling BB Cream in February 2024, and recently reached the top spot in Amazon Japan’s “Review” and “BB Cream gifts (men’s section)” bestselling rankings as of end-March 2025.
According to WOLG, the men’s cosmetics market is continuing to grow year on year, with the demand for products such as basic skin care and BB creams rising rapidly.
“The size of the men’s cosmetics market in Japan was expected to reach JPY49.7bn (USD346m) in 2024. BB cream, in particular, is gaining attention as a product that is effective in improving men’s ‘grooming awareness’ and ‘creating a sense of cleanliness’.
“WOLG’s BB Cream differentiates itself from other brands through its high quality and unique proposition. In just one year since its launch, it has succeeded in building a customer base,” the brand said.
In a survey conducted by the brand involving 400 men, a significant proportion of respondents — 38% in their 20s, 34% in their 30s, and 42% in their 40s — revealed that they were “worried about other people finding out that they use BB cream”.
“Although many men wished that their skin looked a little clearer or less tired, they have the impression that dealing with such concerns is effeminate or unmanly due to social culture, and shied away from it.
“WOLG wants to dispel the stereotype of makeup being feminine, and bring a new trend of ‘masculine makeup’. Just like styling your hair, shaving your beard, or choosing your clothes, we want to make using BB cream to condition your skin a natural choice that makes every day just a little better.
“What we deliver is not makeup to be complimented by others. It elevates your mood and gives you a feeling that leads to inner confidence, which then changes your behaviour, relationships with others and even your work, creating a positive chain reaction.”
The brand believes that through these small changes, a culture that considers it normal for men to wear makeup would take root in Japan in a few years, which will favourably impact both society and the economy.
“Men’s makeup is still an emerging market that has yet to mature globally. If Japan could become a country where everyone takes care of their skin in a natural way, then as a leader in men’s cosmetics, we would be able to export not just products but the lifestyle itself.
“Instead of wearing makeup to look cool for someone else, it is about living coolly for yourself. Our rankings [on Amazon] is the first step in spreading this new value from Japan to the world.”
Conditioning while concealing
WOLG’s Face Styling BB Cream serves to cover common problems faced by men, such as beard, pores, redness, and blemishes like acne scars, while resulting in a natural look.
The brand also focused on the cream’s opacity so that it can blend in with as many skin tones as possible, to address users’ concern about the shade mismatching with their skin tone.
In addition, the product is intended to be an extension of the user’s skin care routine. It is claimed to be lightweight enough to be worn daily without burdening the skin, and contains three key active ingredients to nourish it.
These ingredients are namely inositol, a rice-derived ingredient that helps balance moisture and oil content in the skin; alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, a natural prebiotic that regulates the skin microbiome by promoting growth of beneficial bacteria while inhibiting harmful ones; and yuzu fruit extract, which improves rough skin and supports its barrier function.
