Kao - Cosmetics

Brand update: Latest developments from Shiseido, Dr.Ci:Labo, Sephora and more

17-Apr-2024 By Amanda Lim

We round up our latest stories on the biggest beauty brands, featuring news updates from Shiseido, Dr.Ci:Labo, Sephora, and more.

‘Wearable’ skin care: Curél taps into Fine Fiber tech to strengthen global position in derma category

27-Mar-2024 By Amanda Lim

Japanese cosmeceutical skin care brand Curél says it is capitalising on Fine Fiber technology to reinforce its position in the global derma beauty market.

Kao to accelerate skin protection agenda with focus on global sun care rollout

20-Feb-2024 By Amanda Lim

Japanese personal care major Kao Corporation set to push its skin protection business with the global rollout of sun care and novel innovations such as ‘next-generation’ body sheets.

No more sticky situation: Nivea-Kao fills gap in sweat care category with new product targeting the neck

16-Jan-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

Nivea-Kao’s latest innovation, containing a functional ingredient that releases a fresh scent each time a user breaks into a sweat, capitalises on the lack of products that address “sticky neck” issues.

KANEBO touts Douyin as ‘best platform’ to raise brand awareness, leverages packaging design to attract Chinese consumers

04-Dec-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Kao-owned prestige skin care brand KANEBO has seen its brand recognition in China blossom after entering Douyin’s e-commerce platform, and aims to ride the wave of growth with festive packaging targeted at Chinese consumers.

Kao-owned TWANY seizes opportunities in Japan’s fast-growing feminine care sector

16-Oct-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Japanese brand TWANY is set to launch a new product series seeking to meet consumer demand in the feminine care category, which it says has been experiencing “significant growth” since 2020.

‘Room for expansion’: SENSAI outlines Asia expansion plans starting with Shanghai flagship in Q4

10-Oct-2023 By Amanda Lim

Japanese luxury skin care brand SENSAI is set to unveil a flagship store in Shanghai in the fourth quarter as it gears up to target China’s "affluent consumers" for future growth.

Sunny potential: Kao Corp hedges bets on Bioré to dominate sun care globally

10-Oct-2023 By Amanda Lim

Japanese personal care major Kao Corporation aims to lead the global sun care category by leveraging the strength of the Bioré brand and its ‘unique’ technology.

Hot topics: Top five beauty stories trending on our socials

22-Sep-2023 By Amanda Lim

We round up the top five stories trending on our socials featuring La Prairie’ daigou woes, Aveda’s Vietnam potential, and more.

Goldwell targets specific scalp problems with renewed range despite prevailing awareness gap

12-Sep-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Kao-owned Goldwell’s newly expanded Dualsenses Scalp Specialist range aims to address specific scalp issues, although these are often not given adequate attention compared to skin problems, says the brand.

Kao’s acquisition of Bondi Sands shows ‘foresight’ in uncertain times – consumer analyst

28-Aug-2023 By Amanda Lim

Kao Corporation’s intention to acquire Australian self-tanning and sun care brand Bondi Sands could prove to be a masterstroke amid inflationary woes and economic downturns, according to a market analyst.

Care and protect: Kao aims to become leader in skin protection segment to drive global growth

22-Aug-2023 By Amanda Lim

Japanese personal care major Kao Corporation says it is refocusing its efforts to become a leader in skin protection as it aims to drive global growth.

Expanding footprint: Kao aims to raise market share of key global brands via product renewal and flagship stores

12-Jul-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Japanese cosmetics giant Kao Corporation has dedicated resources to strengthen the presence of selected brands worldwide, with premium brand SENSAI leading the way through an upcoming flagship store in Shanghai.

Pushing the right buttons: Kao relaunches navel care product amid high demand and market gap

04-Jul-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Japanese cosmetics giant Kao has relaunched its patented belly button cleansing product that claims to address the needs of those with navel shapes that are susceptible to dirt accumulation and odour.

Brand story: Updates from Coty, Kao, Puig and more top beauty brands

23-Jun-2023 By Amanda Lim

We round up our most-read stories on the top beauty brands, featuring news updates from Coty, Kao, Puig and more.

Combination of eucalyptus and bilberry extracts found to improve skin hydration and barrier function – Kao study

30-May-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Researchers from Kao Corporation have identified a close relationship between autophagy activity and keratinisation disorders in the skin, which play a crucial role in moisturising and barrier functions.

Growth boosters: Kao to focus on prestige beauty, makeup to drive beauty profits in Q2

29-May-2023 By Amanda Lim

Japanese consumer goods company Kao Corporation has outlined its plans to drive profit growth in its beauty business in the next quarter, including a focus on prestige beauty and makeup.

Space for more: Kao seizes opportunity in ‘underdeveloped sector’ with astronaut-approved dry shampoo sheets

18-Apr-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Kao Corporation has developed a new type of no-rinse shampoo sheet that aims to fulfil different needs, including consumers with active lifestyles, caregivers, and those working in disaster relief.

Baby barrier check: Kao applies RNA monitoring tech to non-invasive baby skin care testing kit

05-Apr-2023 By Amanda Lim

Kao Corporation is set to launch Babywell Check, a skin barrier test for infants based on its non-invasive ribonucleic acid (RNA) testing technology.

Orchid opportunity: Kao discovers unique scents to advance fragrance innovation

21-Mar-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Japanese beauty giant Kao is looking to develop new products based on distinct orchid scents, after discovering hundreds of options that are yet to be harnessed for commercial applications.

Frizz not! Kao galvanised by latest research to develop UV-protection hair products

14-Mar-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Kao has identified ultraviolet (UV) damage as the main cause of hair frizz on the outer layer of the head, and in doing so underscored a gap in its existing personal care portfolio.

Essential The Beauty hair treatment scores big by keeping attuned to ‘modern hair trends’

06-Feb-2023 By Amanda Lim

Kao-owned Essential The Beauty says it has successfully tapped into the damaged hair segment, with the firm shipping more than 400,000 units of its new treatment in its first three months of sale.

Helping men enjoy makeup: Kao seeks to make category as enjoyable as hair care or fashion

23-Jan-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Japan's Kao says the younger generation is behind the boom in male makeup sales, with the firm aiming to make the category as ‘enjoyable as hair care and fashion’.

Price hikes ahead: Kao’s consumer product price increases likely to continue in 2023 ‘and beyond’

14-Nov-2022 By Amanda Lim

Japanese conglomerate Kao Corporation will further extend price increases into skin and hair care in the fourth quarter of its current fiscal year.

IFSCC CONGRESS 2022 LONDON, UK

Curl power: Kao Corp uses carbonated water to improve active shampoo

18-Oct-2022 By Kacey Culliney

Japanese personal care major Kao Corporation has blended carbonated water into a shampoo formula for curly hair to improve the penetration and effectiveness of its curl-loosening ingredient, offering better style control at the washing stage.

Dive deeper on Kao joining Genomatica venture to scale palm oil alternatives

03-Oct-2022 By Ravyn Cullor

Biotechnology firm Genomatica announced last week that Japanese giant Kao Corporation is joining a venture to scale alternatives to palm oil.

A hairy situation: Kao CEO highlights need for ‘dramatic’ change to invigorate hair care business

23-Aug-2022 By Amanda Lim

The CEO of Japanese consumer goods company Kao Corporation has underlined the immediate need to revitalise its declining hair care business amid stiff competition in the mass market sector.

Brand story: The recent APAC developments from the biggest names in beauty

17-May-2022 By Amanda Lim

We round up our most-read stories on the activities of the big-name beauty brands in the region, featuring news updates from L’Occitane, Kao, Shiseido, and more.

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Kao: ‘Maximising and minimising’ key to zero-waste circular beauty future

07-Apr-2022 By Kacey Culliney

Japanese personal care major Kao Corporation believes achieving a circular society will require a delicate balance of minimising beauty materials and maximising use, with thin-film packaging offering plenty of promise.

Hot topics: Top 5 beauty and cosmetics stories trending on our socials right now

11-Mar-2022 By Amanda Lim

In our round-up of the top five stories trending on our social channels, we highlight Estée Lauder and L'Oréal's efforts in China, Kao’s brand woes, and more.

Smooth operator: Kao’s fine fibre tech able to smoothen appearance of skin when applied under make-up

08-Mar-2022 By Amanda Lim

Kao Corporation has conducted a new study on the colour cosmetics application of its fine fibre technology, confirming that is able to smoothen the appearance of skin naturally when applied all over the skin under make-up.

Brand story: The recent APAC developments from the biggest names in beauty

07-Jan-2022 By Amanda Lim

We round up our most-read stories on the big-name beauty brands of the region, featuring news updates from Shiseido, Procter & Gamble, Coty and more.

Monster hit: KATE struggling to keep bestselling mask-friendly lipstick in stock as demand swells

06-Dec-2021 By Amanda Lim

Japanese make-up brand KATE is facing supply issues as demand for its bestselling mask-friendly lipstick, Lip Monster, soars among consumers.

‘Substantial shrinkage’: Kao reports skin care sales dip as hand hygiene demand falls

09-Nov-2021 By Amanda Lim

Japanese firm Kao Corporation has recorded a sales decline in skin care in the third quarter as the demand for hand soaps and sanitisers tumbled.

Brand story: The recent APAC developments from the biggest names in beauty

29-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

We round-up of our most-read stories on the activities of the big-name beauty brands in the region, featuring news updates from Sephora, Amorepacific, Kao and more.

China expansion: SENSAI leads with e-commerce strategy to accelerate growth of brand awareness

23-Sep-2021 By Amanda Lim

Luxury skin care brand SENSAI has launched a Tmall flagship store as part of its e-commerce-led strategy to accelerate the brand’s presence in the competitive Chinese market.

Star product: How cleansing sheets have driven Men’s Bioré’s consecutive sales growth for a decade

15-Jul-2021 By Amanda Lim

Kao Corporation has revealed that cleansing sheets have been the star product for its Men’s Bioré range across the last decade, with sales soaring by 743%.

Digital transformation: Kao Corp pumps $136m into digital as it seeks to offset cosmetics sales slump

14-Jul-2021 By Amanda Lim

Kao is investing $136m on its digital transformation to enhance the competitiveness of its cosmetics division, which has experienced a sales slump during the pandemic.

Brand story: The recent APAC developments from the biggest names in beauty

06-Jul-2021 By Amanda Lim

We round-up of our most-read stories on the big-name beauty brands of the region, featuring news updates from L’Oréal, Shiseido, Amorepacific and more.

Sunscreen still needed: Protective surgical face masks ineffective against UV protection, says Kao

22-Jun-2021 By Amanda Lim

People still need to protect their skin from ultraviolet sun rays with sunscreen even when wearing protective surgical face masks, according to new research from Kao.

New life for old plastics: Kao furthers circular beauty goals with plans to use chemically recycled plastics for cosmetics

14-Jun-2021 By Amanda Lim

Japanese personal care major Kao Corporation has piloted a new initiative to use chemically recycled plastic for its cosmetics packaging in effort to further its efforts to improve its circularity.

Kao, P&G Beauty and Estée Lauder rank top in ESG intelligence report

28-May-2021 By Kacey Culliney

An independent report analysing the reputation of 14 of the world’s biggest beauty players around environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) criteria has ranked Kao, Procter & Gamble Beauty and Estée Lauder leaders.