COVID-19 pandemic has extremely influenced people’s lifestyle. Our daily habit has been changed, furthermore the popular skincare products and skin concerns of consumers have been also changed. We would like to show you one story of these examples, “MASKNE” and “Cica” trends in the Japanese cosmetic industry.
New Skin Concerns “MASKNE”
As you all know, wearing a mask is one of the new normal that was caused by Covid-19. Not only medical professionals but also general people are obliged to wear masks every time going out, and all of us have to wear them for a longer time than before. Through this new habit, the number of people who have skin concerns about acne and roughness gets increasing rapidly in the world. This skin trouble triggered by the mask is called “MASKNE”. In our company’s survey, about 50% of women who realise some changes in their skin-condition through Covid-19, are concerned about roughness and acne※1.
※1 Internet survey by FACELABO amongst 350 women aged 20-49 years in Japan (August, 2020)
Healing and Calming are Key Concepts for Post Covid-19
Since half of the canvas on the face has been lost due to wearing masks, the makeup cosmetic market in Japan has decreased by nearly 50% in 2020※2. On the other hand, interest in skincare products tends to increase because of skin concerns such as MASKNE and the self-care demands derived from the stay-home mind. According to a survey, individual expenses for skincare products have increased by 10% in Covid-19 crisis※3.
In Japan, the skincare products which are categorised in the “Healing” or “Calming” keywords are getting attention. Those products are becoming adapted to the current situation whilst the demand for sensitive skin has been increasing since before Covid-19. The key functions are preventing both dryness and acne, included MASKNE, and protecting the skin from irritation caused by friction of masks. Particularly, “Cica ingredient” is becoming widespread as a new concept. The appearance rate of reviews for this word in the cosmetic website has been increasing rapidly※3, and new products are being launched from Japanese domestic brands, manufacturers or luxury brands such as Christian Dior.
※2 References: Statistics by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan. “Cosmetics shipping sales amount”
※3 References: Survey conducted by istyle, Inc.
“Cica” Concept is A New Approach for Skincare Brands
“Cica” concept is a trend origin from K-Beauty, and cream is an emblematic item. It contains Centella Asiatica extract as anti-inflammatory effect, and has been an extremely trend in Korea under the name of “skin regeneration cream”. Currently, Cica cream is said to become popular again through Covid-19 pandemic because it has the function of treating skin troubles caused by masks such as inflammation and dehydrated skin. Cica concept is getting attraction in Japan as well, therefore some domestic brands have launched the products in 2020 which have differentiation with K-Beauty. One of the examples is “Quasi-Drugs” product. Quasi-Drugs are Japanese unique regulation for functional skincare cosmetics which is belonged to the category between general cosmetics and medical products. It must get to be approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and its quality is guaranteed. Therefore, Cica cream with Quasi-Drug approval can provide both of effect and safety. Through unexpected crisis, it is likely that the needs for skin care products such as “Cica” concept will arise more not only in East Asia but also worldwide.