Brand story: Updates from L’Oreal, Kao, Amorepacific and more top beauty brands

L’Oréal derma chief: Consumer demand for aesthetic procedures with drive cosmeceutical growth in APAC​

Surging interest in medical aesthetic procedures among consumers in APAC is one of the key emerging growth drivers for L’Oréal’s dermatological beauty division.

The head of L’Oréal’s dermatological beauty division underscored her confidence that its cosmeceutical brands will continue to have “phenomenal” ​growth in Asia Pacific.

“I believe will continue to see that growth. The growth is happening due to structural reasons. We are basically being pushed by big winds,” ​said Myriam Cohen-Welgryn.

Behind the resurrection of first-gen K-beauty brands Skinfood, Nature Republic, Etude​​

First-generation K-beauty brands have navigated their way back to relevancy by banking on brand values, zeroing in on trends and playing on nostalgia, says one expert.

Etude House, Nature Republic, Skinfood and Tony Moly are familiar names to any beauty aficionado.

These brands introduced us to the fun and innovation of K-beauty but had since been become lost among the wave of intense competition from new brands.

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

Kao Corp 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.

This comes after the company’s recent announcement on its focus on prestige beauty​.

A brand under Kanebo Cosmetics, SENSAI spearheads a group of 11 brands, including Curél and Molton Brown, which were identified in 2018 to drive Kao’s global expansion.

Middle East and Western markets could be new hotbed for K-beauty brands – expert​

Amorepacific’s Laneige has recently accelerated its global expansion footsteps into the UK and Middle East, underscoring the shift away from China.

It announced in May that its global brand Laneige has landed in SPACE NK, a luxury beauty retailer in the UK, followed by its debut in the Middle East through a partnership with Sephora.

The brand’s flagship products, including Lip Sleeping Mask and Water Bank Cream, have been introduced at Sephora stores in the UAE and four Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries.

Kao relaunches navel care product amid high demand and market gap​

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.

SPOT JELLY belly button cleaner was re-packaged and officially launched on June 12, following a gathering of feedback and consideration of market needs.

During its limited-time release​ in April 2021, the product topped Japanese e-commerce marketplace Rakuten’s daily ranking chart and sold out in 13 days.