From a global perspective, how do Japanese beauty brands appear?

What products are particularly popular? What do overseas users truly desire? A networking and discussion event offering a glimpse into these honest opinions was held on November 9, 2025, hosted by “J-beauty Hunt.”

Four community members participated on the day. The event featured lively, real-world discussions about J-beauty, and we report on the proceedings here.

Ambassador Project Launches! Sharing Authentic Japanese Beauty Insights for Inbound Travelers

J-beauty Hunt, the organizer of this exchange & roundtable event, promotes Japanese beauty brands globally through social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

To further strengthen these efforts, a new project has launched featuring creators who share Japanese content internationally. The goal is to convey the appeal of J-beauty more deeply and directly to a global audience through these creators, who have large followings outside Japan.

The concept for this event, which also served as the project's kickoff, was simply “Tea Party.” Held in a Japanese-style room set up inside a building in Shinjuku, Tokyo, it took place in a relaxed atmosphere while enjoying matcha drinks and Japanese sweets.

With “J-beauty Hunt” staff joining as facilitators, the event began with everyone showing off their favorite Japanese cosmetics while giving brief self-introductions.

The table was lined with a wide array of Japanese products selected by J-beauty Hunt for the event: sunscreen, toner, face cream, wash-off packs, eyeshadow, eyeliner, and more. Staff explained the key features of each item one by one.

“This toner is specially formulated for superior moisturizing power compared to other series, making it ideal for those with dry skin.”
“It's a relatively new yet highly anticipated brand, developed to incorporate trending beauty ingredients into daily skincare.”

The conversation further touched on the manufacturer's characteristics and technical strengths, sparking keen interest among participants. While actually applying products to their hands on the spot, they shared various impressions: “This eyeshadow palette has beautiful color payoff and glitter!” and “This UV care cream is great because it doesn't leave a white cast.”

Given that these members are already interested in J-beauty, it was also impressive to hear comments like “I know this product” or “I've used this before.”

“What We Truly Want from J-beauty” – An Honest Discussion

As the atmosphere relaxed, it was time for the roundtable discussion.

・What makes J-beauty appealing to you?
・Questions and needs you usually receive from your social media followers
・Expectations and suggestions for future “J-beauty Hunt” activities

We deepened the conversation around these three themes.

Regarding J-beauty's appeal, participants consistently highlighted its gentleness on the skin and the reassurance of its quality. Several attendees also mentioned being loyal users of items with UV protection.

On the other hand, we also heard real concerns from people overseas with different skin and hair types than Japanese people when using Japanese products.

“For women like me from northern Europe, Japan's water and humidity don't suit my hair type. So I'm very careful when choosing hair care items.”

“Japanese makeup items often have natural-looking shades, so it's hard to find blush or lip colors that are bold enough for me.”

Followers on social media also frequently ask questions like, “Can I use this with my skin/hair type?” Finding cosmetics that suit you seems to be a key theme.

Another question unique to international followers is, “Is that product cruelty-free (not tested on animals) or vegan?” If Japanese brands aim to challenge the global market, it seems crucial to catch up on these international standards as well.

We also exchanged opinions about future community activities.

“I'd love to learn more about the behind-the-scenes of product development, like interviewing manufacturer representatives or touring factories.”
“It would be interesting to experience and introduce Japan's latest skin diagnostics and personal color analysis.”
“How about making a YouTube video of all the ambassadors going shopping together at a drugstore? Inbound tourists would definitely be interested.”

And so on—free-flowing ideas came pouring out.

At the event’s conclusion, sets of Japanese products were packed into original pink eco-bags and presented to the ambassadors. We wrapped up with a commemorative photo.

Participant Katie shared her impressions of the event:

“Honestly, I learned so much—like discovering brands I hadn’t known about before. Meeting other international people like myself and talking about our favorite J-beauty products was really great.”

I want to share more authentic information about Japan.

Originally, “J-beauty Hunt” operated under the name “Cosme Hunt” as part of Cosme Hunt Inc.'s efforts to support Japanese brands entering and expanding in the U.S. market. The company is headquartered in California, USA. However, the brand name across social media and other platforms has been refreshed to “J-beauty Hunt.” This rebranding initiative aims to further strengthen the dissemination of J-beauty.

The new tagline for “J-beauty Hunt,” “unfiltered J-beauty, straight from TOKYO,” embodies the desire to convey authentic information about Japan. The J-beauty information currently reaching overseas audiences often slightly diverges from real trends or features outdated content, indicating a persistent gap compared to domestic perceptions. We believe addressing this gap will also contribute to the overseas expansion of Japanese brands and the revitalization of inbound demand.

This event marks the first step toward that goal. Asami Iida, Head of Trendenders' ampule division, commented on future developments:

This was our first attempt at such an event, but hearing the influencers' genuine opinions was extremely insightful. We learned that many struggle to find products suited to their skin tone and texture, highlighting challenges with our traditional product recommendations. However, this also means that if we can accurately identify and deliver the information overseas consumers seek, the market has significant potential for growth. Moving forward, we will continue exploring better communication methods and working alongside Japanese brands to take on the global challenge.

Moving forward, “J-beauty Hunt” plans to expand beyond ambassadors by increasing community membership. We intend to grow initiatives, including this event, where we collaborate with community members to share the appeal of J-beauty globally.

Photo: Kaori Ouchi
Interview & Text: Kumiko

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【Contact Information】

For inquiries or questions regarding overseas support, please feel free to contact us at the address below.

ampule Overseas Business Division
MAIL：ampule.global@trenders.co.jp