This survey was excerpted from the November 2021 issue of ampule magazine Vol. 02.
To read the corresponding article and the full magazine, please visit the back issues of the electronic version of ampule magazine.

▼ampule magazine
https://ampule.jp/magazine/

ampule magazine Vol.02The future of J-Beauty will change through its ingredients.
The future of J-Beauty will change through its ingredients.We will consider the “now” and “future” of cosmetic ingredients based on interviews with skinfluencers, skincare brands, doctors, and experts, as well as surveys of consumers.

＜Survey Summary＞
Trenders Research
Survey period: August 20~September 8, 2021
Survey target: 1103 women in their 20s~40s, evenly allocated by age (Japan: 603, Korea: 500)
Survey method: Internet survey

Cosmetics are the crystallization of chemical technology. Many consumers may feel uncomfortable talking about technical matters such as ingredients and formulas, but how much do they really understand about cosmetics? We conducted a questionnaire survey focusing on the theme of “ingredients. How is the situation in the neighboring country of South Korea, which is also known as an “advanced beauty country”? By comparing the results of the Japan-Korea survey, we analyzed the differences in attitudes toward skincare in the two countries.

※「配合目的をおおよそ理解またはそれ以上に理解している」の回答を認知していると定義

＜Japan＞
Vitamin C: 47.4%
Collagen: 45.9%
Hyaluronic acid: 43.8%
Vitamin C derivative: 35.8%
Amino acids: 34.8%

＜Korea＞
Collagen: 86.6%
Vitamin C: 84.4%
Hyaluronic acid: 74.8%
Propolis: 73.4%
Amino acids: 59.8%

※After limiting the number of respondents who knew the relevant ingredient, the answer “If it is included, it will be a deciding factor in my purchase” was defined as popular.

＜Japan＞
Vitamin C derivative: 15.7%
Vitamin C: 13.4%
Placenta extract: 12.9%
Ceramide: 11.8%
Hyaluronic acid: 11.5%

＜Korea＞
Shika: 33.0%
Collagen: 29.8%
Hyaluronic acid: 28.2%
Vitamin C: 25.6%
Retinol (Vitamin A): 22.0

In Korea, if there is a product that interests them, it is common practice to first check the ingredients on a beauty app before buying. As for the popularity of Sika, it is said that Koreans’ need to soothe their skin and make it more resistant to external stimuli is due to serious air pollution, such as PM2.5, which adversely affects the skin. These circumstances may also be linked to a high level of sustainability awareness. In this survey as well, interest in “strengthening the skin barrier” was far higher than in Japan. Similarly, interest in “anti-aging care” stood out. The fact that early anti-aging is beginning to be called for was introduced in ampule magazine vo.1. In general, South Koreans seem to have a strong preventive mindset, trying to maintain their skin as close to its best as possible. In contrast, in Japan, vitamin C derivatives and vitamin C are the top two most popular products, and interest in “moisturizing,” “pore care,” “whitening,” and “blemish improvement” is high. Compared to Korea, we feel that Japanese skincare orientation is more focused on “how to deal with negative skin conditions when they occur. But of course, what can be done with home care is limited, and in some cases, treatment may be necessary. It is undeniable that the lack of interest in ingredients may be exaggerating expectations for skin care.

Trenders Inc.
Planner / SNS Analyst Yukina Sato
After working as a content planner at a web production company, Yukina joined Trenders K.K. in 2014. Currently, as a communication planner, she provides marketing support to a wide range of industries including food and cosmetics, and specializes in analyzing consumer insights and SNS trends.