Kao’s new men’s cosmetic brand Unlics sets bar for Gen Z beauty ideal

07 Dec 2022 --- Kao Corporation has launched a cosmetics brand called Unlics for Gen Z men branded “Hungry for Beauty” to provide beauty for men who are interested in more than simple grooming. With the popularity of three Japanese male beauty influencers, Sena Kurumatami, Usuke and Shoki, the company is making them brand ambassadors.

The brand ambassadors will participate in all brand creation phases, from product development to communications. 

The first two products launched were Impress Color Wear, a clarifying makeup base in four shades that controls the dark reddish tone of the skin and the Aqua Hug Water lotion. 

Evolving market for men’s beauty
The launch comes as the market for men’s cosmetics gains traction. Younger men have been driving this market growth, with a 17% rise in the number of male teens and men in their 20s purchasing cosmetics from 2017 to 2021, according to a January 2022 Kao survey.

Moreover, according to a September 2019 Kao study, men are also using more foundation and skincare, reflecting their changing awareness of beauty.

A detailed survey of men’s beauty attitudes in January 2019 shows the most frequent reasons for using skincare and makeup were “being told I have beautiful skin,” “to feel confident” and “to feel motivated.”Men are using more foundation and skin care in a trend that reflects a changing awareness of beauty. Featured here are the Unlics brand ambassadors Sena Kurumatami, Usuke and Shoki.

When asked to describe “beautiful skin,” the respondents often came up with qualities like “fine texture,” “soft,” “bright” and “clear.” Every product in the lineup aims to bring out those qualities by conditioning the skin to a “fine and cool” finish.

Many men claimed to have needed help finding cosmetics with the right textures and functions to attain those qualities in their skin.

According to another study conducted by the Kao Research Laboratories in early 2020, the skin of men in their 20s contains less moisture than that of similarly aged women, is more prone to moisture loss, and tends to take on a dark reddish tone.

Expressions of beauty
The two primary products debuted on online retail sites Rakuten and Amazon. In January, the brand will expand its offering with five non-sticky, non-clogging beauty serums and a reusable face towel mask. 

By launching a cosmetics brand that nourishes the aspiration for beauty in Gen Z men, Kao wants everyone to be able to express beauty freely, regardless of gender.

Men are looking for reliable skincare ingredients that will enhance their appearance in a noticeable-but-natural way, according to Lycored, which has seen an increase in testing that is driving the internal beauty trend.

Unlics aims to communicate the brand’s worldview to the digital native generation of beauty-conscious men. Video content will be released showing young men gaining confidence while applying makeup. The videos are designed to “trigger curiosity about beauty.”

Kao has also launched “Unlics Beauty Dig-tionary,” a UX app for searching beauty information while choosing from a menu of 20 different looks. The platform shares beauty techniques by displaying rotating headshots and images of the skin in high-resolution zoom. 

Edited by Inga de Jong