Getting women as young as in their 20s to bank up for good skin as they get older is what Shiseido aims to do with its newest anti-ageing line, Future Solution LX.
The launch of the luxe line today in Singapore coincides with the 137-year-old Japanese skincare giant's global push to refresh its branding, with the aim of being the No.1 brand in Asia over the next three years.
It currently holds 18 per cent of the premium skincare market share in Asia.
Its other age-targeting skincare lines are Bio-Performance, Benefiance and Revital.
Future Solution LX is top of the line because of its cutting-edge research. The line's star ingredient is the patent-pending Skingenecell 1P.
This amino acid derivative suppresses the production of serpin B3, a protein by-product of UV exposure which wrinkles and weathers the skin (see other story).
In an interview with Urban during the line's media launch in Tokyo this April, Hitoshi Okamoto, manager of marketing planning group of the International Marketing Department, said he was confident that the luxe line would sell, recession not withstanding.
'Women want the full emotional benefits of make-up and skincare and they will buy because they feel they have worked very hard and deserve the best.'
THAT OLD DEFINITION
His confidence is not misplaced - demand for potions that claim to diminish the effects of ageing form a lucrative multi-billion-dollar industry.
Numbers from Datamonitor, a London-based industry analysis firm, showed that the market for anti-ageing skincare in the Asia Pacific was US$3.4billion (S$4.8 billion) last year. It is projected to hit US$3.7 billion in 2011.
Targeting the swathe of boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) and post-boomers (those born after) - is an 'astute tactic', said Katrina Diamonon, 26, Datamonitor's Sydney-based consumer markets analyst.
'Those entering the 50-plus cohort plan to maintain a physically active lifestyle and do not want to be defined as old and it is this generation that is driving the development of more anti-ageing products.'
TAKE CARE WHILE YOUNG
According to two recent Datamonitor global consumer surveys of over 10,000 people each, consumers rank anti-ageing benefits as one of the top three things they wanted most from beauty products.
But how will Future Solution LX fare in the crowded skincare space in Singapore?
A competitive market here, as in France and Japan, is no deterrent, said Shiseido's Singapore managing director, Hiroyuki Yokoyama.
He said, 'The most important thing in these competitive markets is total brand power.'
And to nip those wrinkles in the bud, an early start is essential, says Dr Eileen Tan, a consultant dermatologist at Eileen Tan Skin, Laser and Hair Transplant Clinic.
'Commonly, people in their 20s don't take good care of their skin. So in their 40s and 50s, everything - like the fine lines around the eyes and mouth - will become even more obvious, with furrows and burrows appearing.'
THE FUTURE IS HERE
Attention to superior craftsmanship and detail - or omotenashi, as the Japanese put it - sums up the making of Future Solution LX (Photo 2).
Shiseido's scientists have been beavering away on their research for this anti-ageing line since 2002.
The story of Future Solution LX starts with the discovery that Serpin b3, a protein found in skin cells, causes dry, rough and damaged skin, said Dr Chika Katagiri of Shiseido's Innovative Science Research and Development Center, Skin Biology Research Group.
Serpin b3 flourishes with exposure to ultra-violet rays and weakens the skin's protective function, causing it to become more susceptible to external causes of ageing such as pollution and toxins.
Enter Skingenecell 1P.
Developed after seven years of research, the amino acid derivative works deep within the skin's surface to retard the production of Serpin b3.
As a result, cells function normally, with skin moisturised, smooth and showing fewer signs of ageing.
'Think of a garden kept in beautiful condition, all lawns properly mowed,' said DrChika.
'This ingredient helps skin to not just get back to the original state of balance, but become better,' she added.
The Future Solution LX line consists of the Extra Rich Cleansing Foam, $83 (125ml); Concentrated Balancing Softener, $150 (150ml); Daytime Protective Cream, $350 (50ml) and Total Regenerating Cream, $390 (50ml).
The softener, day cream and night cream contain Skingenecell 1P. Extracts of Uji green tea, starfruit, and okra are thrown in to strengthen skin against pollutants and to reduce the appearance of sagging and dullness.
The products will be available at Tangs Orchard from today and at Isetan Scotts and Takashimaya Department Store from Oct 1.
This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.
