Market Overview

The domestic skin lightening cosmetics market has expanded since FY2015 due to domestic economic recovery and flourishing inbound tourism demand. For FY2018, the market size based on the shipment value at manufacturers rose by 3.9% to reach 264,000 million yen, because of new product releases by major cosmetic manufacturers and extended product lines by the brands excelling at attracting foreign tourists.

The skin lightening cosmetics market was expected to expand in FY2019, as the market players had been vigorous, represented by a manufacturer releasing cosmetic products and milky lotion with active skin lightening ingredients contained for the first time in ten years. Expansion of the COVID-19 infections, however, reduced the domestic demand as well as inbound tourism demand after 2020, which ended up the domestic skin lightening cosmetics market for FY2019 to decline to 261,000 million yen, 98.9% of the size of the previous year, based on the shipment value at manufactures. The domestic skin lightening cosmetics market has expanded since FY2015 due to domestic economic recovery and flourishing inbound tourism demand. For FY2018, the market size based on the shipment value at manufacturers rose by 3.9% to reach 264,000 million yen, because of new product releases by major cosmetic manufacturers and extended product lines by the brands excelling at attracting foreign tourists.

The skin lightening cosmetics market was expected to expand in FY2019, as the market players had been vigorous, represented by a manufacturer releasing cosmetic products and milky lotion with active skin lightening ingredients contained for the first time in ten years. Expansion of the COVID-19 infections, however, reduced the domestic demand as well as inbound tourism demand after 2020, which ended up the domestic skin lightening cosmetics market for FY2019 to decline to 261,000 million yen, 98.9% of the size of the previous year, based on the shipment value at manufactures.

Noteworthy Topics

In 2018 Active Skin Lightening Ingredients Approved for First Time in Ten Years

Because people in Europe and the U.S. have almost no wish for their skins to be lighter, the skin lightening cosmetics market has long been taken the initiative by the Japanese manufacturers. However, overseas manufacturers began opening their R&D institutions in Japan in the 2010s to study and develop vigorously. CHANEL was the first non-Japanese manufacturer that succeeded in releasing its skin-lightening ingredient “TXC,” after 9 years of research and development. On the other hand, a achromoderma problem caused by the product by Kanebo Cosmetic led to a social issue.

In the latter half of the 2010s, the approach to strengthen the natural glow in the skin itself has drawn attention, accelerating the move to induce the original beauty of the skin by nature. In 2018, for the first time in ten years POLA released its products (lotion and milk) with active skin lightening ingredient “PCE-DP” contained after approval.

Future Outlook

As the COVID-19 pandemic has diminished both domestic demand and inbound tourism demand, the skin lightening cosmetics market in FY2020 is forecasted to end up with 241,000 million yen, 92.3% of the size of the previous fiscal year. After FY2021, domestic demand is expected to recover in the wake of termination of the COVID-19 infections, and inbound tourism demand also is likely to recuperate gradually with increase of foreign tourists.

Research Outline