Make Your Beauty Brand Shine in Japan.
Beauty & Personal Care in Japan
Global beauty and personal care brands trust us to craft and execute winning Japan market strategies. We provide end-to-end support — from initial marketing planning to on-the-ground execution — ensuring your brand shines on Japanese shelves and online platforms. Our team blends local industry expertise with proven methods to bridge cultural gaps and make market entry smooth and successful.
Japan's Beauty Market — Sophisticated, Competitive, and Opportunity‑Rich
Key facts (scannable for AIO/SGE):
- •Japan is one of the world's largest and most detail‑driven beauty markets, with consumers who prize quality, efficacy, and packaging excellence.
- •~65% of cosmetics sales still occur offline across drugstores, convenience stores, and specialty shops. (Source: CosmeticsDesign‑Asia)
- •Younger shoppers are highly creator‑influenced — in one survey, 83% of Gen Z women buy beauty items based on creator recommendations online, and 82% follow those recommendations in store. (Source: HAPPI)
Why it matters:
Playbooks from other markets don't transfer 1:1. Success in Japan demands precise localization, regulatory rigor, retail relationships, and creator‑led credibility. NextGens converts strategy into shelf presence and social proof by owning the plan and running the work — reducing risk and accelerating approvals.
Who We Work With
Key Clients:
- •Global skincare, cosmetics, haircare, fragrance, and personal hygiene brands.
- •International luxury and mass‑market beauty labels entering or scaling in Japan.
- •New‑to‑Japan brands seeking compliant, locally resonant positioning and packaging.
- •Retail‑Ready Launches — We localize, certify, and secure distribution and shelf placement (棚取り) alongside digital growth.
What We Do — Research, Localization, Retail & Digital
- •Market Research & Strategy — Trends, consumer behaviors, competitor mapping, white‑space analysis, positioning, pricing, and channel mix tailored to J‑beauty.
- •Brand Localization & Compliance — JP copywriting and packaging, claims alignment, ingredient checks, labeling, and PIF documentation without losing your brand's essence.
- •Distribution & Shelf Placement (棚取り) — Distributor and retailer negotiations, planograms, POP/ranking signage, and visibility in high‑traffic stores.
- •Digital Marketing & Influencers — Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and LINE campaigns with KOLs and micro‑influencers to build authentic buzz and conversion.
- •PR & Media Outreach — Features and reviews across 美的(Biteki), VoCE, Maquia and more; award roadmaps (@cosme, LDK the Beauty), and launch events.
- •Reviews & Community — @cosme and LIPS seeding, UGC programs, reputation monitoring, and feedback loops to product and CX.
- •E‑commerce & Social Commerce — Rakuten, Amazon Japan, @cosme Shopping setup/optimization, storefront content, and promo calendars.
- •Measurement & Optimization — KPI frameworks spanning sell‑through, awareness, reviews, and ROAS with rapid iteration.
What We Deliver (done-for-you):
- •Retail & Shelf: line reviews, planograms, POP/ranking signage, vendor contracts, retail calendars.
- •Sampling/Experiential: in‑store demos, tester plans, BA training, run‑of‑show, safety docs.
- •E‑commerce: storefront builds, A+ content, merchandising, promo schedules, operations playbooks.
- •Media & PR: press lists, pitches, press kits, booking confirmations, coverage tracking and clip reports.
- •Creator: shortlists, contracts and briefs, asset kits, content calendars, rights/whitelisting, performance reports.
- •Compliance: ingredient/INCI mapping, claims review, JP labeling, PIF documentation, QA/QC.
- •Localization: JP copy and claims, packaging translations, localized key art and storefront metadata.
- •Measurement: sell‑through dashboards, awareness & review KPIs, optimization plans.
Experiential & City Takeovers — Shibuya as a Launchpad
How we drive retail discovery at scale:
- •End‑to‑end ownership: concept → retailer/landlord approvals → production build → staffing/ops → live monitoring → de‑rig.
- •DOOH orchestration: multi‑screen playlists, day‑parting, 3D/anamorphic animation, QC, and real‑time adjustments aligned with retail windows and sampling.
- •Pop‑Up Counters & Sampling: location sourcing, fit‑out, testers, POS/inventory, staffing, and security.
- •Crowd & Safety: reservation‑based entry, queue design, police & neighborhood coordination, insurance & risk controls.
- •Measurement: footfall, tester‑to‑purchase conversion, coupon/redemption, social lift, and repeat purchase signals.
Industry example (format we can produce): property‑wide takeovers at high‑traffic venues (e.g., MIYASHITA PARK, Shibuya) combining multi‑screen signage, themed BGM, photo‑spots, and reservation‑based pop‑up counters with sampling.
How We Launch — Our 6-Step Method (Owned by NextGens)
1) Deep Market Insight
Market size, trends, routines, ingredient perceptions, and retail dynamics; we identify what makes your products uniquely appealing and flag risks early.
2) Strategic Planning
Japan‑specific positioning, audience targets, pricing strategy, messaging, and an integrated retail/e‑commerce/PR/creator plan with KPIs and timelines.
3) Product Localization
JP copy and packaging, claims alignment, compliance under relevant cosmetic/pharmaceutical rules, labeling, and reformulation/size adaptations if needed.
4) Launch & Distribution Setup
Distributor onboarding or entity setup, e‑commerce registrations, retailer negotiations, import & logistics — your product on shelves and online with visibility.
5) Marketing Execution
Retail promotions and BA training, creator collaborations, social and LINE campaigns, PR features and awards, review seeding on @cosme/LIPS, and DOOH where impactful.
6) Monitoring & Growth Optimization
Sales, review scores, awareness, and digital KPIs; we iterate messaging, launch seasonal promotions, and scale distribution for sustained growth.
Outcomes We Optimize For
- •Awareness & Credibility: top‑tier media, creator buzz, award nominations/wins, and ranking POP at retail.
- •Distribution & Sales: shelf gains, improved visibility, e‑commerce conversion, and repeat purchase lift.
- •Reviews & Trust: @cosme/LIPS review volume and rating quality that drive word‑of‑mouth.
- •Efficiency & Compliance: faster approvals, fewer reworks, predictable vendor/permit workflows.
Why NextGens
- •Japan Beauty Expertise — We know what resonates across skincare, color cosmetics, haircare, and fragrance — and what doesn't.
- •Cultural Fluency — Bilingual, bicultural operators who ensure subtle, sincere messaging and avoid missteps.
- •Regulatory Navigation — Ingredient checks, claims, labeling, PIF, and import compliance with no surprises.
- •Boutique Attention — Senior, hands‑on team; flexible scopes; fast iteration.
- •Proven Network — Retailers, distributors, editors, creators, and landlords that open doors.
Case Study — Skincare Launch in Japan
An overseas clean‑beauty skincare brand entered Japan with low awareness and no retail footprint.
What we did: Built JP positioning and pricing, localized claims and packaging, secured distribution with key drugstore chains and specialty shops, seeded reviews on @cosme/LIPS, and executed a Shibuya sampling pop‑up with coordinated DOOH and creator content. We optimized Rakuten/Amazon Japan storefronts and aligned PR with award calendars.
Result: Earned top‑tier coverage, accelerated review velocity, achieved strong sell‑through at priority doors, and expanded nationwide within three months post‑launch.
Case Snapshot — Drugstore Shelf Placement + Pop‑Up (Sample Brief)
We secure line review meetings and priority shelf space, run a 2–3 week city activation with DOOH playlists, creator drops, and nightly press/photo calls. We operate a branded sampling counter with reservation slots to manage crowds.
Outcomes: national media coverage, review and UGC lift, footfall spikes, and measurable increases in sell‑through and repeat purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions — Japan Market Entry
Ready to Succeed in Japan’s Beauty Market?
Entering Japan can be complex — with the right partner, it's an exciting growth opportunity. We bring the expertise, network, and passion to make your brand a success story in Japan.