Incredible Holding Power: The Journey of Kao's "Cape" Loved for 50 Years

"Keep it with Cape" (ケープでキープ)

In the Heisei era, many must have heard this catchy phrase at least once. Kao's long-selling product, "Cape," has supported our hairstyles for years.

As it approaches its 50th anniversary next year, what kind of journey has Cape taken from the Showa era through Heisei to the present day in Reiwa? This time, we spoke with Mizue Akagi from Kao Corporation's Cape Division and Akiko Fujii from the Product Business Development Center.

Cape Reigning as a Long-Selling Brand Since Its Launch in 1976

Even today, Cape is an essential item in high school girls' school bags for setting bangs. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it is a must-have.

Born in 1976, Cape has been a familiar beauty item since we became aware of our appearance. How did Cape come to be launched as it celebrates its 50th anniversary next year?

"Cape was born as a brand that supports satisfaction and confidence in how customers spend their day by keeping hairstyles in place.

"The 1970s saw a growing need for hair products that could maintain hairstyles with perms and curls. Although hair sprays existed at that time, customers faced issues with strong odors from the ingredients, stickiness, and lack of long-lasting effects. The development of a product that could resolve these three points led to the birth of Cape," Akagi explains.

One reason Cape has been loved by users for a long time is its "high holding power." However, its appeal does not stop there.

Typically, when trying to increase holding power, hair can become rough or difficult to wash out; however, Cape has developed a unique polymer that balances high holding power, pleasant texture, and ease of rinsing out.

Fujii explains this from a technical perspective:

"From the long history of Cape, we could say that 'the development of Cape = the development of polymers.' Our company has been committed to developing various polymers.

"By adopting the optimal polymer for each product, we can ensure customer satisfaction regarding holding power, scent, and texture, addressing their concerns.

"This is why we believe we can provide long-selling products that meet customer needs.

Improving "Holding Power" Along with Changing Hairstyles

From the triangular bangs of the early 90s to shaggy hair in the mid-90s, layered styles in the 2000s, and heavy bangs in the 2010s, hairstyles have undergone diverse changes. In response, Cape has continually developed styling products tailored to users' needs.

"In the 70s, the focus was on maintaining hairstyles created with perms and curls, while in the 80s, the demand was for keeping those hairstyles in place without frizz-ing out," Akagi notes.

"By the 90s, with the popularity of triangular bangs, the demand for super hard hold grew. When shaggy hair was in fashion, Cape's usage became more varied, focusing not just on bangs but also on the shaggy parts. Accordingly, we have sold series of products that change polymer types to suit the times."

Many have likely seen the classic pink spray as the first "Cape." For some, encountering Cape at their mother’s vanity or sister's room was their initial introduction to styling products.

Starting with the pink soft type, Cape’s series includes various types such as the green Natural & Keep type, blue Super Hard type, and purple 3D Extra Keep type.

Even today, the Cape series is extremely popular, particularly among high school girls. In the Reiwa era, the "FOR ACTIVE" boasts the strongest holding power in the history of Cape[1] and has gained popularity.

The black packaging of "FOR ACTIVE" leaves a strong impression, and since it keeps hair in place like an idol's bangs, it has become a must-have item for high school girls, allowing them to achieve the trendy "idol bangs."

"Indeed, FOR ACTIVE is very popular among younger generations. Since it became a topic on social media, the awareness of FOR ACTIVE as a product that can create idol-like bangs has significantly increased.

"Lately, to accommodate those who are not comfortable with sprays, a mascara-type version has been released since 2023. The product is designed with a brush and gel that make it easy to use for bangs," says Akagi.

Additionally, Cape's first eyelash base has also garnered attention. This first cosmetic product from Cape materializes the many requests to "keep eyelashes in place with Cape's holding power!"

Furthermore, the "Nuance Keep Liquid," which will be released in a limited quantity, is a liquid type that can be applied with fingers to create natural flyaways and nuances, allowing for subtle adjustments.

"Previously, I believe that hair arrangements, like flyaways, were mostly handled with spray products. To make it easier to create various arrangements, we've switched to a tube type. Since it doesn't disperse like a spray, you can apply it to your fingers for quick touch-ups," says Fujii.

The Evolving Products & Future of Cape with User Feedback

The immensely popular FOR ACTIVE comes in various sizes, from big to mini. Notably, the big size boasts an impressive capacity of 300g, the largest in the Cape series.

Fujii shares her thoughts on the attention to detail.

"The big sizes (300g and 180g) have slightly recessed grips for ease of use, as the containers are thick. Additionally, the spray distribution is varied across products to maximize their performance.

"There's also a focus on the button design; since 2019, for the larger sizes, we’ve adopted a lever-style button that can be easily pressed with minimal force, continuously working on creating user-friendly products."

During the interview, I was repeatedly astonished by these subtle considerations, which can go unnoticed when using the products individually. The charm of Cape lies not only in its overwhelming holding power but also in the attentiveness shown to users.

Regarding the future of Cape, which continues to thrive in the Reiwa era, Akagi states:

"Cape is a brand that supports everyone's daily satisfaction by keeping hairstyles in place. We intend to explore and expand our projects and products to continue being helpful in people’s daily lives.

"Next year marks our 50th anniversary, and I am truly pleased that so many have cherished our products over the years."

From Showa to Heisei, and into Reiwa, the enduring love for Cape across generations likely comes from the brand's continuous listening to user feedback, as well as the thoughtful care and kindness reflected in its products.

As Cape approaches the momentous milestone of 50 years in 2026, its commitment to evolving with the times and trends while maintaining its unwavering "holding power" to support our beauty truly embodies the essence of the brand.

Moving forward, be it during busy mornings, right before an important date, or in special moments—we can trust that Cape will continue as a reliable partner to "keep" our confidence and shine as it weaves new stories into our lives.