High-Performance Sheet Masks Are "Not Just Cute"! Clear Turn's "Illustrator Collaboration Series" Gains Support from Gen Z

KOSE COSMEPORT Corp. operates the skin care brand "Clear Turn." Known for its high-quality serums and well-fitting sheets, Clear Turn's sheet masks have gained popularity since their inception in 1997 due to their solid product capabilities.

With a desire to reach generations unfamiliar with sheet masks, the "Illustrator Collaboration Series" was launched in 2021. This initiative has sparked discussions on social media and garnered support from a wider audience, particularly Gen Z.

This time, we spoke with Yuka Nagasaka, who is responsible for product planning and development at Clear Turn, and Tatsuya Kasama, who is in charge of brand strategy, to learn about the background of the Illustrator Collaboration Series and their commitment to the products.

Making Sheet Masks More Approachable

Since its establishment over 25 years ago, Clear Turn has been addressing various skin concerns. The brand is particularly famous for its sheet masks, with many associating Clear Turn directly with them. Historically, the products have mainly targeted users aged 40 and above, focusing on functionalities such as intense hydration and fine wrinkle care. In this context, how was the "Illustrator Collaboration Series" born? We first asked Nagasaka, who was involved in product planning and development, about the background of its inception.

"Given the brand's challenge in attracting younger customers, we initiated product development aimed at lowering the barriers to trying sheet masks.

"Through a survey regarding sheet masks, we discovered that users tend to prefer options that allow them to switch according to their mood and place importance on both functionality and design. As a result, we developed the 'Illustrator Collaboration Series,' which emphasizes an emotional world view and relatability in its concept and design" (Nagasaka).

The series is based on the concept "Better than sleeping—Achieve skin that feels like it has slept for eight hours with eight minutes of focused care." This was determined after survey results indicated that many believe sleep is essential for skin recovery.

"Nowadays, many find it difficult to secure sufficient sleep and are concerned about not getting enough rest. To achieve skin that feels rejuvenated, it's crucial to provide ample moisture, and this has been a key focus in our product development" (Nagasaka).

The Key to Hydration: Adhering Thick Sheets & Rich Serums

The Illustrator Collaboration Series utilizes Bemliese[1], which features a textured surface in most of its products. Bemliese is made from the soft fuzz surrounding cotton seeds, allowing it to hold absorbed serums effectively.

It adheres well to the skin and minimizes serum dripping, making it an optimal material for sheet masks. The ability to offer a thick sheet, typically reserved for special care treatments, in an accessible manner is a distinguishing feature of Clear Turn, known for its high development capabilities.

"While the sheet is important, the use of a thick and viscous serum is also a highlight. Many sheet masks typically contain watery, transparent serums like those used for toners.

"However, to maintain healthy skin, I believe it's vital to balance moisture and oil content, which is why the serum used in the Illustrator Collaboration Series is a milky type containing both.

"We focused on the serum's texture, application experience, and the sense of satisfaction after removing the mask, collaboratively developing the formula with Kosé Laboratories. The sheet, saturated with a rich serum, adheres well to the skin, allowing users to feel a difference—skin that feels plump and soft—after the mask is removed" (Nagasaka).

Ease of Use & Functionality that Exceeds Expectations

In the Illustrator Collaboration Series, we are currently developing three series: “Sorry Bare Skin (ごめんね素肌),” “Pore Komachi (毛穴小町),” and “BOMB.” Each series features several products, with a total of eight different products available now. The most popular among them is the “Sorry Bare Skin” series. Let's also discuss the ingredients and the impressive packaging of these products.

“The 'Sorry Bare Skin' series takes the most emotional approach among the three series, with product designs meant to be used when you think, 'I've done something bad to my skin, and I want to bring the negatives to zero.'

"For instance, we include ingredients such as 'pomegranate extract,' which is expected to help with skin troubles, and 'white tremella polysaccharide,' which is said to have greater moisture-retaining ability than hyaluronic acid.

"We also pay attention to the packaging; in the 'Sorry Bare Skin' series, we include words around an illustrated girl that evoke a feeling of apologizing to the skin, while in the same collection, 'Kininaru (キニナル)', we designed it to resemble an acne map.

"In 'Sorry Bare: Kininaru,' the design connects when placed alongside other products, and in 'Pore Komachi,' we adopted a narrative style in the design, showcasing various creative ideas beyond just quality.

"Recently, we released a package using Kansai dialect, available exclusively in the Kansai area. When we see customers posting on Instagram saying ‘This is interesting,’ it brings us joy as well.

"The concept and design based on an emotional worldview were a challenge for Clear Turn, but we were pleasantly surprised by the strong resonance from our customers” (Nagasaka).

Furthermore, Kasama, who is responsible for brand strategy, also shared the impressive feedback they received from users.

“The Illustrator Collaboration Series is primarily appreciated by those in their 20s. I think some people felt a barrier to using sheet masks, which they see as ‘special care.’ However, the empathetic packaging has likely made it easier to pick up.

"Many have said, ‘I picked up this product casually, but it turned out to be really good,’ and thankfully, on social media, it has become a topic with comments like ‘These sheet masks are not just cute.’ I believe balancing functionality with an emotional worldview is a strength of the Illustrator Collaboration Series” (Kasama).

Finally, I spoke with both of them about future developments.

“Moving forward, we aim to develop products in the Illustrator Collaboration Series that can create a complete skincare routine. We are currently thinking of products that can offer synergistic effects when used alongside sheet masks.

"Since we already have night creams, peel-off packs, cleansers, and oils available, please be sure to try them together with the sheet masks” (Nagasaka).

Clear Turn's brand concept is "Beauty that Starts with Moisture for Every Skin." We have a desire for everyone to use our products safely every day. Starting with the Illustrator Collaboration Series, we would like to continue creating products that resonate with even more people.

Since each person has different skin concerns, we want to continue gathering customer feedback to guide our product development” (Kasama).

By using the "Illustrator Collaboration Series," which is filled with playful elements and showcases Clear Turn's handpicked ingredients and texture cultivated through years of skin research, you can elevate your daily skincare experiences and feel excited about yourself tomorrow. We eagerly await future developments.