Pioneer of All-Purpose Wax: The Reason Why LA-based Brand "product" Has Been Loved for over 10 Years

Since its launch in Japan in 2011, the "product" hair wax has recorded cumulative sales of 5.5 million units, becoming a long-selling product, mostly through word of mouth.

Why has it been loved for so long? I spoke with Masaki Abe, the President of KOKOBUY Co., Ltd.

The Spread of Word-of-mouth Popularity

Can you tell us about the background of the brand's inception?

The blue wax, synonymous with Product, was developed by two hairstylists in California in 2007.

Many stylists handle shampoos and hair dyes daily, leading to issues with skin irritation and allergies. So, the desire to create something gentle on both the customer's hair and scalp and kinder to the stylist themselves gave birth to the organic wax.

Initially, it was sold within a very small community mainly among salon clients, but the founder, who was a hairstylist friend, believed it could gain support in Japan, leading to its launch in 2011.

Until recently, there hasn’t been any advertising or promotions. How did it become widely recognized?

Indeed, we have not engaged in any proactive promotional activities. I believe there are several reasons for its spread.

Initially, it started as a salon-exclusive product, gaining the support of fashion-forward hairstylists working in salons in Omotesando and Ginza, who are somewhat of early adopters. In 2014, when the Japanese version was released on Instagram, many celebrities and others began sharing it on social media, which helped raise awareness.

The second reason is that at the time of its release, there were hardly any similar products in the hair styling market. Generally, fiber-type wax was mainstream, and balm-like products, such as ours, which could be used by warming in the hands, were not seen.

Additionally, our hair wax serves as an organic multi-balm for lips, hand care, and body care as well. Therefore, there is no need to wash hands after styling, and it can be directly applied to the skin, a feature that was not typical for multi-balm products at the time. Being selected in beauty awards also significantly contributed to its recognition.

The third reason is the wet hair boom. The Product hair wax is used by warming it in the hands to achieve a shiny, wet-look hair finish. Although we didn’t initiate this trend, the boom and the functionality of Product aligned perfectly, leading to strong customer support due to the lack of similar offerings.

A Design that Doesn’t Tolerate Deception due to its Simplicity

There are many hair balms available today; can you share the characteristics of your ingredients?

Our ingredients are very simple, made with minimal materials. Thus, theoretically, if one wanted to replicate it, similar products could be made; however, the combination is actually quite challenging.

In general, the key ingredient in hair balms, including ours, is shea butter. However, many struggle to achieve the smooth texture, such as that found in Product, resulting in a grainy or rough texture.

Moreover, while shea butter can be categorized as one ingredient, its quality can vary widely. We utilize a shea butter that appears wet, doesn’t feel sticky, and maintains smoothness.

What challenges did you face after successfully launching a single type of wax in Japan?

One challenge, as I mentioned earlier, was that initially we started as a salon-exclusive product, which meant we had to go through dealers. We pitched our product to several companies, but since we were a small company, it was often hard to secure appointments and get face-to-face meetings.

Another challenge is that our product has the characteristic of melting at body temperature. While most of our products are manufactured in Japan, some, like the Damask rose wax, are imported from the United States. To prevent deterioration, we need to transport these products under temperature-controlled conditions, which is quite a task.

During the summer, the wax can turn liquid due to high temperatures, so we refrain from shipping on Fridays. This is because there is a risk of the wax melting in the shipping company’s warehouse over the weekend. However, on the flip side, this also proves that it consists of natural ingredients.

Making Organic Hair Care More Accessible

It has been popular for over a decade; what do you think is the reason behind it?

I believe being a pioneer in hair balms has played a significant role. Our products are still loved by hair salons and professional hairstylists. In fact, we often receive feedback along the lines of, "I’ve tried various hair balms, but I always come back to Product."

What prompted the rebranding in 2024?

When we first entered Japan, the organic cosmetics market was not widespread, but now it is said that there are over 200 brands. However, market research revealed that brand images were quite similar across the board. We also found that many people had negative perceptions, stating that the brand was too simple or that the packaging wasn’t attractive.

To differentiate ourselves, we undertook rebranding to shift from a too-simple, clean image towards a brand that is more fashionable and fun.

What are your future outlooks?

Firstly, we have started official sales at drugstores following this rebranding. We believe drugstores are the most convenient place for people to learn about the benefits of organic products.

We hope that as the organic hair care genre becomes democratized, when people are asked which organic styling brand they think of, Product will be at the top of the list. If that happens, we would like to consider expanding overseas.

Having established a new genre of "balm" in the Japanese hair styling market, Product will likely continue to be a beloved essential for many people's hair.