An Interview with Rohto Pharmaceutical on the Forefront of Gray Hair Care: From "Hiding" to a "Positive Beauty Routine"

These days, "going gray" is a popular choice, with more people opting to embrace their natural silver strands. But for those who still choose to color their hair, the process can often feel like a tedious and gloomy chore.

That's where Rohto Pharmaceutical's hair care brand, PRORY, comes in, aiming to transform this negative task into a positive beauty routine. We spoke with brand representative Kurihara to learn how they've evolved the conventional approach of "hiding" grays into a positive experience that "brings out your hair's inherent beauty." We delved into the changing landscape of gray hair care and the behind-the-scenes story of developing "Prolee Repair Color Treatment" with its unique formula.

From "Hiding" Care to a Heart-Lifting "Beauty Routine"

Gray hair is an inevitable part of aging for many. According to a survey by Rohto Pharmaceutical, the percentage of people concerned about their grays increases with age, reaching 70% for those in their 50s and 60s.

Kurihara breaks down the complex user psychology behind these findings:

"At our company, we have conducted numerous surveys for the development of PRORY. A study by Rohto Pharmaceutical showed that while about 30% of people in their 30s worry about gray hair, this number jumps to over 60% in their 40s and exceeds 70% in their 50s and 60s. We found that many people harbor negative feelings, such as, 'I have to dye it to hide it.'

What's interesting is that while many people feel a sense of 'excitement' about skincare and regular hair care, their attitude toward gray hair care is completely different. The current market is limited to 'symptomatic' solutions like salon visits or at-home self-coloring, which are essentially just about hiding it.

So, we wanted to make the time spent on gray hair care a little more enjoyable and elegant. While many products focus on quick results or single-application dyeing, PRORY's goal is to 'beautifully color the hair while conditioning it for a glossy finish.' We wanted to propose gray hair care as a new beauty routine that makes you feel positive."

The technology and attitudes surrounding gray hair care have changed dramatically over time. Kurihara looks back on this evolution to the present day:

"In the past, gray hair dye typically involved a two-part process at a salon or at home, with quasi-drugs that bleached the hair before adding color being the mainstream. While they provided thorough coverage, many people were concerned about the damage to their scalp and hair from dyeing right at the roots.

Currently, color treatments, which are classified as cosmetics and don't involve bleaching, are gaining popularity. Previously, color treatments merely coated the hair with color. But with technological advancements, the color now stays between the cuticles, providing a more noticeable coloring effect while minimizing damage since there's no bleaching.

The color treatment market seems to be on a growth trend, partly because more people started doing their own hair care at home during the COVID-19 pandemic."

While color treatments are on the rise, Kurihara recommends making smart use of both permanent hair dyes and color treatments.

"Permanent hair dye (coloring agents) is a two-part quasi-drug that bleaches before coloring, which is why it's so effective. However, hair grows about 1 cm per month, so roots become noticeable in just two weeks. That said, it's not always easy to visit a salon frequently, and many people worry about the damage and feel anxious about frequent coloring.

That's why we recommend supplementing salon hair color with a color treatment. You can safely use a color treatment on your roots at home, and it's fine to apply it to areas without gray hair as well.

Our 'Prolee Repair Color Treatment' is recommended not only for those who already have a lot of gray hair but also for those who are just starting to see a few grays pop up. Since it doesn't bleach, it won't make your hair lighter than its natural color, but even people who use fashion colors can naturally layer it over their current hair shade."

In the development of the "Proleey Repair Color Treatment," a key focus was the dual approach to "frizz" and "coloring," two hair concerns unique to adults.

Before you even start coloring, frizzy hair can be difficult to dye evenly, often resulting in a patchy finish. That’s why we developed the Even Color Protein Formula to help tame frizz while delivering moisture at the same time.

The root cause of frizz is a lack of moisture and protein. To combat this, we included lactic acid and PVP to smooth frizz by caring for the hair from its core to its surface, along with hydrolyzed keratin to moisturize deep inside the hair shaft.

Lactic acid and PVP are not typically found in gray hair treatments, but we deliberately included them to fight frizz. These ingredients are also featured across other Proleey in-bath products like our shampoo, conditioner, and treatment serum.

The Proleey Color Treatment is formulated using our company's extensive expertise and is designed to provide special care for your hair while also managing grays.

For the keratin component, we chose a low-molecular-weight version from a wide range of options for its excellent ability to penetrate the hair, aiming for direct repair and moisturizing effects. By combining this with the color-extending benefits of hydrolyzed starch, we created a unique formula to achieve the ideal finish."

During development, the team faced the tough "trade-off" that generously adding beauty ingredients to enhance the treatment's effect would reduce the coloring performance. They went through a painstaking process of trial and error, meticulously adjusting ingredient amounts and checking the color payoff on actual hair.

"Even if the formula looked like a natural black, it would sometimes turn purplish when applied to hair. We also found that adding treatment ingredients made the color fade faster—there were many things we could only discover through testing.

It took a tremendous amount of effort to achieve the ideal color. We pursued a formula that could maintain a delicate balance of frizz control, shine, and coloring power, and finally launched it last October."

After its release, the product was well received, earning high ratings on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and @cosme. We’ve been delighted to see feedback from happy customers, with comments like, “It covered my grays perfectly!” and “My hair is so shiny!”

This shift toward a "positive beauty routine" is evident not just in the product's functionality, but also in its design, which is mindful of the user's lifestyle.

Survey results revealed that many people “hide their gray hair care products in the back of their bathroom cabinet.” With this in mind, we intentionally created a sophisticated package design for Proleey—one you’ll actually want to display.

Meanwhile, the outer box includes detailed instructions and a QR code linking to a video tutorial. Since the application method can significantly affect the results, we want even first-timers to feel confident and at ease. We also chose a “White Tea Blossom” fragrance to replace the usual pungent chemical smell, creating a blissful moment where you can take a deep, relaxing breath.

In a surprising turn, the product has also gained strong support among men. Although it was developed for women, the “Natural Black” shade in particular has been well received by male users who are concerned about gray hair.

Through Proleey, Rohto Pharmaceutical aims to leverage its many years of skin research expertise to foster a culture where beautiful hair begins with a healthy scalp.

"Surprisingly, the idea of nurturing beautiful hair by caring for your scalp isn't mainstream yet. Since Rohto Pharmaceutical has been conducting skin research for years, we want to continue promoting this scalp-first culture and turn gray hair care into a positive experience."

Transforming gray hair dye from a "chore to hide" into a "positive routine" for beautiful, glossy hair. Rohto Pharmaceutical's mission is set to enrich how people think about and care for their gray hair and scalp.