MUJI's skincare series sells an impressive 25 million units annually. Currently, it offers four series: "Sensitive Skin," "Aging Care," "Clear Care," and "Medicated Brightening." Among these, the "Sensitive Skin" series enjoys particularly strong support.
The "Sensitive Skin" series, cherished for over 20 years, underwent a renewal in the fall of 2023. The packaging has seen a significant change, adopting rounder bottles and simple labels.
This time, we asked Yukio Torikawa, who is in charge of MUJI's "Health & Beauty" category, about the reasons behind the popularity of the skincare series and the background leading to its renewal.
PROFILE
Yukio Torikawa
Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd.
H&B Department, Category Manager
Reasons for Popularity: Functionality and Accessible Pricing
MUJI started selling skincare products in 1997. The product lineup included basic skincare products like lotions, all presented in a simple manner.The "Sensitive Skin" series was introduced in 2000. From there, various series have been developed.
"The background to the series development lies in the changing skin concerns of consumers. Today, these concerns are diversifying, which is why we decided to address each one individually. In addition to the 'Sensitive Skin' series, we needed to offer 'Aging Care,' 'Clear Care' for those concerned with skin troubles and acne, and 'Medicated Brightening' for skin-brightening effects," Torikawa explained.
"There are two key points behind its popularity," Torikawa continues.
"The commitment to selecting ingredients directly reflects the product's functionality. For instance, the 'Fermented Booster Serum,' released in September 2023, is incredibly popular and often out of stock.
"This product uses rice bran fermented extract. Rice bran used to be discarded as an underutilized ingredient. Our company aims to maximize the use of such materials and transform them into excellent cosmetic ingredients.
"Additionally, the attractive pricing is another major point. Compared to typical cosmetic manufacturers, MUJI allocates very little budget for advertising.
"Instead of spending on ads, we set prices based on the cost of raw materials, allowing us to offer products at accessible prices for customers.
"We also use simple, functional, and user-friendly packaging that effectively protects the contents without excessive decoration. This also helps us continue offering products at affordable prices."
The "Sensitive Skin" series has also seen an increase in male customers, and it's being purchased regardless of age or gender.
For other series, the "Aging Care" attracts a slightly older demographic, while the "Clear Care" is popular among younger people, but there are no significant biases.
"Since each series is designed to address specific concerns, anyone with those concerns, regardless of age or gender, can use the products.
"In the past, we even received a letter from a customer, expressing joy that MUJI products helped solve their skin concerns. That really made me happy," Torikawa shared.
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