On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Evita, its skincare brand dedicated to women in their fifties and over, Kanebo Cosmetics is launching the Deep Moisture line to further enhance the appeal of Evita, alongside the already available Moisture line, in a segment where skin hydration is a priority.

A pioneer in the mature consumer segment

When Kanebo launched Evita in 2000, post-war baby-boomers were advancing into their fifties. The new brand was designed for their need and explicitly claimed it, a premiere in Japan.

Market’s response was immediately positive. “When Evita hit the scene, it instantly struck a chord among baby-boomer women,” explains the company. By 2007, Evita’s annual sales had overcome 10 billion yens (EUR 89 million). The skincare brand has become a best-seller in what Japanese call the self-selection market [1].

As of 2006, there were around 6.8 million former baby-boomers aged from 58 to 60 in Japan. These are the people who spent their teens and twenties in the era of Japan’s rapid economic growth and have always taken the lead in the nation’s consumption. According to Kanebo’s market researchers: “Women of this generation have been especially quick to catch on to trends and have taken on many new things. As consumers, their influence on the generations just below them is powerful. They are still prime movers of consumption in Japan and wield strong influence on the types of products that come to market.

Indeed, surveys of household expenditure in different age groups show that Japanese households headed by persons in their fifties spent more on cosmetics than any other household age segment.

Understanding the cosmetic needs of women over 50

The creators of Evita say that key to the brand’s success was a spot-on understanding of the cosmetic needs of fifty-and-over women. Chizuru Ishikawa, Manager of the Self Selection Brand Products Development Group at Kanebo Cosmetics, has been working with Evita since its release. “When they hit fifty, women reach a turning point in lifestyle. They gain more leeway with time and money, and this brings more opportunities for leisure. They also think more about beauty care and take a renewed interest in sun care, fashion, lipstick, and other makeup items.

Furthermore, women in their fifties have different skin concerns than women in their thirties and forties. From the late forties through the fifties, troubles related to skin tone become more noticeable. From about fifty onwards, the skin tends to dry more easily. “Dryness can become a big problem. The intensive moisturizing focus in Evita sets the brand apart from cosmetics made for younger skin,” adds Chizuru Ishikawa.

Chicca evolves for the “New Matures”

Kanebo Cosmetics is also carrying on investments in Chicca, its prestige make-up brand for fashion-conscious women in their late fifties and sixties, which was launched in 2008. On next February, the brand will release new colours for Spring 2011.

Chicca, which proposes anti-ageing solutions through makeup effects, targets sophisticated, mature Japanese women, who want to stay attractive and feminine as they age. Kanebo Cosmetics has coined this generation the “New Sixties.” Consistently, the brand benefits from the inspiration of a trendy makeup artist, Yasuo Yoshikawa, a Japanese born who’s now based in New York, working with international fashion magazines, fashion brands and celebrities in the U.S. and Europe.

Chicca, spring 2011

Ever since its debut, Chicca has been winning over a steadily growing base of devoted users,” says Kanebo Cosmetics.