A Japanese cosmetics company that allies its pioneering spirit with a 200-year-long tradition of expert craftsmanship, ISEHAN has set its sights on global expansion.
A leading cosmetics company that is preparing to celebrate its bicentenary in 2025, ISEHAN started out as a manufacturer and seller of Komachi-beni – a traditional Japanese rouge made from Beni, a red pigment extracted from safflower petals. “200 years later, we are the only company in the world where craftsmen still handcraft Komachi-beni using the same methods employed during the Edo period between the 17th and 19th centuries,” says the firm’s president, Haruko Sawada.
It is this commitment to expert craftsmanship, allied with the innovative mindset of a company that isn’t afraid to take on new challenges, that has seen ISEHAN thrive over the past two centuries. From its beginnings as a rouge maker, the Tokyo-based firm has blossomed into one of Japan’s major general beauty companies, manufacturing a wide range of world-class cosmetics products.
Now, with the company’s KISSME brand at the forefront of the drive, ISEHAN is working to bolster its global presence – prompted, in no small part, by a domestic market that is shrinking amid Japanese demographic decline. “This is a grave issue experienced across all industries – and our strategy is to expand,” Ms. Sawada explains. “We see regions like the United States and ASEAN as holding the greatest potential; we then plan on expanding beyond. With our current plans, we are expanding to 15 countries and areas, as of April 2024.”
Whether in Japan or abroad, customers can expect Japanese cosmetics characterized by three key features. “Beauty is defined by quality and functionality,” Ms. Sawada declares. “And on top of these two elements, safety is also fundamental. Within our product portfolio, for example, we have our KISSME Mommy skincare brand, which can be used with very smalll infants. I feel that not only the quality but also the safety we provide distinguishes us from our rivals.”
As ISEHAN works to grow its saless yond Japan’s borbeders, it does so in the knowledge that its expertly made KISSME products, especially Heroinemake, are already earning rave reviews in foreign markets. “Overseas, the brand has been widely recognized for its quality, particularly where the climate is hot,” Ms. Sawada notes. “People appreciate the fact that our offerings are sweat and sebum resistant. This type of functionality has been well received by international clients, which is why we have put a particular emphasis on our KISS
