Reflect on the essential

Japan is probably one of the richest and most technologically advanced countries in the world. It also represents the third largest beauty market with billons spent each year on personal care products. This huge potential is fuelled by a quest for excellence, rooted in centuries- old traditions of skin and hair care beauty regimes. Respected brands, trusted ingredients and light sensorial attributes are the main characteristics of what is globally recognized as Japanese beauty. When shopping for cosmetics, consumers are constantly looking for novelty. This has led them to over purchasing beauty care items, cluttering their space and complicating their daily regimes. With an evergrowing need for speed and space, attention is naturally drawn to multifunctional products capable of delivering the efficacy of more targeted formulas. Japanese beauty, built with simplicity, elegance and efficacy at its core, meets the market needs on a global level. Studying Japanese Zen philosophy and traditional Japanese design, one key principle came to light: Wabi- Sabi, or the “wisdom in natural simplicity”. Applied in every aspect of Japanese life, it emphasizes on simple, streamlined shapes, functional items, elegance and timeless style. Across the beauty market, these elements are used by Japanese brands to create high end formulations, with outstanding sensory profiles, wellknown ingredients and a focus on preventing skin issues instead of treating the consequences of time and environment on skin.

Inspired texture design

Diving deeper into the meaning of Wabi-Sabi, strong notions start to emerge and form the basis of the new Clariant Active Ingredients J-Beauty inspired formulation concept called “Zenspiration”. Zenspiration illustrates three key principles of Japanese aesthetic codes with elegant yet simple formulations. Aiming at inspiring customers around strongly substantiated natural ingredients and premium sensorial properties, Zenspiration formulations were also built around practical forma

Datsuzoku

The word meaning of “Datsuzoku” revolves around being enlightened and above the daily matters. It involves a transcendence of conventional ideas and traditional usage. Rising above daily routine or the ordinary, enlightened to the true meaning of life, unworldly, softspoken, or even transcending the conventional could also be accurate translations. This principle describes the feeling of serenity and happiness when one realizes the daily stresses of life are irrelevant to one’s true self. To be prepared for everything life sends our way, the “Datsuzoku Energizing Water Cream” was designed to be easily applied and quickly absorbed, delivering the replenishing powers of the active ingredient “Rootness Energize”. Derived from the roots of luffa cylindrica, this extract is ten times more concentrated in rare bryonolic acid thanks to a patented technology called “Plant Milking”, allowing a sustainable access to potent molecules while preserving the plant’s life cycle. Clinical studies have demonstrated an increase in firmness, tonicity and elasticity when compared to placebo. The cream also supports hydration and helps prevent premature aging while leaving a silky soft finish.

Shibui

Beautiful simplicity perceivable through time and experience. Elegant simplicity is often missed by the untrained eye and can be defined as subtle and unobtrusive beauty. It balances the complexity of simplicity, requires time to be recognized  and appreciated. Direct or used in simple ways without being flashy, one does not tire of a Shibui object but constantly finds new meanings and enriched beauty that cause its aesthetic value to grow over the years.

The “On-the-Glow Solid Serum” was born from this complex notion. Formulated in a practical stick, the serum reveals, application after application, its true powers of soothing and skin tone uniformization with “Alpha-Melight”, bringing newly found appreciation for natural beauty, perfecting skin’s healthy glow. This active ingredient is a natural bisabolol extracted from the bark of the Candeia tree found across south America. As a pioneering tree species able to populate grasslands quickly, its extract is known to reduce skin irritation. As irritation can lead to hyperpigmentation, the active was shown to have clinically proven lightening effects, creating a healthy glow.

Kanso

The word relates to basic simplicity and the elimination of the ornate. Things expressing simplicity are by nature truthful and reserved. Kanso involves a sense of cleanliness, freshness, neatness, and implies the elimination of clutter. It reminds us to think not in terms of decoration but in terms of clarity, a kind of clarity that may be achieved through omission of the non-essential. A simple gel format, with a soft final touch, liquid enough for better spreadability, was an obvious choice to put Kanso into practice. Containing only 16 ingredients, this minimalistic toner is built around “EquiScalp”. It rebalances sebum production while being mild to the scalp’s microbiota. Derived from Fuji apple stem cells cultivated from a very small part of the fruit, this ingredient is also mild to the environment. The scalp toner also delivers the soothing benefits of “Eosidin”. Extracted from the peel of unripe tangerines which would otherwise be discarded from the food industry, the active ingredient comforts sensitive scalps by  quenching irritation and itchiness, while reinforcing the skin barrier. With its fast drying time and easily absorbed formula, the rebalancing scalp toner helps reduce head-scratching moments.

Basis for inspiring formulations

With the world of beauty care moving towards high-quality, highperforming

products in a “less is more” approach, J-Beauty principles were infused into Zenspiration formulations. Emphasizing comfortable skin and youthful complexion delivered by simple yet efficient highend products, the new active ingredients are supporting cosmetic companies in the development of truly innovative formulations with products inspired by nature and advanced with science.