Aging care brand “PLARMIA” created by haircare leading brand, Milbon, is a major product hit which reached the annual sales target in a day when it was released.

 

“PLARMIA” was not developed in a day, but Milbon’s effort was well rewarded.

Today we have Mr. Hiroshi Kawagoe who was a member of the development team to tell us about the product story.

Mr. Hiroshi Kawagoe

Milbon Co. Ltd. Research institute

Chief researcher of haircare developing team, Group 1 laboratory office

 

 

Yumi:

As we all know “PLARMIA”, has been a big hit product.  How did you start developing the product?

 

Mr. Kawagoe:

Thank you for the honor.  We have been developing products for the baby boomer generation, so wee have been doing research on what kind of hair types they have and what kind of hairstyle they want. For them we released a product called “DEESSE’S” when the trend was for them to color their hair.

 

Yumi:

“DEESSE’S”  was launched in 1999, it was also a major product hit.

 

Mr. Kawagoe:

Yes, the advantage of the product was that it cares about damaged hair when coloring which won customers’ choices.  Since then, the coloring technology has improved and hair damage has become segmental, therefore we matured “DEESSE’S” and created other lines of product to treat damaged hair due to hair coloring.

 

Yumi:

“DEESSE’S” is a brand with such a philosophy behind.

 

Mr. Kawagoe:

We have always worked for the baby boomer generation to answer their needs.  They have become older and experience a sense of discomfort with their hair, and coloring cannot give them enough satisfaction.

 

Yumi:

That made you to think about “aging care.”

 

Mr. Kawagoe:

That is right.  We recognize the baby boomer generation as trend and consumption leader, so they prefer the leading-edge solution for hair design.  However with their age which cause the hair conditions to change, they no longer enjoy hairstyles as before.  Therefore, we decided to develop  “aging care” products to solve their problems.

 

Yumi:

I understand.  Actually our “UNIQUE PIECE” generation crossover the baby boomer generation.  Since you have been working with this generation, it has made you to truly think of “aging care.”

 

Mr. Kawagoe:

When I talk to hair dressers about this generation, their clients have always experienced a  sense of discomfort with their hair.  For example, hair volume goes down late afternoon, scalp becomes sticky in the afternoon, and so on, that they do not understand the reasons behind but feel the difference compared to before when they were younger.

 

Yumi:

I know what you mean.

 

Mr. Kawagoe:

However, the majority of people thinks these problems are caused by bad haircut or wrong choices of shampoo, and do not realize it is just because of aging and also because those problems are not well explained.  Therefore, we decided to create “positive aging” products which “keep” the beauty they have.

 

Yumi:

It is a product for baby boomer generation who have been trends leader and they will always be the same.

 

Mr. Kawagoe:

That is right.  It made us to develop “PLARMIA” besides “DEESSE’S.”  At that time, our company asked our laboratory to work on beauty essence which the majority of people believes is an anti-aging essential, however, we believed that shampoo would win the demand, so we kept developing shampoo behind the scene.

 

(To be continued)

 

 

 

*PLARMIA  Clear Spa Form  170g