Kose Corporation (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Kazutoshi Kobayashi) conducted an internet survey on a total of 995 junior high school students (both boys and girls) and high school students of comparable age to explore the beauty realities and beauty values of the adolescent generation. The results showed that over 80% of junior high school students answered that they are concerned about skin problems, and over 60% of junior high school students think that they want to solve these concerns through cosmetics and beauty methods. Based on the results of this survey, a lecture on "skincare," "UV protection," and "beauty values" was conducted for 6th to 8th grade students (elementary school 6th grade to 2nd grade of junior high school, a total of 40 boys and girls) at Tamagawa Gakuen (located in Machida City, Tokyo) on September 5th and 12th, 2024.

In our company, we strive to provide products and services that cater to a larger number of customers, regardless of gender and age, under the principles of "global," "gender," and "generation" (abbreviated as "3G"). Regarding the "generation" aspect, we continue to provide opportunities to promote healthy skin development from early childhood, experience learning for children that focuses on the diversity of sensibility, and provide beauty information to the adolescent generation, aiming to cultivate healthy skin and rich sensitivity for the next generation.

In recent years, there has been an increase in children in the adolescent generation who use cosmetics on a daily basis. Therefore, this time, in order to further explore the beauty realities and beauty values of the adolescent generation and provide further value according to their needs, a survey was conducted for a total of 995 junior and senior high school students (516 junior high school students and 479 high school students).

Survey Results ①
Approximately 50% of junior high school students are using toner.
Approximately 50% of middle school boys and girls (boys: 35%, girls: 60%) answered 'yes' to the question 'Do you use cosmetic water regularly?' The usage rate of cosmetic water among high school boys and girls was about 70%.

Survey Results ②
■ More than 80% of middle school students have skin concerns
About 80% of middle school boys and girls (boys: 81%, girls: 86%) answered 'yes' to the question 'Do you have any skin concerns?' More than 90% of high school boys and girls answered 'yes' to this question.

Survey Results ③
■ More than 50% of middle school students experience influence on their actions and feelings due to appearance and skin concerns
More than 50% of middle school students (boys: 50%, girls: 55%) answered that they had some kind of influence due to their appearance and skin concerns. Specifically, it was found that their behavior and feelings changed, such as spending more time searching on SNS and worrying about other people's opinions. In addition, 80% of high school students answered that they had some kind of influence.

Survey Result ④
More than 60% of middle school students want to solve their appearance and skin concerns with cosmetics and beauty methods.
More than 60% of middle school students answered that they want to solve their appearance and skin concerns with cosmetics and beauty methods. In addition, 70% of high school students answered that they think the same way.

Survey Result ⑤
More than 50% of middle school students do not talk or consult with anyone about their concerns or worries about their appearance or skin.
More than half of junior high school students responded to the question, "Do you talk to someone or consult when you are concerned or worried about your appearance or skin?" as "I want to talk or consult, but I don't know who to consult with" or "I don't feel like talking or consulting / there is no need to consult." However, the proportion of high school students reached 70%.

Analysis of our company
Junior high school students are in the "adolescent period" where they undergo significant physical and mental growth from children to adults. During this period, their skin undergoes changes such as increased sebum secretion leading to frequent acne outbreaks. From the results of this survey, we believe that there are objective results showing that such changes during adolescence affect their actions and feelings. On the other hand, due to the spread of SNS and other platforms, junior high school students have relatively easy access to information. However, there is a tendency to receive biased information or accept incorrect information directly. Therefore, it is necessary for them to have correct knowledge that suits their generation in order to make informed judgments.

Among the survey results, more than half of junior high school students answered that they do not talk or consult about their appearance or skin concerns. However, the breakdown of the answers indicates that many of them are struggling to find a solution and are unsure who to consult with. Regarding the actual use of cosmetics, the usage rate of moisturizers among junior high school students was higher than expected, with more answers indicating a desire to solve their appearance or skin concerns with cosmetics and beauty methods. This supports the finding that they start using cosmetics at an early age and have high expectations for cosmetics. However, there were also answers stating that they cannot determine what their skin needs or whether it suits them, and that they rely on others' opinions.
Based on these survey results, we, as a company, believe that it is important to provide solutions for appearance and skin concerns to the adolescent generation, who are experiencing an increase in concerns while finding it difficult to consult others. We also believe that it is important to convey correct knowledge about skin and skincare in a clear manner and help them understand the importance of self-care.

Conducting courses at Tamagawa Gakuen
Taking advantage of the survey results, we conducted three courses, "Skincare Course," "UV Protection Course," and "Beauty Values Course," over two days for the students of Tamagawa Gakuen Educational Corporation.

In the skincare course, we provided lectures on the characteristics of adolescent skin, the necessary care for the skin, and based on the survey results of not knowing how to choose and use cosmetics, we taught the purpose and selection of cosmetics, as well as the proper way to use them. We also practiced self-care using our original skincare technique, the "Thoughtful Method※3". We conveyed the idea that taking care of one's own skin in skincare is equivalent to taking care of oneself.

In the UV protection course, we not only taught how to prevent skin problems caused by UV rays, but also emphasized the importance of UV care in suppressing future skin aging such as wrinkles. We also explained that sunscreen can consume energy to repair UV damage and reduce fatigue※4, which can lead to improved performance in activities such as sports.

In the beauty values course, we conveyed the importance of recognizing that everyone's idea of "beauty" is diverse, and the importance of valuing one's own values while understanding the diversity of others' values.
※3 Confirmed that our unique skincare technique, the "Thoughtful Method", has positive effects on the skin and mind.
※4 Confirmed that sunburn increases fatigue during exercise.

Feedback from participating students included comments such as, "My awareness of skincare has changed (6th grade boy)", "I learned a lot about my skin (7th grade boy)", and "I want to take care of my skin with skincare from now on (8th grade girl)". We will continue to promote the idea that selecting cosmetics and properly caring for oneself not only resolves skin concerns, but also contributes to the care of one's own mind, aiming to improve the quality of life for adolescents.