As Japan’s aging population reshapes domestic markets, in response, the company is expanding across Asia with a focus on high-end service, cross-border e-commerce, and personalized esthetic treatments rooted in omotenashi.
J-Beauty companies face intense competition—not only from major Western brands but also from strong regional players, particularly Korean beauty brands, which are known for their aggressive marketing strategies. However, Japanese products are globally recognized for their exceptional quality, and with consumers increasingly embracing a “less is more” approach to skincare, J-Beauty’s strengths seem well-aligned with this shift. What advantages do you believe J-Beauty products have in the global market?
This applies not only to cosmetics but to Japanese products in general—Japan is known for its meticulous quality control and high safety standards, resulting in products that stand out for their superior production quality compared to competitors.
What makes J-Beauty particularly unique is its deep-rooted tradition of using natural ingredients. In Japan, we research materials related to traditional dietary culture (such as fermented foods like rice bran), and our advanced ingredient extraction techniques allow us to create skin-friendly products. Additionally, while neighboring regions, such as South Korea, often focus on trends, Japan tends to place greater importance on safety and sustainability, which we consider to be an advantage.
One of Japan’s biggest challenges is its declining and aging population, with projections indicating that within the next 15 years, one in three people will be over 65. This demographic shift will put significant pressure on companies, both in terms of hiring staff and managing a shrinking domestic market. How is your company addressing these challenges, and to what extent do you see internationalization as a necessary step for long-term growth?
As you mentioned, Japan’s demographic challenges include both a declining population and a growing ratio of people over 65. To address this, we have two key visions for international operations: one focused on the increasing number of foreigners living in Japan, and the other on expanding into overseas markets.
To better serve the rising number of foreign residents and tourists in Japan, we are strengthening our language support, particularly in English and Chinese, to ensure accessibility and a high level of service.
For our international expansion, we are prioritizing Asia over Western markets. With we already employing a large Chinese-speaking staff due to its expansion into Taiwan, we plan to leverage this expertise to expand into other Southeast Asian markets with large Chinese-speaking populations, allowing us to scale efficiently while maintaining a high level of service.
COVID led to a surge in e-commerce spending, particularly in the beauty sector. Your company has been quite active in this space, with its own e-commerce store. What benefits has this online presence brought to your business, and how do you see it evolving in the future?
Until recently, we didn’t have enough dedicated resources to fully focus on e-commerce. However, now that we are part of the TBC Group, which is highly proactive in promoting online sales, we see a great opportunity to strengthen our e-commerce presence by leveraging their platform and expertise.
While e-commerce offers convenience, it also presents a unique challenge for utilization in esthetic salons. Our approach to beauty is highly personalized, with specific cosmetics tailored to each customer’s needs. When purchasing online, customers may not always choose the most suitable products without first consulting our estheticians. This is a key hurdle we need to address.
To tackle this, I envision developing a system where our staff can provide personalized counseling online, similar to the telehealth medical services that have gained popularity in recent years. By integrating professional consultations into our e-commerce model, we can ensure customers receive expert guidance, enhancing both our esthetic course and the effectiveness of our products.
Do you see this online consultation system as something that could be offered globally, or is your primary focus on implementing it within Japan?
Our biggest market is China, but due to regulatory restrictions, we can only sell products through cross-border e-commerce and are unable to sell in stores. This presents a unique marketing challenge. If we had a physical store, we could engage directly with customers and provide tailored products. However, since our business in China is limited to online sales through cross-border e-commerce, we have to increase awareness of SOCIÉ. Digital marketing strategies for this are very expensive.
The key challenge is how to effectively build our brand and attract local customers in this environment. While influencer marketing is one approach, we are also exploring alternative strategies to create brand recognition and trust without solely depending on paid promotions. That’s why we believe an online consultation system could play a key role by offering Chinese consumers the same level of personalized, experience-based counseling they would receive in-store—only delivered remotely, with expert guidance. Developing a strong digital presence while maintaining a high level of customer engagement is essential for our continued growth in China.
What are the key competitive advantages that set your company apart from global competitors? How do you differentiate yourself in the beauty and wellness industry?
We are not a cosmetics company—we sell services. Our key focus (or importance) is on delivering omotenashi, the Japanese philosophy of hospitality, and providing exceptional esthetic treatments to satisfy customers worldwide. The challenge lies in how to effectively bring this high level of personalized esthetic service and service to international markets.
Our core strength is our expertise in esthetic techniques and the care of the body. Additionally, since becoming part of the research laboratory-owning TBC Group three and a half years ago, we have gained access to the group’s extensive research and development capabilities in cosmetics. This synergy allows us to provide not only expert esthetic services but also the most suitable, high-quality skincare products tailored to each customer’s needs. By combining advanced beauty technology with personalized service, we differentiate ourselves from global competitors in both expertise and customer care.
You mentioned social media and the increasing role of influencers with large followings, which has become a significant trend in the salon industry. How is your company responding to this shift toward social media-driven marketing, and how do you see it impacting your business moving forward?
We primarily use social media—especially Instagram advertising—as a tool to attract customers. However, rather than focusing on making our customer experience more Instagrammable or visually striking for social media, we take a different approach.
Through our experience, we’ve learned that showcasing SOCIÉ’s strengths, our esthetic hand techniques, resonates most with potential customers. By demonstrating the comfort and relaxation space that our treatments provide, we effectively communicate the value of our services. This is the core of our social media strategy—we focus on authenticity and the real benefits of our techniques rather than relying on influencers or celebrity endorsements.
Your company has a history spanning over 60 years, starting with a focus on barbershops before evolving into a comprehensive beauty provider with multiple business pillars. Could you walk us through some of the key milestones in your company’s journey and how it has grown and transformed over the years?
We began our business as a barbershop, and in Japan, the certification requirements for cutting hair differ between men and women. For the first ten years, we started out by providing barber services for men and gradually shifted our focus to hair beauty services for women.
A major turning point came in 1981 when we expanded into esthetic salons. Since then, esthetics has become the core of our business, marking a significant milestone in our evolution. Over the years, we have continued to grow and diversify, transforming into a comprehensive beauty company that provides total beauty solutions. This progression reflects our commitment to adapting to industry trends and continuously enhancing the services we offer.
Our founders gained first-hand exposure to American customer service and the latest international techniques while working in a barbershop on an American military base. This experience has laid the foundation for SOCIÉ WORLD, to adopt and provide first-class products and techniques from overseas.
A major milestone came in 1988 when SOCIÉ signed a franchise contract with Guerlain, the renowned French luxury cosmetics brand. Through this partnership, we were able to learn and incorporate advanced esthetic techniques from France, further elevating the quality of our services.
Building on this expertise, we later brought these cutting-edge technical services that combine Japanese and Western to Taiwan at a time when first-class esthetic services were still relatively unavailable in the region. This international expansion was a key step in our journey, allowing us to share our high standards of beauty and esthetic care beyond Japan.
Beyond your core esthetic salon business, SOCIÉ WORLD has expanded into a wide range of services, including high-end hair care, beauty, eye treatments, sports, and men’s esthetics. What are the key synergies you’ve been able to create across these different areas? Looking ahead, are there any new business segments you are considering adding in the future?
We have two key synergies across our diverse business areas. The first is rooted in omotenashi, the Japanese essence of hospitality. Since we offer a comprehensive range of beauty and wellness services, customers who are satisfied (or who have a positive experience) with one of the beauty services we offer often want to try other beauty services offered at SOCIÉ. This creates a natural flow for customers to explore multiple beauty services under the same trusted brand.
The second is collaboration between different businesses. For example, you can receive a head spa using esthetic techniques at a hair salon, and SOCIÉ HOMME (the men's esthetics department) has adopted a sports menu and offers comprehensive, custom-made treatments that go beyond just facial and body care for men.
Looking ahead, we are further focusing on strengthening our presence in the men’s treatments and cosmetic products, recognizing the growing demand for high-quality beauty and self-care products tailored to male consumers. This will be an important area of expansion for us as we continue to evolve our services.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that demand for high-quality men’s beauty treatments and products is on the rise. We see this as an important area for expansion as we continue to evolve in response to this growing trend.
When it comes to SOCIÉ HOMME, how does your approach to men’s esthetics differ from your women’s services? Additionally, many men may feel hesitant about visiting an esthetic salon—how do you work to overcome that reluctance and encourage more men to engage with beauty and self-care?
I’m personally involved in this area, so let me share a bit about my background. I originally came from TBC, our parent company, and I was responsible for establishing TBC’s men’s division 25 years ago. While SOCIÉ has only been offering men’s esthetics for a few years, our group has a history of over 25 years in the men's beauty industry in Japan.
There’s a specific reason why I decided to introduce SOCIÉ HOMME despite TBC already having a men’s esthetic division. At TBC, about 90% of men’s services are focused on hair removal. However, I noticed a growing number of men who had already undergone hair removal treatments and were now interested in taking the next step—improving their skin and body care.
Through market research, I found that there were very few places in Japan where men could receive serious esthetic treatments beyond hair removal. Recognizing this gap, we decided to establish SOCIÉ HOMME to provide high-quality, professional esthetic treatment tailored to men’s evolving beauty and wellness needs.
One challenge in men’s esthetics is that most men have limited or poor knowledge about beauty and skincare. For example, when women are asked about their skin type, they can usually provide an accurate answer. However, many men simply say they don’t know. That’s why at SOCIÉ HOMME, we start from the very basics—offering professional skin analysis and explaining to them how their skin works and the importance of esthetics and skin care. Providing advice and guidance on beauty-related matters to men who have no knowledge of beauty is one of SOCIÉ 's strengths.
Through experience, we’ve learned that rather than advertising specific treatments, it’s more effective to position our “skin diagnosis” services as a personalized skincare experience.
By emphasizing that men can receive a professional skin analysis followed by treatments customized to their needs makes them more approachable and appealing, drawing them in. This approach helps overcome hesitation and makes esthetic care more accessible to men who may not have considered it before.
You have a strong international presence beyond the Japanese market. One of the challenges of operating globally is that skin types, beauty standards, and esthetic preferences vary widely across different regions. How do you adapt your services and business model to meet the specific needs of customers in the overseas markets where you operate?
We primarily target high-end, high-net-worth individuals, and within this market segment, there hasn’t been much difference in usage of beauty salons and skincare needs across the globe. Affluent customers tend to seek high-quality treatments and premium services regardless of region.
The biggest variation we see in esthetics is not in the type of treatment but in the preferred application style—specifically, whether clients prefer a stronger or softer touch in hand-applied treatments. This preference for strength varies significantly by country. In Japan, for example, customers generally prefer gentler, more delicate treatments. Meanwhile, in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, clients tend to favor stronger, more intensive techniques.
By understanding and adapting to these regional preferences in treatment intensity, we ensure that our esthetic services are customized to meet the expectations of each market while maintaining the high standards of SOCIÉ WORLD.
Which is more effective?
The effectiveness of our treatments remains the same regardless of the level of applied force. However, stronger pressure is often preferred for body-slimming and diet-related treatments. That said, more important than the strength of the treatment is the frequency—optimal results are best achieved with regular visits or treatments, ideally two to three times per week.
By explaining our clients on the benefits of consistent treatments and tailoring our approach to match their preferences, we ensure that they receive the most effective and satisfying esthetic treatments, whether in Japan or in our international locations.
You’ve established strong partnerships with renowned international brands such as Guerlain and Jacques Moisant. Are you currently seeking new international partnerships? If so, what qualities or expertise are you looking for in potential partners?
We are expanding our international partnerships, such as with the Institut Esthederm, and plan to introduce top-notch esthetic services to Japan and other Asian markets. At the same time, we have been actively collaborating with domestic companies, as global interest in J-Beauty continues to grow. Currently, we are working with Euglena as an important partnership to develop their own cosmetics line. Additionally, TBC now has the capability to produce its own cosmetics, allowing us to work together in-house to create high-quality products that align with our esthetic expertise.
Looking ahead over the next five to ten years, as Japan’s population continues to decline, we see a growing need to cultivate international talent in the beauty industry.
To address this challenge, we plan to partner with beauty and esthetics schools overseas so that students can come to Japan to learn SOCIÉ's techniques and philosophy and then return to their home countries to spread SOCIÉ's expertise and reputation. Later, they could help to expand our influence and set new standards in esthetic services worldwide.
If you had to define your company in one sentence, what would that be?
At SOCIÉ, we take pride in providing an exceptional level of service that transcends nationality or background. Our commitment to high-quality esthetic treatments, personalized care, and the philosophy of omotenashi ensures that anyone who visits SOCIÉ—regardless of where they come from—will leave feeling fulfilled and satisfied with their mind, technique, and space. Our goal is to create an inclusive, world-class beauty experience that meets the needs of every client, no matter their culture or preferences.
For more information, please visit their website at: https://www.socie-world.co.jp/en/
To read more about Socie World, check out this article about them.
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