IPSA, the Japanese Beauty Brand Redefining Skin and Mind

By Daniel de Bomford and Arthur Menkes

The daily wellness rituals that punctuate our lives are vital in grounding us in the present day and preparing both body and mind for the challenges ahead. The splashing of water against your face in the morning brings you into the present, but it begs the question, why stop with a rinse? Like toothpaste or shampoo, skin needs specialized care, and the right product depends on more than just your skin type—even the season matters.

Skincare specialists, IPSA, have long recognized these truths: skincare needs to be holistic, and selecting the correct product can be challenging. President Jun Oda says the company wants to support a healthy body and mind by first nurturing healthy skin. “One of our core philosophies is the belief that the condition of the skin is closely connected to the condition of the mind,” he states.

Beginning in fall 2025, IPSA’s brand revitalization will commence, with a focus on “Fullness.” The target customers of this concept are individuals in their twenties and thirties who constantly navigate life's fluctuations. The company aims to evolve into a brand that supports not only skin, but also the mind to help customers achieve a richer lifestyle. The company is addressing the challenges that delicate skin faces in response to factors such as seasonal changes, environmental shifts, emotional triggers, and stress. The goal is simple: achieve a state IPSA dubs “my uniqueness” with the “Fullness of skin and mind,” where each individual is free to express their own beauty and way of life, facilitated by a variety of products and in-store experiences. As the first step of the journey, IPSA is launching the 10^th generation of its hero product, “ME”. Launching in 1987, ME has been IPSA’s flagship product, embodying the concept of IPSA’s beauty metabolizing, which aims to awaken the skin’s innate power through a balanced skin rhythm. ME offers personalized formulas with various textures, suitable for a range of skin types. It targets the skin rhythm with a focus on the vitality of stratum corneum and improves skin moisture, translucence and elasticity with its essence-like emulsion formulation.

The company has extended the adoption of “LiquiForm” to pump dispenser containers. This environmentally conscious technology reduces the environmental impact of manufacturing by combining the bottle-molding and filling processes into a single step. The cosmetics packaging harmonizes aesthetic design with usability, creating a container that is both environmentally friendly and visually appealing, while also being pleasant to use due to a thoughtfully designed shape. IPSA remains committed to conveying its brand value to its customers through both the softness and the innovative “LiquiForm” technology, emphasizing the dual aspects of skin and mind.

IPSA will evolve with the launch of new "ME," promoting the concept of "Fullness of skin and mind" in its counter experiences. Since its inception, the brand has centered its value on "co-creation of recipes." Through special training programs, qualified "recipist" have been creating customized "beauty recipes" with each customer.

While carrying forward the value of "co-creation of recipes," IPSA will further enhance the experience by advancing the "fullness experience" perspective across both online and offline platforms. Offline, this includes updates to the counter and the evolution of counseling by recipist. Online, IPSA aims to provide an experience and service akin to offline interactions, offering the "COHADA scan," with plans to introduce "AI recipist " in the future. The goal is to provide a comprehensive experience, regardless of where customers choose to engage.

IPSA is providing personalized service that helps its customers build vital routines by pursuing a strategy that serves people both online and in-store. The focus on the customer and their individual needs sets them apart in a competitive global marketplace, encouraging and supporting people engaging in personal care. Beginning with the new “ME”, IPSA continues to support customers in expressing their unique beauty and the concept of “Fullness of skin and mind.” As Oda observes, “Beauty is deeply individual—it’s not just about the condition of your skin, but also your mind, your character, and your inner wellbeing.” Through this approach to Fullness, IPSA is dedicated to sincerely engaging with each customer, striving together to realize rich days where both the skin and mind are fulfilled, and where individuals feel complete within themselves.

To hear more from President Jun Oda of IPSA Corporation, check out this interview with him