Hong Kong★ Cosmoprof Asia 2013 Beauty Trade Show Held

Cosmoprof Asia 2013, Asia's largest beauty trade fair, was held November 13-15 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Organized by UBM Asia, the Hong Kong subsidiary of UK-based UBM, and Italian company BolognaFiera, this marked its 18th edition. Approximately 2,000 companies and organizations exhibited, with over 300 companies from South Korea showcasing their presence. While Japanese companies numbered around 70, significantly fewer than their competitors, they highlighted their uniqueness with natural skincare products utilizing ingredients specific to Japan. NNA, which distributes economic information on Asia, reported on the event.

Korean companies prominently featured "whitening" and "wrinkle improvement," reflecting their domestic market trends. SELLEOPE, targeting European and Middle Eastern markets, highlighted its whitening lotion containing extracts from the Mizuki plant. A brand representative expressed confidence: "We use high-quality natural ingredients. While comparable in quality to Japanese products, ours are priced at less than half the cost, making them globally accessible."
MILKY DRESS promoted its whitening cream, which has sold over 500,000 units in Korea. Its popularity stems from a commitment to natural ingredients, effectiveness for both "whitening" and "wrinkle improvement," and a price point nearly identical to standard foundations. iM1NE, holding a 20% share of Korea's face mask market, exhibited to develop distribution channels in Hong Kong drugstores.

From Japan, 16 companies participated in the Japan Pavilion organized by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), with a total of 67 companies exhibiting including individual participants. To differentiate themselves from cost-competitive Korean cosmetics, brands notably targeted the high-end market with natural-based skincare products leveraging Japan's unique advanced technology.
Shirataki Shuzo (Niigata Prefecture), producer of the sake "Jōzen Mizunogotoshi," promoted skincare products leveraging its sake brewing expertise. These products feature high amino acid content and excellent skin affinity. The company aims to expand into the overseas Chinese markets of other ASEAN countries, starting with Hong Kong.
The Omura Bay Fisheries Cooperative (Nagasaki Prefecture) exhibited skincare products made from black sea cucumbers, rich in collagen and ceramides—ingredients known for promoting beautiful skin. According to the cooperative, "Omura Bay has a long history of exporting sea cucumbers to China. We expect to begin exporting these skincare products within the year."
Ginza Tomato (Tokyo) introduced skincare products containing "Rose Placenta," the world's first ingredient extracted from roses. These products are expected to offer beauty benefits such as promoting metabolism and providing excellent antioxidant properties.