Fake eyelashes, once considered outdated, are making a comeback. What kind of product development resonates with Reiwa-era women?

"What on earth are girls thinking these days?" This is the eternal mystery adults grapple with. Why do unpredictable things become popular, and why do products fail to sell despite market research?

In this series, Dentsu Inc. Gal Lab, a planning team focused on girls, analyzes the changes and trends occurring among modern Reiwa-era girls based on daily planning and interviews with high school girls. We aim to bridge the gap between adults and them. The theme of the first installment is "Product Development That Hits the Mark with Reiwa-Era Girls."

How to Revive False Eyelashes, Rejected by Both Retailers and Beauty Magazines

We present the comeback story of false eyelashes, once deemed "over" by Reiwa girls and fading from the market as a relic of old-school gal fashion. It began with a request from Mr. Noriaki Tanimoto of the Product Development Division at long-established cosmetics company Cozy Honpo. The request was for the rebranding of the eye makeup brand "DOLLY WINK," which celebrated its 10th anniversary in November 2019.

DOLLY WINK is an eye makeup brand produced by Tsubasa Masuwaka, the original charismatic gal model who took the world by storm. Its lineup centers on its flagship product, "false eyelashes," alongside eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, and more. Launched in 2009 as a pioneering talent-produced product, DOLLY WINK became a record-breaking hit. However, after peaking in 2012, sales declined, falling below half of its initial launch levels by 2018.

The so-called "gal boom" faded, and natural makeup became mainstream. More women began frequenting eyelash extension salons, leading to a significant drop in demand for false eyelashes.

DOLLY WINK at its 2009 launch

Why We Still Took on the False Eyelash Challenge

"Fake eyelashes can't even get shelf space in variety stores anymore. Shouldn't we just give up and focus on eyeliner, which has a much bigger market?" This was actually discussed during the initial meeting with Cozy Honpo. Just the term "false eyelashes" made distributors wary, and they hadn't been featured in major beauty magazines for years. Cozy Honpo was also perplexed about how to handle false eyelashes, seen as completely over. But seeing their product lineup, past releases, and mountains of prototypes was astonishing. What amazed us was their overwhelming technical skill and quality.

The meticulous attention to each individual lash, the precisely calculated length and curl angle, the density of the hairs. Upon inquiry, we learned that brand producer Tsubasa Masuwaka meticulously directed every product, with adjustments made repeatedly down to the millimeter, each piece crafted by hand. The feel and finish when worn were unmatched by competitors.

Furthermore, we discovered a crucial fact: Cozy Honpo holds the distinction of being the first company in Japan to commercialize "false eyelashes" back in 1947. The inspiration came from Asakusa dancers who would cut their own hair and craft it into false eyelashes.

The veteran false eyelash maker and Tsubasa Masuwaka, who dedicated her gal days to mastering false eyelashes. This ultimate team-up represents DOLLY WINK's greatest value. Convinced of this, we decided to stake our future on false eyelashes once more.

Japan's very first false eyelashes, launched by Cozy Honpo

Deliberately targeting "false eyelash dropouts" and "false eyelash non-users"

The high quality of the false eyelash products themselves seemed assured. But how could we get today's Reiwa-era girls to accept them? Looking at the market, over 80% of girls were "false eyelash dropouts" or "false eyelash non-users." Yet, we saw this adversity as an opportunity. By making these "false eyelash dropouts" and "non-users" – who dominate the market – our main target, we could stage a major comeback. To do this, we needed to create "entirely new false eyelashes" for women who couldn't accept "traditional false eyelashes".

A high wall stood between Reiwa-era women and "traditional false eyelashes." We first had to confront this barrier. That wall consisted of three elements: "looks flashy," "seems difficult," and "hard to choose." What would a new false eyelash look like that dispels these negative perceptions?

What defines "new false eyelashes" that are completely different from conventional ones?

Our goal became creating "new false eyelashes that align with Reiwa women's values and lifestyles." They get eyelash extensions and use mascara. In other words, the demand for "eyelash makeup" remains strong, but the negative perceptions of "false eyelashes" – "look flashy/seem difficult/hard to choose" – were deeply ingrained.

The reason? Most false eyelashes on the market hadn't evolved much since the false eyelash boom 10 years ago, remaining "flashy/time-consuming/for gals." So, we decided to reinvent them to meet Reiwa women's needs.

We focused on two key insights from Reiwa women. First, their true desire: "Wanting a natural look without hassle." Second, the era's backdrop: "Wanting to choose their own style from diverse options."

This led us to the solution: a new concept called "10-Second Eyelash Extensions," a diverse lineup of 16 natural-looking products, and eye-catching packaging featuring iconic illustrations.

We minimized the size to the absolute limit, making it possible to display them in rows even in compact retail spaces. We also focused on making them stand out in variety stores.

The packaging design features iconic illustrations representing diverse women, rather than showing models wearing the product. It allows customers to choose products with the same casual feel as picking out snacks or trinkets.

Easier than salon visits, yet delivers natural volume like eyelash extensions. Choose from diverse styles to match your mood. This new product, designed to appeal to modern women, was priced at just 500 yen—a significant drop from previous offerings. Maintaining full quality while challenging this price point allowed women who switch up their fashion daily to purchase multiple pairs.

Thus, DOLLY WINK's 10th Anniversary Rebranding First Release—"New Partial False Eyelashes EASY LASH"—made its debut and spread among Reiwa women faster than anticipated. While 80,000 units sold is typically considered a major hit, it achieved 300,000 units sold within one month of release. Varieties sold out at variety stores one after another. It even trended on Twitter under the hashtag "#10SecondEyelashExtensions." This signaled its emergence beyond just "false eyelashes," establishing itself as the new standard for eye makeup.

Beyond "false eyelashes" to the new standard for Reiwa-era women

Resetting the target audience, redesigning "false eyelashes," and achieving a comeback. So, what exactly is the secret to creating products that hit with Reiwa-era women? Summarized, the key points are threefold.

1. Face the brand's essence head-on (as a long-established false eyelash brand).
2.Maximize the brand's unique value (= Cozy Honpo's technical expertise × Tsubasa Masuwaka's creative proposals)
Maximize this and connect it to the world
3. Never overlook the target audience's true feelings (desire for subtle enhancement, yet demand for eyelash makeup) and redefine the brand's relevance for the times.

And above all, to achieve these goals, it's crucial that the entire team aligns their aspirations and works together toward the shared objective.

Next time, we'll analyze the unique "favorite" culture of Reiwa-era women using recent trending content as examples.

Second from left in the front row: Tsubasa Masuwaka, Cozy Honpo staff, and Dentsu Inc. members

【Dentsu Inc. Gal Lab】

Established March 2010. A planning team that harnesses the power of women, primarily young girls, aiming to revitalize not only businesses but society as a whole.
We analyze girls' insights from various angles and plan across a wide range of business domains.