A cosmetics corner at the Daimaru Shinsaibashi department store in Osaka in September 2019 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Cosmetics sales have plunged in the prolonged period of mask-wearing, but one product has provided a relatively stable source of revenue during the pandemic.
The already-intense competition in the wrinkle treatment industry is expected to heat up further during the COVID-19 crisis.
“We have received complaints from customers that they feel uneasy about the wrinkles around their eyes while donning masks,” said Miho Tanaka, an official of cosmetics maker Pola Inc. “Consumers appear to be increasingly troubled by and conscious of wrinkles.”
The frequent use of masks and the decline in overseas tourist numbers have led to a sharp drop in sales of lipsticks and foundation creams.