Yuka Benimoto, Skincare Development Team, Brand Creative Department, POLA Inc.

We offer our customers a rich experience that only cosmetics can provide.

■ Profile

Joined POLA in 2007. Started his career as a trainer and consultant in the door-to-door sales division.
He joined the Product Planning Department in 2012. After working on APEX, esthetics, and beauty theory development,
Since 2018, he has been in charge of the "BA" brand, and is responsible for product planning and development of products such as "BA 6th Generation" and "BA Eye Zone Cream."

Our lives have changed dramatically due to the impact of COVID-19. We spend long hours in front of a computer every day and wear masks when we go out. BA Eye Zone Cream has been revamped to address eye concerns, which are a major concern in this day and age. We spoke to Yuka Benimoto, who was in charge of planning and developing the Eye Zone Cream, a product that only POLA can offer, about her thoughts on her work and the behind-the-scenes story of how the product was completed.

■ Beauty work is a job that can influence customers' values

During my job search, I was attracted to POLA's approach of "selling products only after gaining a deep understanding of the customer's skin as well as the individual," and decided to join the company. After joining the company, I was in charge of supporting the beauty directors at the sales site, and had many opportunities to interact with customers and staff. I wanted to use that experience to be involved in product creation, so I am currently in charge of planning and developing a skincare brand called BA in the Brand Creative Department.
Cosmetics and skincare are, of course, a means to make yourself beautiful, but I find it appealing that this job is not just about that, but also about being able to influence the lives, feelings, and values ​​of customers through their daily skincare routine. What's more, I've heard from users that the products have helped them feel more positive about spending time on skincare and about aging, and this is what makes my job most rewarding.
My job is solely that of a planner who plans things, and I cannot materialize or sell products myself. It takes the cooperation and sympathy of many people to bring a product to life: researchers to develop it, the PR team to promote it, and beauty directors and beauty consultants to actually sell it to customers. As a planner, I have to put my ideas into words, communicate them clearly to others, and get them involved. It's not easy, but that's what makes it fun, and I try to be mindful of how I can gain their sympathy while also remembering to respect them.

■ Focus on the eyes when wearing a mask

Planning for BA's newly released Eye Zone Cream began around two years ago. At the time, the COVID-2 pandemic was just beginning to lead to a new normal lifestyle. Lifestyles have changed dramatically, with people constantly looking at computers for remote work and online classes, and wearing masks when going outside. The beauty industry has also seen a change in the types of cosmetics that sell, and people are spending more time on skincare. So, heavily influenced by lifestyles, we decided to renew our skincare products to target the eye area, the only part of the face that is exposed under a mask, and this Eye Zone Cream was born.
BA was originally an anti-aging care brand, but many young people also suffer from under-eye bags and heavy eyelids. Believing that these problems are caused by factors other than age, we focused on the orbicularis oculi, the muscles surrounding the eyes. A variety of factors, including lifestyle habits such as computer work that don't involve eye movement and aging, can cause the muscles around the eyes to deteriorate, affecting the overall appearance of the eyes. Eye Zone Cream addresses these concerns by focusing on the muscles around the eyes. We worked with researchers to create a skin-feeling product that would impress customers with how much skincare can change their eyes, and a texture that is comfortable to use both morning and night. We tested the samples created by our researchers dozens of times on our own skin, painstakingly working to create a product that delivers a sensual texture that cannot be measured numerically, aiming to "make you feel a real change in your skin."
Furthermore, eye problems tend to be caused by a variety of complex issues, including lifestyle, aging, and environmental factors such as ultraviolet rays, so we aimed to create a product that could address these complex issues all in one, leveraging BA's comprehensive strength as an anti-aging care brand. Many people may think it's too early to use BA cosmetics, but Eye Zone Cream is special care for the eye area and is a product to be used in addition to regular skincare, so we hope that new customers, such as younger people who have never used BA before, will also try it.

■ Providing a rich experience

At POLA, we don't just want to make you look beautiful, we want our products to help you enjoy a richer life. In an age where there are many options for making your skin beautiful, such as cosmetic surgery, there is meaning in using cosmetics every morning and night on your own time, and we hope to provide the value that only cosmetics can provide.
This Eye Zone Cream is not just any cream, but one that has been carefully considered as to "why POLA is offering this product." POLA's in-house research institute, POLA CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, has been conducting a wide range of research since its founding in 1929. Furthermore, over the 37-year history of the BA brand, the company has not only focused on skin, but has also looked at people from various perspectives, including neuroscience, psychology, and communication studies, to explore what can be done to expand human potential. This is why we place importance on delivering products that are not only functional but also have high emotional value, and we believe that enriching the customer's time through cosmetics will have a positive effect on both their skin and their mood.
Furthermore, through the BA brand, I would like to convey that "the possibilities for beauty are expanding for anyone, at any time," and I would like it to be a brand that encourages people who continue to take on challenges in a positive manner. I would also like to continue to perfect the art of manufacturing, so that people will continue to think that "POLA is overwhelmingly good," and can provide an experience that allows them to feel their dreams and possibilities.

■Enjoy the present to the fullest

When I was a student, I was job hunting with a sense of urgency, thinking, "I have to find what I want to do." However, now that I've had a variety of experiences, I feel that no matter how old you are, there are environments and methods that will allow you to do something new whenever you want to. Personally, I didn't start this job because I had a strong desire to work in cosmetics. However, through this work, I have become more attracted to cosmetics, and my interest has expanded beyond cosmetics to other things. It would be best if you could do what you love as a job from the start, but I believe that enjoying the present, regardless of your position or age, such as being a student or working adult, will lead to expanding your possibilities in the future.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on October 19, 2022 by Honoka Hama, a third-year student at Toyo University

Koji Ishida, third year at Nihon University / Yoshiyuki Okazaki, fourth year at Kawamura Gakuen Women's University / Honoka Hama, third year at Toyo University / Satoru Sudo, fourth year at Rikkyo University