Skincare aficionados may have spent the best part of the 2010s championing K-beauty, but amid the uncertainty of the pandemic, Japanese rituals have gained fresh relevance around the world. How is J-beauty balancing old and new wisdom to meet evolving consumer needs?

Why are beauty fans asking for science-backed language from beauty brands? How are digital filters changing the ways we experience beauty? Where are the new players in beauty coming from and how are they disrupting the space? And why are people craving sensory beauty moments post-lockdown?

At the forefront of the Chinese beauty market is Perfect Diary, a rapidly growing beauty brand that’s turning into China’s quintessential cosmetic label. It’s also a rigorous marketing engine and creative collaborator that’s redefining e-commerce and digital communication.

J-beauty giant Kao has joined other beauty players in pledging to remove words such as ‘whitening’ and ‘lightening’ from its products. As Japan’s younger generation pushes back against traditional norms, beauty brands are under pressure to make their offerings more inclusive.