How Japanese cosmetics seasons work: launch calendar by category

The first major launch window of the year is February through April. Sunscreen dominates. Nearly every major Japanese sun care line — Anessa, Biore UV, Skin Aqua, Allie, Kiss Me Sun Killer — refreshes SKUs or launches new formats in this window. The reason is commercial timing: UVA intensity begins rising sharply in Japan from March, and brands want shelf-ready inventory before consumers begin buying.

Spring base makeup also refreshes in this window, particularly primers, BB creams, and cushion foundations positioned for the warmer months. Brands like Canmake, Cezanne, and Integrate typically drop new base SKUs in March or early April.

Late spring into early summer is when sweat-proof, oil-control, and cooling SKUs launch. Deodorant and body sheet wipe categories see the biggest launch volume. Skincare launches shift toward oil-control toners, pore-care essences, and lightweight emulsions. Sheet masks with cooling ingredients show up on endcaps.

This window also tends to see a second wave of sunscreen launches — typically the higher-SPF or more specialized SKUs (sport, children's, body) that were not in the spring launch cycle.

Japan's cosmetics industry treats August and September as the autumn launch window. Base makeup is the dominant category here. Foundations, concealers, setting powders, and primers refresh broadly, often with warmer-tone additions to the color range and richer finishes compared to the summer SKUs.

Skincare launches in this window tilt toward anti-aging, barrier repair, and richer moisturizers positioning for the drier autumn air. It is also when many brands launch new serums and essence SKUs, which will ride through the fall and winter consumer buying cycle.

October is the holiday kit month. Brands release coffrets, limited-edition sets, and gift-positioned packaging. Point makeup — especially lipsticks, eyeshadow palettes, and multi-use palettes — launches heavily in this window. Holiday coffret drops from prestige brands (Shiseido, SK-II, Clé de Peau Beauté) tend to sell through quickly and become collectible.

November continues the holiday push and begins the winter skincare ramp — richer creams, occlusive balms, body care sets for dry skin.

December is the quietest launch month of the year. Retailer focus shifts to year-end sales events and Best Cosme award promotions. @cosme announces its year-end Best Cosme in early December, and brands with wins scramble to get POP material into stores before the holiday rush.

January sees minimal launches but sometimes includes "new year" limited-edition packaging and early teasers for the spring sunscreen cycle that begins ramping in February.

For buyers, the calendar has two practical uses. First, it tells you when to expect fresh launches in a category — sunscreen in March, base makeup in September, holiday sets in October. Second, it tells you when not to expect launches, so you can interpret quieter months as normal rather than as a sign of brand pullback.

Our monthly reports tag each new arrival with its category and compare launch volume against the historical seasonal pattern for that category, so subscribers can see at a glance whether a given month is hotter or cooler than the typical seasonal baseline.