SENSAI expands portfolio with new haircare range
The products apply the same anti‑aging skincare research, craftsmanship and performance standards that define its facial portfolio to create a balanced scalp environment and strong, silky hair.
JAPAN – SENSAI, Kao Corporation’s global prestige beauty brand, has returned to the haircare category with a new Hair & Scalp care range built on the “skinification of haircare” concept.
The five‑piece line is designed to cleanse, nourish and optimise scalp balance, and comprises a Smoothing Shampoo, a Volumizing Shampoo, a Nourishing Conditioner, an Enriching Mask and a Conditioning Treatment Essence.
Core technologies include CPX Repair Inner in the shampoos and conditioner to condition the scalp while fortifying the hair fibre from within, and CPX Refining Balance in the treatment to refine the scalp environment and improve hair texture.
The mask and treatment are formulated with Koishimaru silk and eucalyptus extract, with the mask delivering a noticeable cooling sensation during use.
SENSAI EMEA General Manager Julien Noilou described the launch, stating, “This year marks an especially exciting chapter for the brand as we re-enter the premium hair and scalp care category, a natural extension of the SENSAI universe.”
“This move brings the same commitment to craftsmanship, innovation and exceptional performance that consumers have come to expect from our skincare and make-up portfolio.”
The launch supports Kao’s strategy of positioning SENSAI as a focus brand for international growth within its cosmetics business.
In EMEA, SENSAI has recorded year‑to‑date growth of 5%, driven by strong performances in Italy, Germany, Poland and Sweden, with additional momentum emerging in Turkey.
In Asia Pacific, the brand is expanding after its Indonesia launch, with Thailand now added as the next strategic market.
Travel retail remains a key pillar of SENSAI’s global expansion, with recent airport openings at Warsaw Chopin, Prague Václav Havel and Milan Malpensa, and a further launch planned at Rome Fiumicino by the end of 2026 to reinforce selective, premium distribution at major travel hubs.
SENSAI is set to showcase the new Hair & Scalp range at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes at the end of September, alongside new developments around its signature Double Moisturizing ritual.
Meanwhile, Kao Corporation is set to launch SENSAI ULTIMATE THE FOUNDATION, the brand’s highest-end foundation from its ULTIMATE skincare series, debuting first in Japan on October 7, 2026 before rolling out globally.
Positioned as a world-first “ingredient-based” foundation, it incorporates ULTIMATE-series moisturising actives at 94% of skincare levels and is built around Kao’s new Flash EmulDiffusion Technology, which instantly emulsifies and uniformly disperses pigments, oils, water and skincare ingredients for high adherence, smooth application and natural one-coat coverage.
The formula contains 1.5 times more ingredients that address visible skin concerns and about 3.5 times more moisturising skincare ingredients than SENSAI’s conventional foundations, targeting mature skin with dryness, uneven texture, loss of firmness or dullness while minimising the look of fine lines and resisting creasing or drying out.
Key actives include Koishimaru Silk Infinite (hydrolysed silk/Koishimaru Silk Extract, acetyl glucosamine, eucalyptus, bilberry and saxifrage extracts) and Sakura A‑CPX/Sakura Eternal Complex (cherry blossom leaf extract plus a botanical and niacinamide-rich complex), intended to penetrate the stratum corneum, reinforce hydration and support a smoother, more radiant complexion with continued use.
The foundation offers SPF10/PA++, carries the ULTIMATE series’ signature floral bouquet fragrance, and will be sold in four shades in a 30 ml pump at 33,000 yen before tax (36,300 yen including tax) in Japan.
Initial distribution is limited to Isetan Shinjuku, Hankyu Umeda Main Store, JR Nagoya Takashimaya and Ginza Mitsukoshi from October 7, 2026, with international rollouts to follow and China planned as a future market in 2028, supporting SENSAI’s role as one of Kao’s six “Focus Brands” under its Global SHARP TOP strategy.
Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.
