KOSÉ

Continuing to Refine Quality

Since its foundation, KOSÉ has thoroughly upheld quality control, from procurement of raw materials to production, to make the best quality cosmetic products. In the KOSÉ Quality Policy established in 2010, a sentence “Customer satisfaction is our priority” was placed at the core of all operations, allowing us to continuously pursue quality in a wider and deeper sense.

Quality Assurance Initiatives for New Product Development with Priority on Safety and Reliability

The cosmetic products that come into direct contact with the hair and skin are used in many ways depending on the environment and the individual customer’s preferences.To ensure that customers can use our products in any situation without worry, safety is kept at the highest priority in the development of new products. Toward this purpose, we refer to all sorts of quality standards in addition to our own safety standards. In every step of production from the raw materials stage to packaging, our Quality Assurance and Product Development departments repeatedly conduct assessment and validation of products. Additionally, we enforce a rigorous test on final products that anticipates the customer’s usage situation, ensuring their safety for use before sending them out into the market.

Quality assurance in the development process of new products sold by the KOSÉ Group

Our Policy on Assuring Safety of Cosmetics

The quality demanded in cosmetic products often changes due to customer needs, advancements in science and technology, market factors, social environment, and so forth. The KOSÉ Group, in an attempt to anticipate such changes and realize this product quality, participates proactively in the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Technical Committee for cosmetics, and in Public scientific research groups into developing new testing procedures for safety assessment.

Furthermore, KOSÉ understands that the abolition of animal testing is a necessity in global society and, hoping for its swift implementation on a worldwide scale, has been deeply involved in the development of alternatives to animal testing since the 1990s. Along with continuous support of the Japanese Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments, KOSÉ endeavors by participation in the cooperative efforts among industry, academe, and government, to spread and develop these alternative methods.

For more information on safety assurance (R&D)

Production System for High-Quality Cosmetics

A production department strives to deliver the best quality, upholding the founder’s belief that “for the one product that is taken into the customer’s hands, earn trust by providing the highest quality.”
In the 1970s, we were quick to introduce quality control (QC) at our production sites, and in 1980 we became the first company in the cosmetics industry to receive the Deming Prize, one of the world’s most renowned prizes for total quality management. In 2020, all our production departments acquired ISO 9001 certification, the international standard for quality management systems. To further globalize our quality assurance system, in 2001 we also obtained ISO 22716 certification, the global standard for good manufacturing practices (GMP) in cosmetics, for all the KOSÉ Group’s factories. Having both these international standards allows us to maintain superior levels of manufacturing and quality control.

KOSÉ Group List of Production Department ISO Certifications

07.2023

ISO 9001: International standard for quality management systems with the purpose of improving the quality of “products and services” provided by companies and organizations.

ISO 22716: International standard for quality and safety in cosmetics manufacturing.

ISO 14001: International standard for environmental management systems designed to improve a company’s environmental performance while protecting the environment.

Organizational Structure to Swiftly and Earnestly Respond to Customer Feedback

KOSÉ has established a tight-knit cooperative network related to quality assurance by installing a Customer Service Center in our Quality Assurance Department and strives to provide rapid and sincere support to our customers
Customer requests and reports are filed as valuable information into the MIRAI Kizuna System*. These assets are shared speedily within the Company to improve quality and service, by which we aim to gain further customer satisfaction and trust.
Furthermore, we at the KOSÉ Group believe that our relationship with customers begins from the moment we manufacture our products. For this reason, cosmetic products of the same type manufactured in the same period are stored together and constantly checked for product safety, while steps are continually taken to guarantee their quality.

*Customer feedback in this system is used to improve KOSÉ products and create a better future.

KOSÉ Group – Organizational Structure for Quality Assurance

Response to Unforeseen Incidents

In the event that an accident or unexpected trouble causes quality issues and results in any product liability incident, information regarding the incident is automatically gathered from all departments and reported to the Quality Assurance Department. The Quality Assurance Department then defines the severity of the incident in terms of product liability, hazards to health, and potential expansion of the damage. Serious quality issues are immediately reported to the Emergency Counterplan Committee, and appropriate measures shall be taken on a corporate-wide level, beginning from top management, in response to the incident.

Meeting and Exceeding Customer Expectations

Beauty Consultants That Draw Out Your “One-of -a-Kind Beauty”

As customers have their specific own worries and distinct visions about beauty, our beauty consultants work closely with customers to provide the best skincare, makeup, and beauty solutions to draw out yet unnoticed aspects of an individual’s beauty.
We offer not only in-store counseling service, but also online service where you can receive our counseling service from your home at any time and place.
With our activity policy of “meeting and exceeding customer expectations,” our beauty consultants are committed to bringing out the “One-of-a-Kind Beauty” and bringing color and radiance to their hearts through the accumulation of all kinds of wisdom related to beauty.

Honest support system for customers’ demands – Customer Service Center –

Customer Service Center

KOSÉ has established a tight-knit cooperative network related to quality assurance by installing a Customer Service Center in our Quality Assurance Department in an effort to provide rapid and sincere support to our customers. We are sincere in the services we offer as a foundation of “attentive listening,” “empathy,” “promptness,” and “trust” for the inquires and feedback we receive. We endeavor to improve our adaptability through the implementation of training and satisfaction surveys. In addition, we actively share and use product knowledge (various information and assumed dialogue related to products and promotions) even across other departments.

Gather a Broad Range of Customer Feedback for Better Products and Services

The MIRAI Kizuna System is used to collect customer feedback, which is aggregated and regularly reported as Customer Feedback Reports to relevant departments, which are used to improve products and services. We commonly receive customer inquiries about product features and use, for example, but KOSÉ does not stop at only responding; we also use this feedback as an impetus for various improvements such as changing package information to make it easier to understand.

KOSÉ also conducts NPS®* evaluations with around 20,000 customers a year at our directly operated Maison KOSÉ stores, as well as through various e-commerce sales and online customer services. We analyze the evaluation at each touchpoint every month and take concrete actions to improve and enhance our services.

*NPS® (Net Promoter Score) is an indicator to measure customer loyalty. By quantifying the degree of attachment to and trust in a company or brand, the score is used to evaluate and improve the customer experience at points of contact.

Examples of Product and Service Improvements Based on Customer Feedback

We carefully listen to customer feedback and incorporate that feedback into our everyday product development.
Here is one example of a product improvement resulting from customer feedback provided to the Customer Service Center.

Medicinal SEKKISEI: Brightening Essence Lotion

Redesigned packaging to improve usability and visibility and to be more environmentally friendly

Since its debut in 1985, SEKKISEI has been loved by many customers across generations and genders.
We have received customer feedbacks about the sealing sticker, a mark of unopened packages, such as “the seal is too small and difficult to remove,” or “I didn’t notice it because it was transparent, so I couldn’t get the contents out.”
Therefore, when the product was renewed and released in March 2024, the transparent sealing sticker on the top of the bottle was replaced with a paper sealing sticker on the outer box.
There were also comments such as “It is difficult to see the letters on the outer box” and “It is difficult to see how much is used.” We have changed the outer box from glossy paper to matte paper and added an illustration of the amount used to make the display easier to read and understand.
In addition, the packaging film on the outer box was eliminated to reduce plastic, and we introduced refills that had not been available before. Also, we have totally redesigned the packaging to be environmentally friendly by using FSC-Certified paper * for the outer box and botanical resin bottles to reduce CO₂ emissions.

(Forest Stewardship Council®) Responsible Wood Resources

Caps and Containers That Can Be Opened Any Way

With a cap and container that can be opened by either twisting or pulling, the pump will not separate from the container.

It can be difficult to tell whether one should pull or twist off an opaque product cap. Many customers told us that when they mistakenly twisted the cap when it should have been pulled off, causing the pump to separate from the container.
To respond to this feedback, we developed a mechanism in which the cap gradually rises up and comes off when the cap is turned by adding special protrusions inside the cap and container. (Patented)
This mechanism makes it possible to smoothly remove the cap without the pump coming off whether someone twists or pull offs the cap.

*Introduced with INFINITY Unlimited Key released in August 2022. We plan to expand use of this mechanism in other products as well.

FASIO: Liquid Eyeliner

Usage instructions are indicated on the container to ensure proper use of the product.

“FASIO” liquid eyeliner has been well-received for its resistance to sweat, water, and sebum, and for its ability to draw delicate lines. We have had some customers tell us, “I just bought it, but the colors are blurred.”
This product contains a ball for stirring the liquid inside, it must be shaken well before use. If you do not shake well, the precipitated liquid may not spread to the brush tip, and the color may become blur or come out lighter.
Although the product packaging shows how to use the product, some customers overlooked the instructions, so we made it easier for customers to understand how to use the product by putting clear instructions on the container as well.

Product Photo on the Package

You Can See the Appearance of the Product Without Opening the Package.

We use paper packaging for many of our products in consideration of the global environment.
However, unlike the transparent plastic packaging, the paper packaging is opaque and do not tell the appearance of the product.
Therefore, we put a picture of the product on the front of the package so that you can see the appearance of the product without opening it.

Website for Discontinued Products

In October 2023, we launched an information service for products that are no longer sold.

We have received some complaints from customers who are looking for their favorite products such as “I heard the sale is over. Is that true?” or “I don’t see the product in the store anymore. Is it still sold?” In response to such customer feedback, we have launched a new page on the Maison Kosé website to inform customers of end-of-sales (discontinued) products*.

Also, with the discontinuation of their favorite products, many customers ask us “Do you have similar products?”
In order to avoid any difficulties for customers who are looking for products similar to their favorite ones, we provide information on the product page if there is a product that we can recommend instead.
In addition, in order to inform customers in advance when a product will be discontinued, we have placed a [Will be no longer available in stores] icon and an [Available only online] icon on the product list page for products that are no longer sold in stores.

Products that are no longer in production and no longer sold by KOSÉ.

Easy-to-Use Products for all

We at KOSÉ work towards providing easy-to-use items for everyone whenever we develop new products.
We have also made provisions for customers who are visually impaired to be able to identify products by touch.

Braille stickers available for free

Visually impaired customers may avail of, without charge, “Braille stickers,” on which the names of cosmetic products and instructions for use are printed in Braille and large-font characters. These stickers can be placed on the containers of individual products. Please contact the KOSÉ Customer Service Center to have the stickers on your purchases.
（Toll-free number： 0120-526-311）
（For requests by e-mail, kindly click here）

For other KOSÉ COSMEPORT initiatives, see here.

Aiming to provide products that are easy for everyone to use (on the KOSÉ COSMEPORT Corp. website)
“BIOLISS PEACEFUL GREEN” Project (on the KOSÉ COSMEPORT Corp. website)