Cosmetics giants Pola and ANA Holdings on Monday unveiled special skincare products that will be used by Japan’s space agency, Japan’s first facial cosmetics, when it arrives on the International Space Station around 2024.
Cosmology, a line of face washes and lotions co-designed by Pola and ANA parent company, is designed for use in the low-gravity, resource-scarce conditions of outer space.
Both products were created in response to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) call for products that solve common problems of life on land and in outer space.
The facial cleanser is designed to be wiped off easily, saving limited water resources aboard the International Space Station. At the same time, the lotion remains semi-solid to prevent it from dispersing in low-gravity conditions, turning into a liquid when applied to the skin.
Due to the extremely dry conditions of outer space, both products contain special moisturizing ingredients.
The two companies launched the “CosmoSkin” project in 2020 with the aim of enhancing the aesthetics and comfort of spaces.
ANA helped Pola with its testing, drawing on its expertise in conditions similar to those on the aircraft and the International Space Station, which included flight attendants trying out the product during the flight.
The creation of the new line began after JAXA selected the companies to deliver the first facial lotion for use in space in March 2022.
Consumers on Earth will have the opportunity to try out the latest products for themselves starting October 1, and the set is priced at 7,480 yen, and these products are expected to accompany Japanese astronaut Yui Kimiya during her stay on the International Space Station in 2024.
Speaking to reporters at the series’ launch event in Tokyo, Pola President Miki Oikawa said he hoped the product could “help in other situations where resources are limited, such as evacuation centers during natural disasters.”
