Shiseido Japan has launched a new men’s sunscreen product under its Anessa brand, expanding its UV care portfolio through an exclusive retail partnership with MatsuKiyo Cocokara & Company. The new Anessa Multi Control UV Gel will go on sale nationwide across Japan from 21 March 2026.
The product will be available through Matsumoto Kiyoshi and Cocokara Fine drugstores, along with the group’s e-commerce platform. Selected locations are excluded from the rollout.
The launch strengthens Shiseido’s positioning inside Japan’s high-volume drugstore channel, which continues to play a central role in seasonal personal care sales.
Anessa Multi Control UV Gel is positioned as a dual-function product combining sun protection with daily skincare benefits. The formulation targets common male skin concerns such as oiliness, dryness and visible pores.
According to Shiseido, the product includes sebum-absorbing and solidifying components designed to reduce shine while maintaining skin hydration. The gel format is intended to provide a non-sticky texture suitable for daily use.
The product also consolidates multiple skincare steps by combining lotion, emulsion and sunscreen functions into a single application. This approach reflects changing consumption patterns within the Japan FMCG personal care segment, where convenience-focused formats are gaining stronger shelf presence.
This marks the first dedicated men’s UV care product introduced under the Anessa brand since its launch in 1992.
The rollout follows the 2025 collaboration between Anessa and MatsuKiyo Cocokara on the Perfect UV Brush-On Powder, which achieved strong in-store visibility and category traction. The second joint project further deepens cooperation between the two companies.
Retail pricing has been set at ¥1,480 excluding tax for a 40g pack. The product is being released as a limited-edition exclusive for the MatsuKiyo Cocokara retail network.
From a trade perspective, the launch highlights the growing use of exclusive product partnerships to drive category differentiation, particularly in high-turnover seasonal segments such as sun care.
With the peak UV season approaching, the Anessa men’s launch positions Shiseido to capture incremental demand while reinforcing MatsuKiyo Cocokara’s role as a key distribution platform for premium personal care innovation in Japan.
Why It Matters
Shiseido’s move expands the Anessa franchise into the fast-growing men’s skincare segment, creating a new revenue stream inside the sun care category.
For drugstore operators, the exclusive rollout strengthens private retail differentiation and drives seasonal footfall during peak UV months.
The launch also reflects wider Japan FMCG shifts toward multifunction personal care products that combine protection and daily skincare in a single format.
Editor’s Note: All product, pricing, distribution and launch information in this article is based on official company release material published by Shiseido Japan and MatsuKiyo Cocokara & Company.
