From Wednesday, April 6th to Tuesday, April 19th, Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 1st floor cosmetics section will host a pop-up shop curated by Miho Arai, representative of the natural and organic cosmetics PR company "La Carpe".

We will introduce a total of 10 brands of natural cosmetics, including meet tree, a botanical cosmetics brand from a lumber company; FRENAVA natural & organic, a fermented cosmetics brand from a long-established sake brewery; and CHRONO CHARME, which contains moisturizing ingredients from white grapes.

Here, we spotlight three companies that create cosmetic items based on the skills they've cultivated in their main business. We'll also share the stories behind the creation of these cosmetics, told by the people involved in their development.

Meat Tree

meet tree is a botanical cosmetics brand launched by a timber company with over 100 years of history, with the aim of protecting trees and forests. It offers products using the scent of cypress wood, providing a sense of comfort reminiscent of forest bathing, aimed at modern people burdened by the hustle and bustle of city life, work, and relationships.

This brand's products incorporate high-quality essential oils extracted from the leaves and branches of cypress trees in Nakatsugawa, home to Kiso cypress, one of Japan's three most prized hardwoods. The range includes an amino acid-based shampoo that gently cleanses the scalp with four plant-derived ingredients plus highly moisturizing seaweed extract (Suizenji-nori), a hand cream that gently moisturizes with 14 plant-derived moisturizing ingredients, squalane, and hyaluronic acid, and a fabric softener that leaves laundry soft, gentle, and clean with seven plant-derived ingredients. These products, using cypress essential oils, are gentle on people and environmentally conscious.

■ The inspiration for developing cosmetics

Representative: Daichi Maruyama

A 42-year-old native of Nakatsugawa City. After graduating from a university in Tokyo, he joined Sumitomo Forestry. After working there for five years and experiencing a posting in Vancouver, he joined Maruyama Lumber Industry. He served as President and CEO, and now heads a group of companies that have expanded their business into various fields, including Maruyama Lumber Holdings, Iwabishi, Arty, and MFP.

Our goal is to revitalize Japan's domestic forestry and timber industry. Japan's timber self-sufficiency rate was almost 100% in 1955, but it has now fallen to below 20%. As I learned more about the state of Japan's forestry and timber industry, I began thinking about what I could do, and that's when I came across the leaves that were being "discarded" at logging sites. Hinoki cypress leaves contain many monoterpenes with a relaxing scent, and we started developing products using hinoki cypress and essential oils that happened to be produced by the local forestry cooperative.
The desire to be beautiful, just as one desires to dress stylishly, is the same for both women and men, and cosmetics bring smiles to people's faces. Meat Tree products not only have a positive impact on the skin and the environment, but also contribute to the preservation of forests.

Frenava Natural & Organic

This fermented cosmetics brand was created by Fukumitsuya, a long-established sake brewery in Kanazawa with a history of approximately 400 years. Their products, which utilize fermentation by microorganisms and the blessings of plants, demonstrate a meticulous attention to ingredients. They offer skincare items that enhance the skin's natural beauty.

Koji mold, yeast, and lactic acid bacteria, which are essential for sake brewing, interact with each other to produce beauty-enhancing components. The raw materials are carefully selected to maximize the benefits of this fermentation process.

We have been engaged in contract farming of sake rice, the cornerstone of sake brewing, for 60 years, and started organic farming 15 years ago. We have developed four original ingredients using 100% organically grown rice: rice fermentation liquid, sake lees powder, sake lees extract, and sake lees oil, as well as sake yeast extract extracted with Ecocert-certified glycerin. To these, we have added two unique ingredients derived from wild Kuromoji that grows on the sacred Mount Hakusan. These carefully selected beauty ingredients will lead to moist and supple skin.

Furthermore, their environmentally conscious approach to manufacturing is also appealing, as they focus on the components of sake lees, which are often discarded, and utilize them as cosmetic ingredients to eliminate sake lees waste.

Komerabo

Komelab, which offers an extra touch of beauty by utilizing the traditional technology of sake breweries, is a brand developed by the fermentation research institute of the aforementioned long-established sake brewery "Fukumitsuya," based on evidence and addressing targeted beauty needs.

This brand promotes the power of fermentation for beauty and health, using scientifically-backed ingredients. They have conducted extensive research on the beauty components and fermentation processes found in sake, utilizing the fermentation techniques cultivated through sake brewing to understand the properties and functions of various microorganisms and yeasts, and applying this knowledge to product development.

This sake yeast extract is a concentrated serum extract derived from "FT15," one of the 300 yeast strains owned by Fukumitsuya that is expected to have the greatest beauty benefits. It contains a rich and well-balanced blend of beauty ingredients such as yeast-derived amino acids, giving your skin firmness and radiance, and you will feel the difference in moisture just by adding it to your usual skincare routine.

■ The inspiration for developing cosmetics

Representative: Taichiro Fukumitsu

Born in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture in 1978, he is the 14th generation head of Fukumitsuya Co., Ltd. After graduating from university, he went to New York to study languages. After returning to Japan, he worked in other industries before joining Fukumitsuya, a sake brewery in Kanazawa with a 400-year history, in July 2010.

In the past, sake brewing was the work of a group of seasonally employed craftsmen, led by a master brewer. During the summer, they would farm or fish on their own land, and in the autumn, they would go to the brewery and spend about six months brewing sake. The sight of these brewers, constantly in contact with koji and moromi (fermenting mash), became the inspiration for Fukumitsuya's development of basic cosmetics.
With genderless fashion becoming the norm and men using skincare products and makeup no longer being uncommon, even men who are hesitant about makeup should still strive for healthy skin. We hope you'll enjoy skincare just as much as you enjoy fashion.

Chrono Charm

Chrono Charme, a hair care brand formulated with Chrono Chardy (a moisturizing ingredient) extracted from white grapes from Yoichi, Hokkaido, focuses on skin problems caused by external environmental factors such as disruptions in the lifestyle rhythms of modern people, with "time and Hokkaido beauty" as its keywords. It was created as the first hair care product to regulate and support the skin rhythm of such individuals.

Chrono Chardy is a grape-derived ingredient made from the skins of white grapes that are discarded during the winemaking process in Yoichi Town, Hokkaido. It uses plenty of moisturizing ingredients while conditioning the skin, leading to a beautiful, healthy, and more hydrated skin environment.

■ The inspiration for developing cosmetics

Representative & Hair & Makeup Designer: Seitaro Tanaka

Originally from Hokkaido, she works as a hairdresser and makeup artist, while also running a business focused on regional revitalization through the beauty industry, planning and selling cosmetics. She also operates a members-only beauty salon in Hiroo, Tokyo, which has garnered attention from other industries.

Since my twenties, I've been searching for ways to give back to my hometown of Hokkaido, and I thought I could do something from the beauty industry. I was looking for something that could be incorporated into a product using Hokkaido's abundant resources, but I felt that it wasn't enough to just make something; it had to be a "thing" that contributes to the local community and also creates an "experience." By "experience," I mean initiatives that create new added value for things that were going to be discarded, or employment created through the expansion of the product. Of course, we deliver high-quality items to our customers through our products, but a major reason for developing products that contribute to regional revitalization and the environment was also to deliver products that contribute to the environment.

The fundamentals of beauty are the same for both men and women; beautifying your face and body gives you confidence and adds vitality and richness to your life. We developed this brand as a unisex product, focusing on design, fragrance, and feel.

• Other participating brands
  

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• THOUSAND COLOURS
  
  Left: Thousand Colors E1977 Inclusive Disco Eau de Parfum ¥9,350 (25mL)
• Right: Thousand Colors E1997 Rain Sound Eau de Parfum ¥9,350 (25mL)
  Founded in 2021, this brand delivers hope to people from Tokyo, looking towards the future with a 1000-year perspective. It intuitively and sensually conveys hope to us living in the modern age through sight, sound, and smell.
  
  ・20NEO/N-Zero Neo
  Transforming the pure blessings of the land and sea into radiance. Refreshing the daily lives of modern people and restoring their natural, balanced beauty. A genderless and ageless brand for all those living busy lives in modern society.
  
  ・THE PERFECT ANCHOR
  A liquid soap brand made with 100% natural ingredients and free of synthetic additives. It effectively removes blackheads and makeup without leaving your skin feeling tight, and its moisturizing and skin-beautifying ingredients (hemp oil, jojoba oil, shea butter oil) lead to clear and radiant skin on both your face and body.
  
  SOLOS
  This unisex skincare brand focuses on digital technology and wellness beauty, catering to the physical, mental, and skin needs of modern individuals.
  
  ・THE PUSH
  This convenient, card-shaped fragrance hand spray can be used anytime, anywhere. With just one spray, your chosen scent fills the air—a must-have for a new lifestyle.
  
  ・Pororoca
  We carefully select and generously incorporate elements from the natural world that have supported our minds and bodies throughout history, those possessing a wild and captivating charm. We are committed to creating products that awaken your senses with each use, giving you a powerful feeling of being firmly on your own two feet.