[Survey Report] More Women Want to 'Enhance Their Natural Eyebrows,' But What is the Solution to Eyebrow Care Concerns?

Keihodo Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Kenji Nakajima) announces the results of a survey on awareness and actual conditions of eyebrow care among 554 women aged 15-69 nationwide, along with consumer interviews conducted at the beauty event 'Creator Festival Hugkumi' held in Harajuku, Tokyo in May 2026, regarding women's awareness, concerns, and recognition of solutions for eyebrow care.

In 2026, awareness of 'enhancing natural eyebrows' is increasing. Approximately 80% of women have some concerns about their eyebrows, and the desire for 'eyebrows that look naturally grown' increases with age. However, despite the increase in the total volume of concerns, few women think of 'hair growth' as a solution, and the proportion of women with hair growth concerns (thin, sparse, fine) remains flat at around 21-30% across all age groups.

The reason for not arriving at the solution of 'hair growth' despite recognizing the problem lies in the lack of awareness of the solution itself. 86.6% of women are unaware that pharmaceutical products (Class 1 drugs) that promote eyebrow hair growth are commercially available. At the beauty event in May 2026, many visitors expressed surprise, saying, 'There's such a thing as an eyebrow hair growth product?'

■ Finding 1: 'Enhancing Natural Eyebrows' Becomes the 2026 Trend – The Inevitability Shown by 70 Years of Eyebrow Trend Evolution

Japanese eyebrow makeup has changed significantly over time. In the 1980s bubble period, bold, thick eyebrows were at their peak, and it was said that 'when the economy is good, eyebrows become thick.' Subsequently, in the 1990s, thin eyebrows rapidly spread with the 'Amura' boom (1996 buzzword), and the style of shaving eyebrows thin and redrawing them became standard for women in their teens and twenties. Then, through the arched eyebrows of the 2000s and the straight thick eyebrows originating from K-Beauty in the 2010s, a major shift is occurring in the 2020s.

As of 2026, the awareness of emphasizing the natural hair flow and texture of eyebrows has become established across the eyebrow makeup industry. Beauty media have successively featured the style of 'arranging while enhancing natural eyebrows' (michill January 2026, MAQUIA February 2026, Anastasia Miare April 2026), and in consumer awareness, the number one 'eyebrow style they want to try' is 'eyebrows with beautiful hair flow,' and the most common condition for a favorable impression is 'naturally arranged (59.6%)' (Eyebrow Trend White Paper by HOLLYWOOD BROW LIFT® vol.7, February 2026, n=500). It can be said that after 70 years of trends from thick to thin to arched eyebrows, the value has returned from 'creating' to 'enhancing natural eyebrows.'

Against this trend, our survey (women n=554) also confirmed high interest in eyebrows. 54-65% of women across all age groups 'care about their eyebrows.' 73-83% of women have some kind of eyebrow concern, a high level regardless of age. The proportion of women who cited 'eyebrows that look naturally grown' as their ideal increased with age, reaching 47.0% in their 40s. The desire for 'eyebrows that don't require eyebrow makeup' was also high among those in their 40s (32.6%) and 60s (31.4%), showing that the orientation towards natural eyebrows strengthens with age.

■ Finding 2: Concerns are Expanding – But Not Leading to the Idea of 'Hair Growth'

While the voices saying 'natural eyebrows are ideal' and 'I have concerns' increase with age, the proportion of women with hair growth concerns (thin, sparse, fine) remains around 21-30% across all age groups, with almost no difference by age.

Even though the total volume of concerns is increasing, the need for the 'hair growth' method is flat – this discrepancy suggests that the very idea of 'eyebrow care with hair growth products' may not be occurring. If you don't know the method, you can't recognize it as a need.

◆ Trends in Women's Eyebrow Awareness, Concerns, and Ideals by Age Group

*Q2 Hair growth needs total = Percentage of respondents who fall under one or more of 'thin/sparse,' 'doesn't grow/won't grow,' or 'fine' (duplicates removed)

Concerns and ideals expand with age – but hair growth needs remain flat. Because they don't know the method, needs remain latent.

■ Finding 3: 'There's Such a Thing as an Eyebrow Hair Growth Product?' – 86.6% Unaware of the Solution

Pharmaceutical products (Class 1 drugs) that promote eyebrow hair growth are already commercially available, but in this survey, 86.6% of women answered 'I didn't know.' By age group, non-awareness was particularly pronounced in older age groups: 92.2% in their 50s and 90.5% in their 60s.

This figure was also confirmed at the consumer contact point. In conversations with general visitors (mainly women in their 30s and 40s) at the beauty event 'Creator Festival Hugkumi2026' held in Harajuku on May 30, 2026, surprised reactions such as 'There's such a thing as an eyebrow hair growth product?' were frequent. Even visitors with high interest in eyebrow care were unaware of the existence of this option.

The fact that hair growth needs remain flat at around 20% regardless of age is thought to be due to this cognitive structure. If you don't know the method exists, you can't even recognize it as a need – a significant information gap exists between the problem and the solution.

◆ Q7 Awareness of Pharmaceutical Hair Growth Products (Women, by Age Group)

■ Finding 4: The Relationship Between Awareness and Demand – Approximately 60% of Women in Their 40s with Hair Growth Needs 'Want to Try'

When asked, 'If you knew that a pharmaceutical product that promotes eyebrow hair growth was commercially available,' 28.7% of all women answered 'I would like to try it.' Furthermore, when narrowed down to women with hair growth concerns, purchase intention increased significantly, with 52.9% of all women with hair growth needs and 59.5% of those in their 40s answering 'I would like to try it.'

This shows that it's not that 'there is no demand,' but that 'needs are dormant because they don't know.'

*Keihodo Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. independent survey (March 2026) Women n=554

■ Finding 5: For Concerns Cosmetics Can't Reach – The Only Category Where the Government Approves 'Hair Growth' Efficacy is Pharmaceuticals (Class 1 Drugs)

Eyebrow care products are classified into three categories: 'cosmetics,' 'quasi-drugs,' and 'pharmaceuticals,' and the effects that can be claimed under the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act differ clearly. Most common eyebrow serums are classified as 'cosmetics' and legally cannot claim to promote 'hair growth.' Even if a woman with hair growth needs picks up an eyebrow serum, in most cases, that product is not intended for 'hair growth.'

For the need to grow natural eyebrows to 'enhance' them, there is the option of pharmaceuticals as an approach different from cosmetics or salon treatments. The only category where the government reviews and approves hair growth efficacy is pharmaceuticals (Class 1 drugs). Products in this category, which can only be purchased at stores with a pharmacist on staff, exist as an option for concerns that cosmetics and quasi-drugs cannot address.

■ Summary

(1) The orientation towards 'enhancing natural eyebrows' strengthens with age. The ideals of 'natural eyebrows' and 'eyebrows that don't require makeup' are particularly high among women in their 40s to 60s, and interest in natural eyebrows expands with age.

(2) However, they are not arriving at the idea of hair growth. The total volume of concerns is increasing, but hair growth needs remain in the 20% range across all age groups. Needs are latent because they don't know the method.

(3) 86.6% are unaware of the solution's existence. Pharmaceutical hair growth products...