[Severe Summer Heat | Kao BRCC Survey] No Letting Your Guard Down Even in the Office? Over 80% of Indoor Workers Experience Facial Skin Issues. Outdoor Workers Tend to Suffer from Sweat Irritation, While Indoor Workers Face Dryness and Skin Cooling.

Summers are feeling increasingly severe each year. It is often perceived that "being outside is tough due to the heat" while "the office is cool and comfortable." Against this backdrop, the Kao Beauty Research & Creation Center (hereinafter, Kao BRCC) focused on the work environment (outdoor workers: those who spend long hours outdoors / indoor workers: those who often spend time in air-conditioned environments) and conducted a survey*2 on skin and makeup during the severe summer heat period*1. The results revealed that even among indoor workers, over 80% experienced discomfort with their [facial skin]. Furthermore, 83.6% reported issues with [mind and body], 81.8% with [facial skin], and 71.2% with [makeup], indicating that a large number of people are experiencing discomfort and problems regardless of their work environment. On the other hand, differences in the nature of the discomfort were observed based on the work environment. Regarding [facial skin], while "feeling sticky from sweat" was the most common issue for both groups, indoor workers notably experienced dryness and skin cooling, whereas outdoor workers were more prone to sweat-induced irritation and itching. In terms of [makeup], while base makeup breakdown was a common issue, outdoor workers tended to experience breakdown of point makeup such as eye makeup and eyebrows more easily. These trends were also confirmed through actual voices in an interview survey*3. Regarding the [impact on skin] during the severe summer heat, approximately 90% of respondents believed it "has a negative effect on the skin," "puts a strain on the skin," and "affects skin aging." These results suggest that, regardless of the work environment, many people recognize that the severe summer heat not only causes temporary skin discomfort but also has long-term effects on their skin's future. [Survey Results Summary] ■ During severe summer heat, over 80% (81.8%) of even indoor workers experience [facial skin] discomfort. ■ 83.6% for [mind and body], 81.8% for [facial skin], and 71.2% for [makeup] – many people experience discomfort and problems. ■ Regarding the impact of severe summer heat on skin, approximately 90% of respondents think it has a "negative effect," "puts a strain," or "affects aging." ■ [Facial skin] discomfort varies by work environment: outdoor workers tend to suffer from sweat irritation, while indoor workers are more prone to dryness and skin cooling. *1 In this release, "severe summer heat period" is used to mean "the summer period when the heat is particularly intense" (the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on April 17, 2026, that days with a maximum temperature of 40°C or higher would be called "Extreme Heat Days"). This survey was conducted based on the actual feelings of consumers at the time. The survey questions used the phrase "summer extreme heat" as it is more relatable to consumers, and the question text in the figures follows the survey form notation. Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Press Release (April 17, 2026) https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/press/2604/17a/40degree_name.html *2 Kao BRCC Survey "Survey on Skin and Makeup of Working Women in Extreme Heat" September 2025 Web Quantitative Survey, Women in their 20s-30s, n=551 Outdoor workers: Those who answered "outdoor worker / somewhat outdoor worker" for their job classification and answered that they spend "1 hour or more outdoors for work at least 3 times a week" (outdoor time ranges from about 1 hour to 4 hours or more) n=241 Indoor workers: Those who answered "indoor worker / somewhat indoor worker" for their job classification and answered that they "rarely go outdoors for work / spend time in an air-conditioned environment / sit at a desk most of the time" during work hours n=310 *3 Kao BRCC Survey "Interview Survey on Problems Faced by Working Women in Extreme Heat" January-February 2026 Web Qualitative Survey, Women in their 20s-40s, n=40 All results are rounded to the first decimal place. Over 80% of indoor workers also experience [mind and body] discomfort during severe summer heat. When comparing [mind and body] discomfort during severe summer heat by work environment, the percentage of respondents who answered "felt it" or "somewhat felt it" was 83.8% for outdoor workers and 83.6% for indoor workers, showing almost no difference (overall 83.6%). Looking at the details, multiple discomforts were observed in both mental and physical aspects, indicating that the impact is not limited to outdoor environments but also occurs in air-conditioned settings. ■ [Mental Aspect] "Lack of motivation" affects about half. When asked about physical and mental discomfort due to summer extreme heat within the past month, "lack of motivation" was the most common mental issue, with 45.2% for outdoor workers and 48.4% for indoor workers, showing no significant difference by work environment (overall 47.0%). ■ [Physical Aspect] Outdoor workers experience excessive sweating, while indoor workers show fatigue and skin cooling. In terms of physical symptoms, outdoor workers frequently reported excessive sweating (44.0%), whereas indoor workers notably experienced fatigue (43.2%) and body cooling (40.3%). Even during the same severe summer heat period, the manifestation of physical effects differed depending on the work environment. [Facial Skin] Discomfort During Severe Summer Heat ~ Indoor Workers Tend to Experience Dryness and Skin Cooling, Outdoor Workers Sweat Irritation ~ When asked, "Did you feel any discomfort in your facial skin due to the summer extreme heat?", 80.5% of outdoor workers and 82.9% of indoor workers answered "felt it" or "somewhat felt it," both around 80% (overall 81.8%). The most common discomfort was "skin feels sticky from sweat," reported by 51.5% of outdoor workers and 52.6% of indoor workers, exceeding 50% in both groups (overall 52.1%). However, differences in the nature of the discomfort were observed based on the work environment. ● Higher tendency among outdoor workers: "Feel burden on skin from sweat" (21.6%), "Skin tingles and itches from sweat" (11.6%), "Skin tingles and itches from dryness" (9.1%) ● Higher tendency among indoor workers: "Skin is sticky but lacks moisture" (33.9%), "Skin is dry" (28.7%), "Dullness/dark circles are noticeable" (24.5%), "Skin feels cold" (15.5%) The indoor work environment, where people spend long hours in air-conditioned offices, may be linked to skin dryness. Additionally, 22.3% of all respondents reported that their "skin becomes unstable (fluctuates)," indicating widespread changes in skin condition during the severe summer heat. These trends were also confirmed by the interview survey, suggesting that [facial skin] discomfort manifests in various ways depending on the work environment. Interviews Regarding [Facial Skin] Discomfort ● At my desk where the air conditioner blows directly on me, my skin became extremely dry, rough, and painfully tingly. (30s, indoor worker) ● My desk is right where the air conditioner blows, and the dryness caused severe itching. (30s, indoor worker) ● On days when I felt cold, my face looked dull in the evening, and dark circles under my eyes were prominent. (40s, indoor worker) ● While working outdoors on sales calls, my skin became rough from sweat. (20s, outdoor worker) ● Sweating and being steamed up inside my mask increased redness on my skin. (20s, outdoor worker) ● Possibly due to UV rays, I got rough skin and redness, which became very itchy and uncomfortable. (30s, outdoor worker) [Makeup] Problems During Severe Summer Heat ~ 70% Experience Issues, Sweat-Induced Breakdown is a Major Challenge ~ ■ Base makeup breakdown is common; outdoor workers also affected in point makeup. When asked about makeup problems during severe summer heat, 72.7% of outdoor workers and 70.0% of indoor workers answered "felt it" or "somewhat felt it" (overall 71.2%). The most common issue was "base makeup breaks down easily due to sweat" at 65.0%, a shared concern for both outdoor and indoor workers. On the other hand, outdoor workers showed a higher tendency for point makeup breakdown compared to indoor workers, with 35.3% reporting "eye makeup breaks down easily due to sweat" (indoor workers: 26.1%) and 25.4% reporting "eyebrow makeup comes off easily due to sweat."