Where Is the 'Liking' for Skincare Determined? - Follow-up Report: Decoding from the Relationship Between Texture Changes of Hada Labo Gokujyun and Physiological Indicators
Rohto Pharmaceutical announced research using Kansei engineering to analyze physiological indicators during the application of Hada Labo Gokujyun. The study revealed that a user's preference is determined by subconscious reactions to texture changes during the middle stage of application.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 10:17 (94h 45m after Collected)
Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka City, President: Hidetoshi Segi) is advancing research to refine product value, focusing not only on functionality but also on the comfort that makes people want to use it every day, in order to support the well-being of each individual customer.
In this study, focusing on the changes in actual perceived comfort during the use of Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Liquid (Hada Labo Moist Skin Conditioner d), we analyzed the relationship between physiological indicators and expressions of sensation during application regarding the 'likability' generated. As a result, while no significant differences were observed on average across the entire application time, group differences appeared in physiological indicators during the middle stage when changes in comfort are felt. Furthermore, different expressions for comfort were observed: the group that felt favorably described it as 'moist' and 'plump,' whereas the group that did not described it as 'slimy.' This suggests that the perception of the sensation during the middle stage of application may be the turning point for skincare likability. This research deciphers 'why one feels they like it'—something that has been difficult to capture with words alone—from the perspective of usage feeling that changes over time. Moving forward, we aim to apply these findings to formulation design and product development that align with the latent preferences of our customers.
The results of this research were presented at the 21st Spring Conference of the Japan Society of Kansei Engineering (held in Utsunomiya from March 16 to 18, 2026).
*Please refer to the following for the previous research:
https://www.rohto.co.jp/research/researchnews/technologyrelease/2024/0926_01/
Product Name: Hada Labo Moist Skin Conditioner d
1. Key Points of Research Results
- Analyzed the 'likability' during skincare usage based on the chronological changes in physiological indicators and application sensations.
- Discovered that within the application process, 'changes in comfort' act as a crucial factor influencing Kansei (affective) evaluation.
- Proposed a new Kansei evaluation method capable of applying customers' latent preferences into formulation design.
2. Research Background
In skincare products, as product differences based on ingredients and functionality become harder for customers to discern, the impact of information dissemination via SNS on purchasing behavior is increasing. On the other hand, whether a product is continuously used is considered to be greatly influenced by the Kansei during use, especially the comfort felt during application. However, conventional usability evaluations have mainly relied on subjective methods like questionnaires, failing to sufficiently capture the latent affect during application or the underlying reasons of 'why it is liked.'
Our company has previously clarified differences in reactions due to 'likability' through Kansei evaluation using physiological indicators. However, it was unclear exactly at what stage of application these differences occurred and to what kind of comfort sensations they were linked. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to detail these differences in Kansei by focusing on the changes in comfort during application and analyzing them in combination with physiological indicators.
3. Results
(1) Confirmation of the relationship between 'likability' and physiological indicators during application
When using the Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Liquid, no differences were observed in the physiological indicators across the entire application time between groups classified in advance based on their 'preferences.' (Figure 1)
Figure 1: EEG β/α and heart rate HFnu across the entire application time
(2) Changes in comfort during application are the turning point of 'liking'
When the application time was divided according to changes in sensation (Figure 2), no differences were seen in the early phase. However, from the middle phase onwards—when changes in comfort are felt—the Positive group showed a trend where HFnu, an indicator of parasympathetic nervous activity, rose to a positive value, shifting towards a pleasant direction (Figure 3). Also regarding the comfort felt at that time, it was confirmed that the Positive group expressed it as 'moist' and 'plump,' whereas the Not-Positive group expressed it differently as 'slimy' and 'sticky.' On the other hand, in the late phase, when the skin's finished feel is perceived, the HFnu of the Positive group remained in the pleasant direction and the Not-Positive group in the unpleasant direction; however, the expressions of comfort converged to the same phenotypes for both groups, such as 'plump,' 'moist,' and 'soft.'
Figure 2: Image diagram of changes in comfort at each stage
Figure 3: EEG and heart rate results and usability expressions at each stage
4. Discussion
This study suggests that the affect of 'liking' the comfort of Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Liquid may be formed by the changes in comfort felt during application. It is thought that the latent affect toward these changes in comfort also influences subsequent affect regarding usability. Furthermore, despite different physiological indicators in the later phase, both groups showed similar expressions for comfort, suggesting that latent affect cannot be fully evaluated through subjective evaluations like surveys alone.
In this study, focusing on the changes in actual perceived comfort during the use of Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Liquid (Hada Labo Moist Skin Conditioner d), we analyzed the relationship between physiological indicators and expressions of sensation during application regarding the 'likability' generated. As a result, while no significant differences were observed on average across the entire application time, group differences appeared in physiological indicators during the middle stage when changes in comfort are felt. Furthermore, different expressions for comfort were observed: the group that felt favorably described it as 'moist' and 'plump,' whereas the group that did not described it as 'slimy.' This suggests that the perception of the sensation during the middle stage of application may be the turning point for skincare likability. This research deciphers 'why one feels they like it'—something that has been difficult to capture with words alone—from the perspective of usage feeling that changes over time. Moving forward, we aim to apply these findings to formulation design and product development that align with the latent preferences of our customers.
The results of this research were presented at the 21st Spring Conference of the Japan Society of Kansei Engineering (held in Utsunomiya from March 16 to 18, 2026).
*Please refer to the following for the previous research:
https://www.rohto.co.jp/research/researchnews/technologyrelease/2024/0926_01/
Product Name: Hada Labo Moist Skin Conditioner d
1. Key Points of Research Results
- Analyzed the 'likability' during skincare usage based on the chronological changes in physiological indicators and application sensations.
- Discovered that within the application process, 'changes in comfort' act as a crucial factor influencing Kansei (affective) evaluation.
- Proposed a new Kansei evaluation method capable of applying customers' latent preferences into formulation design.
2. Research Background
In skincare products, as product differences based on ingredients and functionality become harder for customers to discern, the impact of information dissemination via SNS on purchasing behavior is increasing. On the other hand, whether a product is continuously used is considered to be greatly influenced by the Kansei during use, especially the comfort felt during application. However, conventional usability evaluations have mainly relied on subjective methods like questionnaires, failing to sufficiently capture the latent affect during application or the underlying reasons of 'why it is liked.'
Our company has previously clarified differences in reactions due to 'likability' through Kansei evaluation using physiological indicators. However, it was unclear exactly at what stage of application these differences occurred and to what kind of comfort sensations they were linked. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to detail these differences in Kansei by focusing on the changes in comfort during application and analyzing them in combination with physiological indicators.
3. Results
(1) Confirmation of the relationship between 'likability' and physiological indicators during application
When using the Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Liquid, no differences were observed in the physiological indicators across the entire application time between groups classified in advance based on their 'preferences.' (Figure 1)
Figure 1: EEG β/α and heart rate HFnu across the entire application time
(2) Changes in comfort during application are the turning point of 'liking'
When the application time was divided according to changes in sensation (Figure 2), no differences were seen in the early phase. However, from the middle phase onwards—when changes in comfort are felt—the Positive group showed a trend where HFnu, an indicator of parasympathetic nervous activity, rose to a positive value, shifting towards a pleasant direction (Figure 3). Also regarding the comfort felt at that time, it was confirmed that the Positive group expressed it as 'moist' and 'plump,' whereas the Not-Positive group expressed it differently as 'slimy' and 'sticky.' On the other hand, in the late phase, when the skin's finished feel is perceived, the HFnu of the Positive group remained in the pleasant direction and the Not-Positive group in the unpleasant direction; however, the expressions of comfort converged to the same phenotypes for both groups, such as 'plump,' 'moist,' and 'soft.'
Figure 2: Image diagram of changes in comfort at each stage
Figure 3: EEG and heart rate results and usability expressions at each stage
4. Discussion
This study suggests that the affect of 'liking' the comfort of Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Liquid may be formed by the changes in comfort felt during application. It is thought that the latent affect toward these changes in comfort also influences subsequent affect regarding usability. Furthermore, despite different physiological indicators in the later phase, both groups showed similar expressions for comfort, suggesting that latent affect cannot be fully evaluated through subjective evaluations like surveys alone.