A Hidden Problem for Many Women–
Pursuing Comfortable Delicate-zone Care
"I'm scared." This was a common concern expressed by customers who revealed their honest feelings. While removing hair from the bikini zone is rapidly becoming common among younger people, online surveys and other research revealed that people are frustrated because it causes damage to their skin and is very time consuming. The members of the project tried the prototypes themselves to identify problems, and interviewed users to ask about their experiences and elicit their true opinions. Based on feedback from a total of 30,000 people surveyed, they created the ideal shape and feel of the product.
In their pursuit of a product form that allows every woman to comfortably care for her bikini zone, the project team concluded that the optimal size of the shaver head was 31 mm and the product should have a special double-layered blade that is sharp enough to cut even the toughest hair in one stroke and yet be gentle to the skin.
A product shape that comfortably fits the hand and is easy to use is the most important element of a shaver to be used for the delicate bikini zone. The power switch on the side of the body is a sliding type that makes it easy to operate even with wet hands.
The attached Skin Guard is designed especially for the delicate hard-to-reach places. It prevents the blade from directly touching the skin, allowing users to shave with peace of mind.
Product development to address the wishes and concerns of users, aiming to turn helplessness into joy
Mika Hori [Product Planning]
Bikini zone care has been something that has made women feel somewhat gloomy. It has been a hidden concern that can damage not only their skin, but also their self-esteem. We designed this product to free women from such unhappy moments, and instead give them a pleasant experience of a smooth cut. The key features of the product that we devised through a number of prototypes are illustrated on the package. The first is double-structure blades, where only the round blade touches the skin, while the other blade is separate and sharp enough to easily cut the thickest hair. This double structure is both gentle on the skin and offers an excellent shaving performance.
In addition, a pattern of bathroom tiles is printed on the package, with the words "Bathroom Use OK" displayed on it, since people mostly care for their bikini zone in the bathroom. Therefore, we visually depicted a use scene with a refreshing touch. We were thrilled with customer reviews. One of the users said, "A jungle has turned into a bonsai (Japanese miniature tree)! It was so easy to use that I almost cut them down entirely." With such a tailwind, sales in the first year were about 1.5 times higher than the target we had set prior to the launch. Although this product was inspired by a movement among young people, it is also useful for pubic hair removal in nursing care facilities. We will continue to aim for greater user-friendliness to make caring for the bikini zone even more enjoyable.
Combining expertise in men's grooming and usability for women
Aya Kurozuka [Technology Development]
Our main goal was to achieve both safety and ease of use so that we could get rid of the negative image of grooming hair in the bikini zone. In order to identify the perfect head size that allows a good view of the area to be shaved, and to make the product compact, we made constant adjustments to the sizes of the shaver head and the main unit to the nearest tenth of a millimeter. One of the biggest challenges was the power switch. The standard sliding switch on the front of the main unit resulted in a large product size, while the rotating switch was difficult to operate with wet hands. Therefore, we placed a sliding switch on the side to achieve the ideal size without compromising usability. The blade, which draws on our expertise in men's grooming, has a sharpness and safety that sets our products apart from competitors'. We will strive to further improve the blade, aiming for even greater ease of use and gentle touch to the skin, so that users can care for their bikini zone stress free. This is where we, the technical team, must put our utmost efforts.
Ambitious new product born out of honest desire
Mitsuki Negishi [Design]
By deeply understanding customer needs in the conceptual stage, we were able to identify the ideal shape of the product. We spent a lot of time on the initial study, but in retrospect, it was the most important step. In pursuit of a noiseless design that is gentle on the skin and easy to hold, we eventually arrived at a design with cross-sectional shapes gradually shifting from ellipses to regular circles to provide better grip, as well as a neutral and straight form when viewed from the front. In order to eliminate the embarrassing feeling associated with bikini zone care, we avoided the stereotype that women's items have to be pink. Instead, we chose white as the base color of our product, which gives a neat and clean impression. Since this was my first time in charge of a full model, I tried a lot of new things while openly asking questions. I would like to continue to design products without hesitating to express my thoughts and ideas.
