Albion Eclafutur now available in Singapore

To say that Japanese skincare brand Albion has a huge following in its home country is an understatement. Its counters never have a slow moment. At least that was the case when we visited three different Albion counters in Tokyo — in Ginza’s Mitsukoshi, where it reigns as the top cosmetics counter; in Takashimaya in Shinjuku; and Isetan Shinjuku. All three of them were teeming with customers.

Ask any woman — okay, and any vain man — and they’ll tell you that a beauty brand with reliable products performing daily skincare miracles earns undying loyalty. Albion did this when it launched its Skin Conditioner 40 years ago, which continues to sell in record numbers, along with other ranges like Excia, Exage and Infinesse White.

But here’s a question for all you sceptics out there: When was the last time you heard of a product causing a major frenzy and nationwide shortage? This was exactly what happened last September when the company released Eclafutur, Albion’s first product created with scientists from the University Of Tokyo, Women’s Medical University and leading Japanese biotech firm NanoCarrier. We could go into the technical stuff — such as how Eclafutur works through a cutting-edge, state-of-the-art nano delivery system allowing the skin to absorb its active ingredients, from an antioxidant–rich grape from Okinawa province to the ultra-moisturising cupuacu butter from the Amazon. The more important question is: What exactly does this skin booster do?

The skinny on skincare

At the Albion Shirokane Education Center (yes, that’s how seriously the brand takes its research and training), I learnt from the developers that the reason our complexions appear worse for wear at different times of the day, or on different days, is cell damage (anything from UV rays to airborne pollution). Eclafutur is formulated specifically to quickly repair daily damage, energise the cells and restore them to an optimum stage for smoother, firmer and more radiant skin.

But the proof, really, was in the stunning response to the product. More than 16 million customers bought Eclafutur; over 35 million bottles were sold; and it has generated more than 1 billion yen (S$12.2 million) since its launch last year. Eclafutur took so long to reach Singapore because supply couldn’t keep up with the overwhelming domestic demand.

Eclafutur has ranked No 1 on influential Japanese beauty community website Cosme.net and customers rave about how their skin looked less saggy, clearer and were less prone to breakouts.

The creation of Eclafutur, which means “radiant future”, is an example of how Albion emphasises the concerns of its customers. Since most serums treat only one beauty aspect, for example, ageing and dullness, Eclafutur’s ability to work on multiple skin issues on the cellular level is pretty impressive. It’s also designed to be used at the start of your beauty regimen, immediately after cleansing, as it’s important to repair cell damage before applying anything else. This improves the efficacy of the rest of your skincare.

However, having a good beauty product is only one side of the story. As I discovered after spending a whole day in the Education Center and marvelling at our host and Albion beauty producer Tomoko Tasato’s absolutely radiant and plumped-up skin (she’s pushing 70, by the way), the brand not only invests heavily in the research and development of its products, it also focuses on the training of its beauty advisers. And the company has been doing it since it started in 1956.

Its employees aren’t just there to look pretty and man the counters. Beauty advisers have to adhere to four credos which include the idea of selling beauty — not products — and the fact that they are trained professionals endowed with knowledge. The Education Center even has 23 rooms — meant for three- to 10-day training sessions — where beauty advisers can stay, learn and exchange ideas with one another. (These rooms are only for Albion employees, but wouldn’t it be great for customers to stay in too to learn the secrets to flawless skin?)

When pressed for the secret to her youthfulness, Tomoko said that one thing she does every day is taking the time to cook her own food “to make it healthy”. It’s the sensible thing to do, but you know what, it just might be easier to start applying a little something after washing my face.

Eclafutur retails at S$167 and is available at the Albion counter in Takashimaya Cosmetics Department Level 1