RETØUCH's long-awaited new product "RETØUCH nu WAVE" has been released!
WAVE, a wax for perming and curly hair, is a product jointly developed with "fifth", the salon that has the most momentum at the moment.
An interview with fifth CMO Masato Kimura and CiiK representative Eito Miyanaga reveals behind the scenes of the birth of WAVE.

What made fifth and RETØUCH jointly develop "RETØUCH nu WAVE"?

Eito Miyanaga (hereafter referred to as Miyanaga) : Originally, there was an opportunity to go out to eat with Mr. Kimura, which had nothing to do with joint development.
That was the first time I told them that I was doing a brand called RETØUCH.

Masato Kimura (hereafter, Kimura) : Originally, Eito-kun was also a hairdresser in the same area as Harajuku, so we knew each other.
At that time, it was decided that Yudai (by fifth Yudai Hori) would appear on Eito-kun's YouTube channel. Then, the reaction to the appearance was surprisingly large (laughs).
As a way to give back to YouTube, fifith started handling RETØUCH products. Looking back, this was the beginning.
After that, we became friends at an accelerated pace, both as individuals and as a company. Under such circumstances, there was a topic that we would like to spread the fifth perm culture, including the wave winding perm, together. With such a trend, fifth and RETØUCH jointly developed RETØUCH nu WAVE.

Miyanaga : To be honest, I'm still filled with the feeling of being able to team up with RETØUCH (laughs).

Kimura : But Yudai's YouTube appearance (by fifth Yudai Hori) was a big trigger for fifth.
Thankfully, the increased exposure of fifth in many scenes has explosively increased the momentum of fifth. For me, I want to get RETØUCH involved in that momentum and make each other even more exciting.
Wouldn't you like to see what kind of chemical reaction would occur if the salon and the manufacturer, which are currently gaining momentum, teamed up?

Miyanaga : I'm also very curious about that (laughs). I believe we have created a styling agent that is second to none.

Kimura : I think WAVE is a really great styling agent.
I think RETØUCH's main products are balms right now, but it would be great if we could revive the wax culture through WAVE in this era of Reiwa.
At our age, wax was the centerpiece of styling products, and everyone used it, didn't they?
I think there should be a revival in styling products, just like Y2K is popular now.
That's why I want WAVE to reaffirm the goodness of wax and make it explosively popular. With a soft texture that is easy for anyone to use, I think we have created a styling product that fits the times and allows you to make the most of perms and curly hair.

What is the most important point of "RETØUCH nu WAVE"?

Kimura : This is texture.
It has a very natural luster rather than a glaring luster.
It also has moisturizing power, so it can reduce dryness over time. This unique texture that blends well with any perm or curly hair.
By the way, I'm aiming for just the right amount of setting power, not too strong or too weak. It's actually very difficult to get the exact set power you're looking for.

Miyanaga : We made many adjustments until we were satisfied with the texture.
As a result, I made 12 samples (laughs).
The more the setting power increases, the less glossy it feels, and conversely, the less the setting power, the more glossy. It's a matter of fine-tuning until you're satisfied with both the set power and the luster.
I was really particular here, and I was forced to struggle many times.
In particular, we carefully adjusted the balance of moisture and oil, which is related to glossiness and moisturizing. Since it's oil and water, it's bound to separate. We were too picky about this part, and it got the factory in trouble... (laughs).
As a result, we have completed a wax that has the ultimate balance that we can be satisfied with, so we are full of feelings that we want everyone to use it as soon as possible.

Kimura : Setting power and glossiness are inversely proportional. That's why there are so many situations where I mix and use styling products with the desired texture.

Miyanaga : That's right. Hairdressers want to get the best of each, so they often mix styling products.
But it's a texture that can't be completed unless you mix it, so if you think about it from the customer's point of view, the reproducibility is low.
When I think about it from a hairdresser's point of view, it seems that hairdressers work under tight schedules.
So, I also want to shorten the time to mix the styling agent. We also focused on making it easy for hairdressers to use, such as making it possible to open the lid with one touch and designing it to stand on its own.

Kimura : It's really nice to be able to open it with this one touch. It can be opened with one hand, so it is very convenient for salon work.

Miyanaga : I think ease of use like this and the part that fits in with your life is soberly important.
Not only that, we are also particular about how well it fits in your hand and how it fits into your hair when you take it out. No matter how much you stick to the texture, if the texture is difficult to use, you won't use it.
In addition to the texture, we also paid particular attention to ease of use and operability.

Kimura : In addition, the affordable price of 1,980 yen makes it easy to recommend. I had a fifth stylist actually use it, and it was a storm of rave reviews (laughs).
Hearing these voices from the field, I'm impressed that we can achieve the texture we wanted for perms and curly hair with just WAVE.

Miyanaga : That's true.
Perm styling can be made beautifully because the hairdresser is a professional.
But you can mix the wax and apply it evenly to the entire hair, which is something you can do beautifully because you are a professional.
From the customer's point of view, they don't know how much to mix, and even if they try to mix it evenly, it ends up clumping or getting stuck in their hands. Actually, the reproducibility is low, and the hurdle is a little high.
In addition to our commitment, we also incorporate customer feedback into product development.
That's why customers should be able to create highly reproducible styling with WAVE alone. Furthermore, we developed it with fifth's professional opinion, so we were able to create something that could not be imitated anywhere else...!

What do you need for a perm and curly hair styling product?

Kimura : Perms and curly hair tend to get stiff, so it's difficult to apply styling products all over the hair. Moreover, it is easier to get caught than straight, and it is easy to feel stress.
So, in order to blend in with the entire hair, it is important to have good hand familiarity and good finger passage. After that, it is better to definitely have moisturizing power and glossiness.
In particular, curly hair is a type of hair that is concerned about dryness and spread, so you can make your hair look beautiful if it has a glossy feel and moisturizing power.

Miyanaga : I think the number one problem with perms and curly hair is dryness.
If you make good use of it, it will look cool, but if you don't make good use of it, you'll feel like you're not doing anything, and you'll end up being caught in a slightly filthy element.
So moisturizing your hair is very important.
There are two types of moisturizing for the hair: "moisturizing" that gives a glossy feeling, and "moisturizing that is oily" that makes it moist.
In order to solve the problem, I really wanted to achieve both moisturizing.

Kimura : The finish is cool with grease and water moisturizing, but it tends to look a little dry in the evening...

Miyanaga : That's right.
I think that the important thing for men is the time after the evening. It doesn't make much sense if you finish it in a cool way in the morning, but it's dry at the important time.
That's why WAVE incorporates both "water-based moisturizing" and "oil-based moisturizing".
This is inspired by skin care, like using a lotion to moisturize the skin and using a milky lotion to cover the skin. Contains moisturizing ingredients such as ceramide, which are also used in skin care.

Kimura : You said you wanted to add ceramide from the beginning of development. This is a point of view that only Eito-kun can take, and I think it's as expected (laughs).

Miyanaga : Thank you (laughs).
That's why WAVE is designed to keep the texture of your hair at night.
Even if it gets dry, WAVE can keep the optimal texture even if you catch up later. As I said earlier, this is because it blends well with your hair.
If you add oil or balm afterward, it tends to make your hair feel like it hasn't been washed. On the other hand, if you use grease or something like that, it will get stuck, become heavy, and tend to clump.

Kimura : I want you to put this in your bag and carry it with you. The size and design are just right for carrying around, and the convenience of being able to open with one touch.
A styling product that has no compromises and gaps has been created!

Miyanaga : That's right. We took in the opinions of many people without any compromise during development.
I think that this is a styling agent that would not have been completed if it had not been jointly developed with fifth. I want everyone to use it as soon as possible, and I want them to actually experience the goodness of WAVE!

■ Masato Kimura
fifth group CMO
Born in 1988. He is also a key player in the fifth group's great breakthrough, and is a revolutionary in the men's hair industry.
Keep an eye on the future progress of the fifth group with the theme of "lifestyle branding".
Masato Kimura Instagram

Eito Miyanaga <br>Representative of CiiK Co., Ltd.
Born in 1990. YouTube "Adult Boys LABO" with the theme of "appearance" has surpassed 200,000 registrants.
In addition to his own content, he continues to make progress by transmitting "appearance" through the cosmetic brand RETØUCH.
Eito Miyanaga's Instagram