Major makeup firm Pola Inc. and ANA Holdings Inc. on Monday unveiled special skincare products that will be used by Japan's space agency, marking the country's first facial cosmetics brought onto the International Space Station around 2024.

A facewash and a lotion from the "Cosmology" line devised by Pola and the parent company of All Nippon Airways have been specially designed for use in outer space's low-gravity, resource-scarce conditions.

The two products were both created in response to a call by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency for products that solve issues common to terrestrial and cosmic lifestyles.

The facewash is designed to be easily wiped off, conserving the limited water supplies on the ISS. The lotion maintains a semi-solid state to prevent it from scattering in low-gravity conditions, becoming a liquid upon application to the skin.

With outer space being an extremely dry environment, both products contain special moisturizing ingredients.

The two companies embarked on the "CosmoSkin" project in 2020 with the aim of enhancing beauty and comfort in cosmic environments.

ANA leveraged its expertise in the similarities between aircraft and ISS conditions, aiding Pola in conducting tests that involved product trials by flight attendants during flights.

The creation of the new line of products began after JAXA selected the companies in March 2022 to provide the first face lotion for use in space.

Consumers on Earth will have the opportunity to try out the latest products for themselves from Oct. 1 as a set priced at 7,480 yen ($50), while there is also an expectation that these products will accompany Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui during his 2024 stay at the ISS.

Speaking to reporters at a Tokyo event to unveil the range, Pola President Miki Oikawa expressed hope the product could "be helpful in other scenarios where resources are limited, such as evacuation centers during natural disasters."

==Kyodo

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