Tokyo Tour: The History of Boscia & Fancl

In the US, we know Boscia as the preservative-free skincare company with an amazing roster of natural ingredients and a tight lineup of effective products. But, what many of us don't know about Boscia is that they're a tiny arm of a Japanese skincare bohemoth. Boscia's parent company Fancl has been a household name in Japan since 1979, when Kenji Ikemori founded Fancl based on his vision of a preservative-free, healthy approach to beautiful skin. Mr. Ikemori's wife suffered from blotches and rashes on her face. After extensive research, Mr. Ikemori and his team of MD's discovered that that the use of preservatives in commercial cosmetics products was at the root of the problem, and he set off to create a line of skincare and cosmetics that
to improve skin health, not just cover up flaws. The first Fancl products were packaged in small ampules containing a two week supply, which Mr. Ikemori sold out of his one-man shop. When he couldn't keep up with orders, he launched Fancl Corporation in 1981. Today, Fancl is one of larget beauty and supplement companies in Japan, with over 250 boutiques (one in Tokyo's tony Ginza district, which we'll visit tomorrow).