Kao
花王
Business focus
Consumer Brands, Apparel & Retail
Description
Kao (花王) runs several in-house research platforms spanning material science and skin analysis. In 2019 the company introduced Bio IOS, a sustainable surfactant derived from fatty-alcohol internal olefin that combines high water solubility with strong affinity to oils; the technology underpins its Attack ZERO laundry detergent. For skin diagnostics, Kao uses its own Kirei Skin AI, trained to distinguish different makeup finishes and imperfections, alongside a Sebum RNA Monitoring technology launched in 2022 in partnership with istyle.