Japanese cosmetics company Cosmology has created specialised beauty products to address astronauts’ skincare needs in space. Olivia Palamountain reports
A collaboration between skincare brand Pola and All Nippon Airways (ANA Holdings), the Cosmology skincare products were created after the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) called for skincare solutions that could be used in the resource-scarce, low-gravity and extremely dry conditions of outer space.
The innovative line includes a face wash and lotion optimised for use on the International Space Station (ISS), developed based on feedback from astronauts about deteriorating skin conditions experienced in spaceflights.
Extended exposure in space can dry out and thin the skin, causing irritation, itchiness and accelerated ageing. The extremely low-moisture environment and microgravity take a toll on the skin, which acts as the body’s protective barrier.
Cosmology’s space skincare products tackles these issues with innovative formulations. The no-rinse face wash removes dirt without the need for water, which is rationed aboard space ships, while the lotion maintains a thick, gel-like texture that won’t scatter in zero gravity.
The products will debut on the ISS when they accompany JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui sometime in 2024.
These are not the first cosmetics to head to outer space. As reported by CNN, in 2021, former NASA astronaut Joan Higginbotham talked to InStyle about using Vaseline, Cetaphil, foundation, blush, mascara and lipstick during missions, while Estée Lauder has sent a skincare serum into outer space as part of a commercial partnership with the American space agency.
However, Cosmology is the first line specially formulated for the rigours of life in space, with the aims of improving astronauts’ quality of life and addressing common skincare concerns.
For anyone seeking astronaut-approved skincare without leaving Earth, mini versions of the Cosmology products will hit the shelves in October as the “Cosmology Space Crew Kit”.
The kit is set to launch in about 2,800 stores, including Pola shops and on its website, plus 12 domestic airport duty-free shops. ANA international in-flight sales are also in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, London-based 111Skin creating products for Earthlings that respond to the cosmetic damage caused by life at microgravity, reports Wallpaper.