What Curél does

Curél is a skincare brand founded in 1985 by scientists at Kao Corporation who discovered that ceramides are central to retaining skin moisture. It is operated in the United States through Kao USA Inc., headquartered at 2535 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, and is the No.1 skincare brand for sensitive skin in Japan. The brand's product portfolio comprises two lines built around its proprietary Advanced Ceramide Complex: a Japanese Facial Care range (double-cleansing and double-moisturizing system with cleansers, essences, milks, creams, serums, eye cream, spray, and trial kits) and a Body Care range (Ultra Healing Lotion/Ointment, Daily Healing Lotion, Itch Defense Lotion, Fragrance Free Lotion, Hydra Therapy wet-skin moisturizers, Foot Therapy Cream, Itch Defense Body Wash, and Extreme Dry Hand Relief). Facial care SKUs are priced $18–$27 and body care SKUs $1.49–$13.99, with bundle, gift card, and Subscribe & Save (5%) variants.

Curél's commercial model is direct-to-consumer led, anchored on its owned e-commerce storefront us.curel.com and the MyKaoShop.com unified platform that spans six Kao brands with single checkout, supplemented by an Amazon.com marketplace listing for the Japanese Facial Care line. Marketing is delivered through a Skin Harmony blog, a Skin Therapist newsletter, and Instagram and Facebook organic social channels, with content focused on ceramide science and Japanese skincare rituals. The brand targets consumers with dry, sensitive, or eczema-prone skin — a horizontal segmentation approach — and holds the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance on its Hydra Therapy and Itch Defense lines, an important clinical credential in the sensitive-skin category. The US brand entity operates with 11–50 employees, and Curél does not disclose standalone revenue figures; it is integrated within Kao Corporation's broader personal-care portfolio.

Name

Curél

Legal name

Kao USA Inc.

Website

https://www.curel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Curél is a Kao Corporation skincare brand, founded in 1985, that sells ceramide-based facial and body care products for consumers with dry, sensitive, or eczema-prone skin through its US e-commerce storefront, Amazon, and the MyKaoShop multi-brand platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Skincare Products

NAICS

Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (45612), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Sensitive Skin & Barrier Repair (CRABAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dermocosmetics & Medical-Grade Skincare (CRABAAAF), Treatment Skincare (Serums, Actives, Acne & Anti-aging) (CRABAAAB), Professional Skincare & Facial Treatments (CRABALAF), Natural/Organic & Clean Skincare (CRABAAAH)

Keywords

• Ceramide skincare products
• Sensitive skin care
• Dry skin moisturizers
• Facial care products
• Body lotion products

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (E-commerce): Direct-to-consumer sales through owned e-commerce storefront (us.curel.com) where customers purchase skincare products at listed retail prices. One-time purchase and Subscribe & Save subscription options available.
2. Product Sales (Marketplace): Sales through Amazon.com marketplace for Japanese Facial Care product line.
3. Bundled Product Sales: Sale of product bundles and multi-packs at discounted prices (e.g., 2-Pack options, Deep Hydration Bundle offering 6% savings).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Curél manufactures and sells ceramide-based skincare products designed for dry, sensitive skin through direct-to-consumer e-commerce. The portfolio includes a Japanese Facial Care line (cleansers, moisturizers, essences, serums, eye cream, sprays) using double-cleansing and double-moisturizing rituals, and a Body Care line (healing lotions, itch defense, wet skin moisturizers, ointments, hand and foot treatments). Products are sold at unit prices, in value bundles, and via a Subscribe & Save subscription program.

Product overview

Curél is a skincare brand owned by Kao USA Inc. that offers a comprehensive product portfolio centered on ceramide technology for dry, sensitive skin. The portfolio consists of two main lines: (1) Japanese Facial Care products featuring a double-cleansing and double-moisturizing Ceramide Care System, including Intensive Moisture Facial Cream (No. 1 in Japan), Foaming Facial Wash, Moisture Facial Milk, Hydrating Water Essence, Makeup Cleansing Oil, Makeup Cleansing Gel, Anti-Wrinkle Hydrating Serum, Moisture Repair Eye Cream, Deep Moisture Spray, and Trial Kits; and (2) Body Care products featuring Advanced Ceramide Complex, including Ultra Healing Lotion/Ointment, Daily Healing Lotion, Itch Defense Lotion, Fragrance Free & Sensitive Skin Lotion, Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizers (Fragrance Free and Itch Defense variants), and Extreme Dry Hand Relief. The products are designed to replenish ceramides—the key moisture-retaining lipids—to restore the skin's natural barrier function. The brand's heritage dates to 1985 when Kao scientists discovered ceramides as the key to skin moisture retention.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Intensive Moisture Facial Cream Lightweight, intensely nourishing facial moisturizer that absorbs instantly, replenishes ceramides, and restores hydration to repair the skin's natural moisture barrier, designed for dry, sensitive skin.
• Foaming Facial Wash Gentle water-based cleanser that envelops impurities with lather and rinses them away while maintaining the skin's natural moisture barrier for dry, sensitive skin.
• Moisture Repair Eye Cream Ceramide-infused eye cream formulated to repair and moisturize the delicate skin around the eyes.
• Moisture Facial Milk Lightweight facial moisturizer in milk texture providing deep hydration for dry, sensitive skin.
• Hydrating Water Essence Water-based essence providing intense hydration and preparing skin to better absorb subsequent moisturizers.
• Makeup Cleansing Oil Silky oil-based first cleanser that massages into skin to lift impurities and makeup trapped in pores to the surface.
• Anti-Wrinkle Hydrating Serum Hydrating serum that addresses wrinkles while providing deep moisture for dry, sensitive skin.
• Makeup Cleansing Gel Gentle cleansing gel that removes makeup and impurities with a very low level of isopropanol for stabilization, suitable for dry, sensitive skin.
• Deep Moisture Spray Ultra-fine ceramide-infused mist delivering an instant boost of hydration for face and body, usable over makeup.
• Trial Kit Enrich Trial kit of curated products that lets consumers experience the Curél Japanese skincare routine and Ceramide Care System before committing to full-size products.
• Ultra Healing Lotion Intensive body lotion for dry or severely dry skin that provides instant relief and protects skin from dryness for over 48 hours, with Advanced Ceramide Complex and dermatologist recommendation.
• Ultra Healing Ointment Ointment formulated for extra-dry, severely dry skin, providing intensive healing and moisture retention.
• Itch Defense Lotion Soothing formula for dry, itchy skin that provides instant relief while rebalancing skin to help keep irritation from returning, with Advanced Ceramide Complex.
• Daily Healing Lotion Daily body moisturizer with Advanced Ceramide Complex that retains moisture for 24+ hours and helps prevent symptoms of dry skin from returning.
• Fragrance Free & Sensitive Skin Lotion Fragrance-free body lotion formulated for sensitive skin, providing gentle daily moisturization.
• Hydra Therapy Fragrance Free Wet Skin Moisturizer Moisturizer applied to wet skin after showering that penetrates deep into wet skin to lock in moisture and feel 3X more hydrated.
• Hydra Therapy Itch Defense Wet Skin Moisturizer Wet skin moisturizer for itch defense that locks in moisture when applied immediately after showering, with Advanced Ceramide Complex.
• Extreme Dry Hand Relief Targeted treatment for extremely dry hands providing intensive relief and moisture restoration.
• Foaming Facial Wash 2 Pack Value bundle of two Foaming Facial Wash units for the double-cleansing routine, priced below combined single-unit cost.
• Intensive Moisture Facial Cream 2 Pack Value bundle of two Intensive Moisture Facial Cream units.
• Deep Hydration Bundle Curated bundle combining Intensive Moisture Facial Cream and Hydrating Water Essence for a deep hydration routine, offered at a discounted bundle price.
• Curel Gift Card Digital gift card redeemable at MyKaoShop.com for any Curél product, available in denominations of $10, $25, $50, and $100.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24+ hour moisture retention for Daily Healing Lotion
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Amazon.comcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon.com serves as a marketplace distribution partner for Curél Japanese Facial Care products. Products available include Foaming Facial Wash, Moisture Facial Milk, Intensive Moisture Facial Cream, and Deep Moisture Spray. This partnership extends Curél's reach to Amazon's massive customer base and enables convenient online purchasing for consumers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CeraVe: Owned by L'Oréal, CeraVe is the leading ceramide-focused skincare brand in the US, sold across mass and drug channels. It directly competes with Curél on barrier-repair, sensitive-skin, and eczema-adjacent positioning.
• Eucerin: Beiersdorf's dermatologist-recommended brand specializing in dry, sensitive, and eczema-prone skin with ceramide and lipid-based formulations. Overlaps directly with Curél's facial and body care SKUs and clinical positioning.
• La Roche-Posay: L'Oréal-owned French dermatological skincare brand with strong sensitive-skin and eczema credentials, broad US drug and specialty retail presence, and a comparable moisturizer-and-cleanser regimen model.
• Cetaphil: Galderma-owned gentle skincare brand with mass-market US distribution and cleansers/moisturizers targeting sensitive and dry skin. A long-standing direct competitor in the same consumer occasion and retail channel set.
• Aveeno: Kenvue (Johnson & Johnson) brand built around colloidal oatmeal and sensitive-skin formulations with deep US drug/mass penetration. Directly comparable body and facial lotion range and dermatologist-recommended positioning.
• Vanicream: Pharmaceutical Specialties brand focused on fragrance-free, dermatologist-recommended skincare for sensitive and eczema-prone skin. Competes head-to-head with Curél in the clean, minimal-ingredient sensitive-skin niche.
• Bioderma: French dermo-cosmetic brand (NAOS) with a sensitive-skin cleanser/micellar water franchise and growing US presence. Comparable dermatological positioning and ceramide-adjactent lipid science.
• Hada Labo (Tokyo): Mentholatum/Rohto Japanese hyaluronic acid skincare brand sold in US drug and Asian beauty channels. Closest peer on Japanese-heritage positioning and J-beauty ritual storytelling.

Emerging players

• Drunk Elephant: Shiseido-owned clean/biocompatible skincare brand with sensitive-skin-friendly formulations and Sephora/Prestige distribution. Adjacent rather than direct: overlaps on clean, gentle positioning but targets a more premium and younger consumer.
• First Aid Beauty: P&G-owned sensitive-skin skincare brand with mass and Sephora presence. Comparable on facial moisturizer and barrier-repair positioning, though more US-prestige in channel mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/curelUS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kao-usa-inc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/curelus
• Xx.com/curelcanada

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Curél