A nostalgic feature on shampoos: the scents beloved in the Showa era
How many of the shampoos used in the Showa era do you remember? There are times when memories suddenly come back—like the catchy phrases you’d hum along with every time they played on TV commercials, or the design of those bottles lined up by the sink.
In this article, we’ll look back at a variety of nostalgic shampoos and introduce the beloved items that brightened bath time in the Showa period.
You might even come across a brand that makes you exclaim, “We had this at home!” Please take your time and enjoy.
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A nostalgic shampoo special: Those scents loved in the Showa era (1–10)
Hair Cologne ShampooNEW!
@senor.masa
Shiseido’s “Hair Cologne Shampoo,” released in 1982.
Its official name, “Koi Cologne, Cologne for Your Hair, Hair Cologne Shampoo,” was a rhyming, lengthy product name that became a hot topic.
The line from idol Yuu Hayami’s TV commercial at the time—“Koi Cologne, Cologne for your hair, Hair Cologne Shampoo, that’s the name, isn’t it funny?”—was catchy.
The fragrance lineup featured pop scents that junior high and high school girls of the time admired, such as “Flower Cocktail” and “Fruit Cocktail.”
AdvantagesNEW!
@volvov702.4 #Nostalgic commercialOld commercial
♪ Original song – 50s old guy 🥸🥸🥸 – 50s old guy 🥸🥸🥸
In 1970, addressing the dandruff concerns of the time, Kao’s “Merit” debuted in Japan as a shampoo that keeps hair and scalp clean based on scalp-care research—the first in the country to include the active ingredient zinc pyrithione.
Focused on convenience as well, it broke from the era’s standard twist-off caps that required both hands, adopting a design that dispensed liquid with a simple push, allowing one-handed use and earning praise for its user-friendly container.
Carrying on the original blue image, “Merit” is one of Kao’s leading long-selling brands.
RejoiceNEW!
Rejoice, a shampoo that gained popularity for letting you switch moods through its fragrance, was a striking presence that brightened bathrooms from the Showa into the Heisei era.
Known for its fruity, glamorous scent, it made the act of washing itself feel enjoyable.
Among shampoos of the time, it was positioned as fragrance-focused, appreciated not only for how hair felt after washing but also for the gentle waft of scent from the hair.
Its bright, pop bottle design stood out on store shelves.
In an era when simple care was the norm, its proposal of “enjoying your mood through fragrance” left a strong impression on many, adding a touch of sparkle to everyday life.
A nostalgic shampoo feature: The scents loved in the Showa era (11–20)
Super Mild ShampooNEW!
Launched in 1988, Shiseido’s Super Mild Shampoo was created with the concept “gentle on hair even with daily washing,” responding to the late-1980s “morning shampoo” boom and the younger generation’s increasing frequency of hair washing.
It featured a simple, white-based bottle design and a distinctive one-touch cap that opened by pushing down a rounded, spatula-like tip.
Kyoko Koizumi served as the commercial model for ten years, and the catchphrase “Koizumi, from today this is what we call shampoo.” became a hot topic at the time.
Soft in OneNEW!
Lion’s shampoo “Soft in One,” released in 1989, rapidly popularized the then-still-new convenience of “rinse-in shampoo,” which let you get by with just one bottle.
The TV commercial featuring Hiroko Yakushimaru made the catchphrase “Chan, Rin, Shan” a nationwide sensation.
The phrase is a shortened way of saying “a shampoo that properly conditions (rinse) in one bottle,” and it became a buzzword at the time.
Kuniko Yamada’s comedic parody of the commercial further boosted its name recognition.
TimoteiNEW!
Unilever’s “Timotei” shampoo, released in Sweden in the 1970s and in Japan in 1984, became a big hit as a “gentle-on-hair, natural-type shampoo” from Scandinavia.
Its catchphrase was “Seven gentle Scandinavian wild herbs.” The natural, unpretentious Scandinavian image resonated with young women.
The commercial featuring a blonde woman washing her hair and the memorable jingle “Timotei, Timotei~” became a hot topic.
I feel like kids used to imitate it and sing along back then.
Fruit ShowerNEW!
Released in 1984, Lion’s “Fruit Shower” became a big hit, especially among junior high and high school students at the time.
Its groundbreaking feature was the colorful little beads, called “Fru-Tsubu,” floating in the shampoo that popped while washing, releasing a burst of fruity fragrance.
It came in three scents—lemon-lime, green apple, and raspberry—and its pastel-colored, pop-style containers with see-through bottles showing the contents were considered cute.
Coinciding with the morning shampoo boom, it enjoyed great popularity.