Foundation: 2009

ADDICTION was launched in 2009 as a makeup brand produced by Japanese cosmetics company KOSÉ, with internationally active makeup artist AYAKO serving as its creative director. Before creating ADDICTION, AYAKO had established an international career in New York and worked in fashion, beauty advertising and editorial makeup. KOSÉ’s original launch materials positioned her international experience—including work with major photographers and celebrities—as an important source of the brand’s creative identity.

Rather than positioning makeup simply as conventional beauty enhancement, ADDICTION was conceived around the idea of creating a more individual, fashion-conscious style. Its original concept was “MY OWN STYLE, MY OWN BEAUTY.” The brand initially expanded primarily through Japanese department stores, with its first launch centered on major beauty retail locations.

The AYAKO era

AYAKO’s creative direction became strongly associated with ADDICTION’s early identity. Her approach combined the sensibility of international fashion makeup with products designed to be relatively straightforward for consumers to use. The result was a brand characterized by strong but sophisticated colors, nuanced textures, minimalist presentation and a distinctly editorial/fashion influence.

One of the most important products of this period was THE EYESHADOW. In 2015, ADDICTION introduced an exceptionally broad range of 99 individual eyeshadow shades, organized around different color families and textures 1. The collection became one of the brand’s defining achievements and helped establish its reputation for nuanced single-color eyeshadows.

Transition from AYAKO to KANAKO

AYAKO stepped down as ADDICTION’s creative director in March 2019 2. Beginning with the Spring 2020 collection, makeup artist KANAKO became the brand’s new creative director. At the same time, the branding was refreshed and products released after January 2020 began carrying the ADDICTION TOKYO identity 3.

KANAKO brought an international fashion-makeup background of her own. According to ADDICTION’s official biography, she moved from Tokyo to New York in 2008 and subsequently worked with makeup artists including Pat McGrath and Yadim Carranza, as well as photographers, fashion houses and major fashion publications.

At the center of ADDICTION is the idea that makeup is a medium for personal expression. The brand’s official description emphasizes creating products for people who are pursuing their own style, with variations in color and texture that allow users to construct individualized looks 4.

The modern ADDICTION TOKYO identity expands this idea beyond traditional demographic categories. The brand describes itself as:

• Universal
• Gender-free
• Ageless
• Designed for people pursuing their own style

This makes ADDICTION somewhat different from a traditional Japanese cosmetics brand focused primarily on a particular age group or prescribed beauty aesthetic.

The word “addiction” refers to dependence, intense attachment or being unable to stop doing something. For the beauty brand, the name is used metaphorically: makeup is presented as something people can become deeply passionate about or “addicted” to. The brand’s official explanation plays on concepts such as desire, fascination and being captivated, connecting the name with the emotional experience of discovering colors, textures and one’s personal style.

Today, ADDICTION’s product portfolio extends well beyond its original color cosmetics. Its official catalog includes:

• Eyes
• Eyeshadow
• Eyeliner
• Mascara
• Eyebrow products
• Lips
• Lip colors
• Lip care
• Cheeks
• Blush and other cheek products
• Base makeup
• Foundation
• Primer
• Concealer
• Powder
• Compacts
• Nails
• Nail polish
• Nail care
• Skincare
• Sun care
• Brushes and tools
• Makeup brushes
• Applicators
• Compact cases
• Other beauty accessories

THE EYESHADOW is arguably the product most strongly associated with ADDICTION’s early reputation. Its importance came from the combination of an unusually large shade selection and a variety of textures. The original 99-shade launch was designed to allow users to select and combine colors according to their own preferences rather than buying a predetermined palette.

The concept also fit ADDICTION’s broader philosophy: individual products become building blocks for personal style. This approach helped establish single eyeshadows as an important part of the brand’s identity and contributed to ADDICTION’s reputation among Japanese beauty consumers and makeup enthusiasts. The brand continues to sell individual eyeshadows today, including newer collections such as the Fall 2026 “MUTE THE ICONIC” limited colors.

ADDICTION’s aesthetic can broadly be described as minimalist, sophisticated, modern and fashion-oriented. Rather than relying heavily on decorative or overtly feminine packaging, the brand historically emphasized relatively restrained packaging that allowed the colors and textures of the products to take center stage.

Its creative philosophy can be summarized as a meeting point between:
Japanese precision + New York fashion culture + professional makeup artistry + individual expression.

The brand itself describes its products as having simple, chic designs that are portable while maintaining a high-quality, luxurious finish.

Fashion has been central to ADDICTION’s DNA from the beginning. The brand was created by a professional fashion makeup artist, and its product development has consistently been influenced by editorial makeup, runway trends and professional makeup techniques. AYAKO’s career included fashion magazines, advertising campaigns and collections in major fashion capitals.

This background explains why ADDICTION often occupies an interesting position between professional makeup artistry and luxury consumer cosmetics. It is not simply about creating conventional “pretty” makeup. Many of its products are intended to give users the ability to experiment with color, texture, intensity and mood.

ADDICTION began primarily as a Japanese department-store makeup brand but subsequently expanded internationally. KOSÉ identified ADDICTION as one of its important global brands, with the brand expanding into markets including South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan 5.

The later ADDICTION TOKYO identity was particularly important in presenting the brand as a Japanese/Tokyo creative brand to a broader international audience. The company describes Tokyo as a multicultural city whose creativity and energy inform the renewed brand identity. The brand also operates international online and retail distribution, including markets in Asia.

As of 2026, ADDICTION continues to operate as a premium Japanese beauty brand under the ADDICTION TOKYO identity. Its current assortment includes makeup, skincare, brushes and tools, while new launches continue across complexion, eye and lip categories. Recent products include the CONFIDENT MATTE LIP, SERUM TOUCH-UP LIFT GLOW, and new limited-edition eyeshadows.

The current brand therefore represents a continuation of ADDICTION’s original philosophy rather than a complete departure from it:

Makeup is a tool for discovering and expressing your own identity.

AYAKO

AYAKO is the founder/original creative force behind ADDICTION. A Japanese makeup artist based in New York, she created the brand in 2009 and shaped its initial product philosophy and visual identity. Her ADDICTION work became particularly associated with sophisticated color, strong eye makeup, nuanced textures and fashion-oriented beauty.

KANAKO

KANAKO became ADDICTION’s creative director beginning with the Spring 2020 collection. Her background includes international fashion-week work, editorial makeup and collaborations with major fashion brands and photographers. Under her creative direction, the brand adopted the ADDICTION TOKYO identity and developed a more explicitly global, gender-free and contemporary positioning.

ADDICTION is closely associated with KOSÉ, one of Japan’s major cosmetics companies. KOSÉ produced and developed ADDICTION from its launch, while giving the brand considerable creative independence through professional makeup artists. KOSÉ’s corporate materials describe ADDICTION as a makeup brand created with AYAKO as creative director and launched in 2009.

This relationship is important because ADDICTION combines the resources and manufacturing/retail capabilities of a major Japanese cosmetics group with the artistic direction of internationally active makeup artists.

A useful way to understand ADDICTION is to place it between several categories:
Japanese prestige cosmetics → professional makeup artistry → fashion/editorial beauty → luxury-inspired minimalist design → individualistic/color-focused cosmetics

Its strongest differentiation is arguably its artist-led approach to color and texture rather than simply competing through luxury branding.

Several characteristics define the brand:

1. Artist-led origins — it was created by a working international makeup artist rather than a conventional fashion or celebrity brand.
2. Color expertise — extensive shade development, especially in eyeshadow, became a signature.
3. Individual products rather than only palettes — consumers can construct their own combinations.
4. Fashion influence — runway and editorial makeup strongly influence its aesthetic.
5. Minimalist design — packaging generally emphasizes sophistication and practicality.
6. Individuality over prescribed beauty — the brand encourages users to develop their own style.
7. Gender-neutral direction — the modern ADDICTION TOKYO identity explicitly describes itself as universal, gender-free and ageless.
8. Japanese craftsmanship with international influence — Tokyo/Japanese sensibility is combined with the global fashion experience of its creative directors.

1. 参考情報 『ADDICTION』について 『ADDICTION』は、年齢を問わず自分らしいスタイ
2. アディクション / ADDICTIONに関する最新記事
3. ADDICTION (アディクション) クリエイティブ ディレクター、AYAKO (アヤコ) インタビュー
4. ベスコス総合大賞受賞！「アディクション／ザ アイシャドウ」 クリエイティブディレクターAYAKOさんに聞いた、絶妙カラーの秘密｜美容・化粧品情報はアットコスメ
5. Homepage | Addiction