The Kao story begins in 1887, with a small face-care company founded by Tomiro Nagase, who was on a mission to make high-quality facial soap that was also affordable. He called it "Kao," pronounced the same way as the Japanese word for "face." Over the next century, Kao grew into one of Japan's most respected consumer goods companies, and from it came one of Japan's most recognizable skincare brands.
Biore was first launched in 1980 in Japan as the first non-soap cleansing wash. The name wasn't random: it came from combining two words, "Bio" meaning life and "Ore" meaning a precious ore such as gold, and also stands for Beauty, Intelligence, Originality, Reliability, and Enrichment. It was an ambitious name for a brand that was genuinely trying to do something new: bring science-backed, accessible skincare to everyday Japanese consumers.
It worked. Biore is now Japan's top cleansing brand, specializing in pore care with a wide range of products from cleansing washes to makeup removers.
The brand that made pores a conversation
Before Biore, nobody was really talking about pores in mass-market skincare. Biore changed that. As the first skincare brand to focus on the root of problem skin, the pore, Biore took a "Do Different" approach from the very beginning.
That philosophy shows up in the technology. Their Skin Purifying Technology, known as SPT, is a proprietary cleansing innovation that lifts away dirt and sweat while preserving the skin's natural moisture barrier. It's the kind of detail that sounds technical until you use a Biore body wash and notice your skin doesn't feel stripped afterward. That's SPT doing its job quietly.
In Japan, the Biore range goes much further than what's widely available internationally. There's a full lineup of facial cleansers, UV sunscreens beloved across Asia for their featherlight textures, and pore care products that have become drugstore staples. The version of Biore that most people outside Japan know is only part of the picture.
What remains consistent across all of it is the same thing Kao has been building since 1887: effective, affordable, science-driven products that don't ask too much of you. Wash, rinse, done. Your skin feels better and you didn't have to think about it.
Find Biore at Rei Cosmetics
Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil: a first-step cleansing oil that works on wet or dry skin, dissolving waterproof mascara and long-wear foundation without irritation. Non-greasy, rinses clean, leaves no residue. Free of dyes and parabens, with an invigorating fruity scent. Meets the Rei Clean Skincare standard: free of formaldehyde, phthalates, triclosan, microplastics, PFAS, and MI/MCI.
Biore U Body Soap: the body wash built on SPT technology, which means it cleans thoroughly without stripping the skin's natural moisture barrier. Mildly acidic and hypoallergenic, gentle enough for the whole family. Lathers richly, rinses cleanly, and leaves skin soft rather than tight. Available in Fresh Floral and other scent options.
The bottom line
Biore isn't the most poetic brand story in Japanese skincare. There's no ancient fermentation ritual or founding philosophy rooted in centuries of tradition. What there is instead is nearly 150 years of Kao engineering, a genuine commitment to making skin cleansing work better for everyone, and products that consistently deliver on what they promise.
Sometimes that's exactly what you need.