Tsujimoto Market: Our Guarantees
Description
Kao THE ANSWER Super Lamella Shampoo 400 ml — Japanese Silicone-Free Repair Shampoo
Overview
THE ANSWER is Kao's premium haircare sub-brand, and this 400 ml bottle is its shampoo. The idea behind it is a lamellar structure inside the product itself: the formula is arranged in layers that hold the repair ingredients, so they are carried onto the hair during the wash rather than mostly rinsing away. Kao names five of those ingredients as the core — hydrolysed keratin from wool, ceramide α (bis-methoxypropylamido isodocosane), malic acid, lanolin fatty acid and a fatty-acid glyceride from olive fruit oil.
Reading that list is also how we found what this page had been missing. Three of the five are animal-derived, and the full INCI adds hydrolysed conchiolin — pearl-oyster shell protein — and hydrolysed silk. None of that was disclosed. It is in the Cautions now. Pairs with the matching EX Moist Treatment; see also our Japanese haircare range.
Key Benefits
- ✓ Full INCI published on this page, including the four animal-derived and allergen ingredients previously left out
- ✓ No silicones, no sulfates, no parabens, no added colour — all four confirmed on the Japanese label
- ✓ Amino-acid surfactant base (cocoyl methyl taurate and lauroyl methylalaninate): a mild lather that still cleans a scalp
- ✓ Ceramide α, ceramide NG, hydrolysed hyaluronic acid, squalane and jojoba oil in the same formula
- ✓ 400 ml pump bottle — a large size for a premium Japanese shampoo
- ✓ Shipped from our base in Kobe, Japan with tracking, in the Japanese domestic packaging
Product Details
| Brand | Kao THE ANSWER |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Kao Corporation (THE ANSWER) |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Product type | Shampoo (rinse-off) |
| Volume / count | 400 ml |
| Scent | Bergamot and daphne |
| JAN code | 4901301446183 |
| Regulatory status | Cosmetic (not a quasi-drug) |
Who Is This For?
- People with dry, coloured or heat-styled hair who want repair ingredients rather than a silicone coating
- Anyone moving away from silicone shampoos and finding the transition rough
- Users with a scalp that reacts to sulfate lathers
- Not suitable if: you avoid animal-derived ingredients — it contains wool keratin, lanolin, silk and conchiolin
- Check first if: you have a wool, lanolin or shellfish allergy
How to Use
- Wet the hair and scalp thoroughly with warm water — most of the dirt leaves at this stage.
- Dispense one to two pumps and lather between the palms before it touches the head.
- Wash the scalp with the fingertips, not the nails, for about a minute.
- Let the lather run through the lengths as you rinse; do not scrub the ends.
- Rinse until the hair squeaks slightly at the roots, then follow with a treatment.
Frequency: Daily, or as often as you wash
Full Ingredients
Full ingredient list: water, sodium cocoyl methyl taurate, sodium lauroyl methylalaninate, glyceryl caprylate, lauramidopropyl betaine, sodium cocoamphoacetate, myristyl alcohol, laureth-11 carboxylic acid, cocamide methyl MEA, glycerin, lauric acid, sodium lauroyl hydrolysed silk, lanolin fatty acid, olive fruit oil, bis-methoxypropylamido isodocosane (ceramide α), hydrolysed keratin (wool), malic acid, γ-docosalactone, dilauramidoglutamide lysine sodium, hydrolysed hyaluronic acid, ceramide NG, jojoba seed oil, squalane, hydrolysed conchiolin protein, ethylhexylglycerin, TEA-lauroyl sarcosinate, arginine, asparagine, fragrance.
Free of silicone, sulfates, parabens and synthetic colourants.
Cautions
- Contains hydrolysed keratin derived from wool — relevant if you react to lanolin or wool, and it means the product is not vegan.
- Contains lanolin fatty acid, a sheep-wool derivative — a known contact allergen for a minority of users and not suitable if you avoid animal-derived ingredients.
- Contains hydrolysed conchiolin, a protein taken from pearl-oyster shell — relevant if you have a shellfish allergy or avoid animal-derived ingredients.
- Also contains hydrolysed silk, an insect-derived protein — relevant if you avoid animal ingredients entirely.
- Avoid the eyes; rinse with plenty of water on contact. Stop if the scalp reddens or itches.
Package Contents
1 × pump bottle, 400 ml. Japanese domestic packaging with Japanese-language labelling.
Shipping & Store Notes
- Ships directly from Japan
- Processing time: 2–6 business days
- Tracking number provided after dispatch
- Import duties and taxes may apply depending on destination country
- Opened cosmetics cannot be returned for hygiene and safety reasons
Authenticity Guarantee
Every product at Tsujimoto Market is sourced directly from Japan and verified for authenticity. We never sell fakes or grey-market goods. Each order is carefully packed in Kobe, Japan and dispatched with full tracking.
FAQ
Do I have to buy the matching shampoo and treatment together?
No — each works on its own, and the pairing is a marketing structure as much as a formulation one. What is true is narrower: a shampoo that leaves the cuticle slightly acidified gives the treatment that follows a marginally better surface to sit on, and the two share a fragrance so they do not fight each other in the shower. If your budget stretches to one of the pair, buy the treatment: it stays on the hair, while shampoo is on the head for ninety seconds and then goes down the drain.
Is this product halal or suitable for vegans?
This shampoo contains hydrolysed keratin from wool, lanolin fatty acid from sheep wool, hydrolysed silk and hydrolysed conchiolin from pearl-oyster shell — four animal-derived ingredients. The product carries no halal certification — Japanese domestic cosmetics are rarely certified — so if certification itself matters to you, this product does not have it.
The packaging is in Japanese — how do I know what I am using?
The carton and bottle carry Japanese-language labelling, because this is stock made for the Japanese domestic market. Where an ingredient list appears on this page, it is translated from that labelling or from the manufacturer's own published data; where the manufacturer does not publish one, the ingredients section says so rather than filling the gap. Either way, send us a photo of anything unclear on the box after delivery and we will translate it, and ask us before ordering if you need the full label list first.
Is this an authentic Japanese product?
Yes. We buy through Japanese distribution channels and ship from our base in Kobe, Japan. We do not sell grey-market or parallel-import stock, and the packaging you receive is the Japanese domestic packaging, with Japanese-language labelling.
Will I pay customs duty or import VAT?
That depends on your country and on the declared value of the parcel, not on us. We ship from Japan with a correct customs declaration and full tracking; any duty or import VAT your country charges is collected by your local carrier or customs office on delivery. Check your national de-minimis threshold before ordering if you want to avoid a surprise.
