The Story Behind Ikise | How doTERRA’s Japanese Skincare Was Created

What inspired the creation of doTERRA Ikise? In this short film, the scientist behind Ikise shares the personal and professional journey that ultimately led to the creation of doTERRA's Japanese skincare line. Growing up in Tokyo and spending part of her childhood in Texas and Saudi Arabia sparked a lifelong curiosity about the world, people, nature, and the unseen processes beneath the surface. That curiosity eventually led her to study biophysics and photosynthesis before beginning a career in household and personal care science. Over time, her role evolved beyond the laboratory. She became a bridge between consumers and science—learning what people truly wanted and translating those needs into product development. Her journey eventually brought her to doTERRA, where she discovered something different: the combination of scientific rigor with a sensorial and emotional experience. That realization became the inspiration behind Ikise. Rather than beginning with ingredients or technology, Ikise was developed “backwards”—starting with the consumer experience. What could elevate someone's daily life? What did people truly need? From there came an intensive development process focused on safety, quality, efficacy, testing, feedback, refinement, and the creation of a technically complex dual-layer system. The result is Ikise: skincare designed around the harmony of science, essential oils, sensory experience, and emotion. CHAPTERS 00:00 – What Lives Beneath the Surface? 01:01 – A Childhood Driven by Curiosity 01:12 – Growing Up Across Different Cultures 01:28 – Studying Biophysics & Photosynthesis 01:38 – Becoming a Scientist 01:51 – Understanding the Consumer 02:19 – Oral Health, Biofilm & Essential Oils 02:52 – The Journey to doTERRA 03:05 – Science Meets Sensorial Experience 03:19 – The Light Bulb Moment 03:32 – The Beginning of Ikise 03:46 – Building Ikise “Backwards” 03:55 – Creating the Dual-Layer System 04:09 – Safety, Quality, Efficacy & Testing 04:19 – Feedback & Refinement 04:33 – The Moment Ikise Became Something Special 04:50 – Curiosity → Insight → Innovation 05:03 – Science + Emotion 05:15 – The Meaning of Ikise #doterra #ikise #jbeauty #japaneseskincare #skincare #doterrajapan #essentialoils #beautyscience #doterraikise