In the event you typed ‘Japanese Beauty’ right into a search engine a number of years ago, you’d have likely only received back images of Japanese geisha. While these highly trained women are a vital a part of Japanese culture, it’s easy for those within the West – who grew up learning about Japan through movies and media that relied heavily on stereotypes – to assume this traditional beauty regime is the one way the country interacts with beauty and make-up.

Lately, the emergence of J-Pop stars (corresponding to Aiko, or the 100+ members strong AKB48), in addition to increased representation through social media platforms, has allowed a unique image of Japanese beauty to be celebrated. Finally, Japan’s intricate skincare rituals, their desire for natural ingredients, and their respect of science is garnering mass interest from beauty insiders. In actual fact, other industries are also picking up on the intricacies of Japanese culture which have for thus long been undervalued.  

“There’s that perception that fashion is a European invention after which spread to the remaining of the world, when actually there was a developed fashion culture in Japan,” explains curator Anna Jackson, speaking on the motivation behind the brand new V&A exhibition, Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk. Very like the kimono, geisha or geiko (depending on where in Japan they hail from) are recurring stereotypes related to the Asian country. “Yes, prior to now people have painted their face white, with small lips and led eyeliner,” offers Shiga-born make-up artist Tamayo Yamamoto, “but, similar to anywhere else, Japanese beauty has been changing.” Among the many recent wave of Japanese creatives referencing their heritage while leading recent trends are names like Kanako Takase (Pat McGrath’s former intern), Takayoshi Tsukisawa, and Rie Shiraishi. 

It doesn’t take much digging to seek out examples of the Japanese beauty influences that we routinely take as a right. Miyabi Kumagai, regional marketing manager at Japanese brand Shiseido, explains how our current obsession with natural beauty products (popularised within the West by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop) is nothing recent for Japanese women. “For Japanese people, nature has all the time been an element of their life, they worship and respect it,” she adds. While it’s easy to turn into reliant upon beauty products that promise fast results, Kumagai explains that Japanese women typically focus their routines on prevention, living by the philosophy, “Sonae areba urei nashi,” or, “Anticipation will prevent from troubles.”

“Japanese culture is about respecting the authentic tradition but combining opposite values to innovate and create a tension between them” – Miyabi Kumagai, regional marketing manager, Shiseido

It’s vital, nevertheless, to find a way to tell apart between natural and old-fashioned. A typical misconception about Japan’s culture is that it’s fixated upon tradition, or stuck prior to now. Just because the V&A’s aim is to prove that the kimono is a trendy item, “not only a timeless, ceremonial costume.” Kumagai is quick to indicate that Japan’s beauty industry is continuously evolving. “Japanese culture is about respecting the authentic tradition but combining opposite values to innovate and create a tension between them.”

This tension is something Kumagai refers to as harmonious dualities: “Modernity and tradition, perfection and imperfection, respectful yet audacious.” Yamamoto can be aware of how these contrasts influence her work, “Japanese people love natural make-up,” she explains. Yet, additionally they embrace more modern, less natural additions to their beauty routines; “Colored contact lenses have turn into an enormous thing in Japan due to Korean celebrities,” she gives for instance. Similarly, the obsession with mochi skin (skin that resembles the soft, bouncy Japanese dessert) continues to be going strong, while many young people proceed to wear the Harajuku-led trend of placing exaggerated pink blush under their eyes.

It’s vital to Yamamoto that she will shine a highlight on Japan’s thriving and advanced beauty industry. Just last yr, the creative took part in a photograph series for Dazed Beauty alongside Japanese photographer Piczo. It was inspired by the standard Japanese kabuki dancing (歌舞) and featured intricate wigs by Shunsuke Meguro, paying tribute to the country’s history. “We did this shoot to indicate everyone on this planet about traditional Japanese beauty and culture,” adds Yamamoto.

Essentially the most significant way her culture influences her creative work though is in her approach to skincare. “Preparation is step one to success,” she explains. “Make-up won’t ever look its best in the event you don’t take care of the skin properly.” Negar Mesbah Tabatabae, manager at luxury Japanese beauty store Shiro agrees with Yamamoto’s skincare outlook, “(Japanese women) pay more attention to their skin because, to them, inner beauty is more vital than their outer beauty. For them it’s about having the primary layer, your skin, perfectly done.” 

Tabatabae explains how Japanese women grow up understanding the importance of proper skincare, and so have an innate understanding of how an excellent routine affects their skin. “But now (women outside of Japan) are starting to grasp they will’t underestimate how their skin affects them.” In actual fact, many have unknowingly turned to Japanese rituals to assist manage their skin. Who hasn’t invested in a serum, tried double cleansing before bed, or placed on a sheet mask? These rituals are all championed by Japanese women and lots of have been a part of their culture for hundreds of years. Double cleansing, for instance, was a ritual introduced by geisha tons of of years ago as a way to remove their thick, oil-based white face make-up. 

“All the pieces is moral. It’s a recent trend here (in Europe), but Japanese people have all the time done it” – Negar Mesbah Tabatabae, manager, Shiro beauty store 

Speaking with these women, who all interact with Japanese beauty each day, it’s clear that the worldwide beauty industry is continuously finding inspiration from the East Asian country. This is maybe most evident in the best way the industry is now interacting with the environment; for a lot of firms, making our beauty routines more sustainable has turn into paramount. The Shiro store – whose products are all made in Japan and hand-picked by its founder Hiroe Imai – perfectly illustrates the Japanese respect for the environment. “All the pieces is moral,” Tabatabae clarifies. “It’s a recent trend here (in Europe), but Japanese people have all the time done it.”

The brand reduces waste by utilising ingredients others have ignored, like Kombu, a seaweed grown in North Japan that’s wealthy in hydrating fucoidan and alginic acid. “People would use it of their soups and would give away the extras because no one told them it could possibly be really good for the skin,” Tabatabae explains. Similarly, the brand often uses anti-aging neem oil of their products. The ingredient comes from the neem tree, which Tabatabae explains is usually referred to by locals as a “village pharmacy” because every part – its branches to its seeds – could be used. Nothing goes to waste. These ingredients, and others, including anti-aging enmei herb, antioxidant shiso and brightening yuzu (all sourced from Japan) have found their way into beauty products worldwide. 

The Japanese phrase mottainai (suggesting regret over wasting something that would have been put to make use of) is a mantra that many Japanese brands reside by to cut back waste. All of Shiro’s Japanese stores (and others) at the moment are refusing to supply packaging to customers, unless directly requested. Though slow at becoming mainstream, these positive changes inside the worldwide beauty industry are something we should always all have a good time. 

With the present Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk exhibition at London’s V&A museum and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics later this summer, Japan is seeing an enormous increase in representation inside Western society. Yet, celebrations of cultures can often fall into trends; moments that may pass. It’s vital that we’re in a position to recognise that Japan is way over a trend. While, after all, Japan is just not the one country driving change inside the industry, it is the energising force behind the introduction of countless ingredients and technologies. The Japanese beauty industry has undeniably transformed our each day routines. Now let’s give it the credit it deserves.