Japan Nuggets

Do you love the simplicity of Japanese beauty? How natural beauty is emphasized, nothing flashy or too shrill? You are not alone.

Walk down the beauty aisles in a Japanese drug store, and you’ll mainly see muted colors. Bright red lipstick or nail polish is hard to find. The focus is on skin care for “healthy, hydrated, naturally radiant skin” – the ultimate beauty goal.

Look a bit deeper and you’ll also find practices that are a bit more unusual. For example, overnight lift-up face masks designed to fit around the jaw and neck to help relax muscles or support contouring while sleeping.

Crazy? Perhaps – but no more than butt and tummy shapers commonly used in Western countries (and also available in Japan).

Cultural norms are strong in Japan. Women are expected to be slim and petite. And Anime culture does its part: clear skin, big bright eyes, small mouth, gentle features – and being cute.

Tanning and muscular features are not part of traditional ideals. And while fitness and gym culture is growing, it’s still very modest compared to the United States or Europe.

Beauty norms are also closely tied to social harmony (wa). Standing out too much or appearing overly bold is not desired. Mostly.

But go to Harajuku and Shibuya, the trendy parts of Tokyo, and you’ll find a different side.

Here, fashion is loud, rebellious and in your face – especially amongst young people. Sometimes refreshingly so.

Bright hair colors, bold eyeliners, creative outfits and gender-fluid styling. Here, beauty is about self-expression, not conformity.

On social media, young women increasingly criticize unrealistic beauty standards and reject overly delicate or submissive ideals.

While social pressure around neatness and ‘being cute’ is much stronger than in many Western countries, Japanese beauty ideals are gradually changing. They are becoming more diverse and flexible, increasingly influenced by global trends and youth culture.

In Japan, beauty may start with tradition, but it’s increasingly writing its own rules.

Did you know?

• Geisha’s white face paint reflected the desire for porcelain skin tones – but it also helped to stand out in dimly lit tea houses.
• Rice bran and water have been used for centuries in Japan to soften skin, brighten the complexion, and even rinse hair. It’s still a thing today.
• Anime is a modern, exaggerated twist of the obsession with cute, youthful aesthetics which goes back hundreds of years.

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