Superb traditional items loved by Japanese women even now! Japanese-style cosmetics and beauty goods
“Beauty” is a topic of interest for women in every era. In this edition, we will introduce traditional Japanese cosmetics and beauty goods in three categories: skincare, makeup, and beauty supplies. (top image: Makanai Cosmetics Kagurazaka Store)
Skin Care
“Makanai Cosmetics”
The predecessor of “Makanai Cosmetics” was a gold beater established in 1899. This location, where gold leaf was made, was subject to a harsh environment, with high temperatures and dry air. The women working in the background (from which the “makanai” name comes) were said to constantly suffer from skin problems. The story goes that the women eventually used the Japanese materials around them to make skin-friendly cosmetics.
Over 100 years has passed since that time. The traditional formulas have been improved, and “Makanai Cosmetics” was born! These cosmetics are free of synthetic chemicals such as synthetic surface active agents, and are loved by women encompassing a wide range of ages.
By the way, this directly managed shop has a number of locations centered around the Kanto (Eastern Japan) area, including those at airports such as Narita and Haneda. At the Kagurazaka Main Store, which we visited, there is even a space where you can order snacks and tea! Kagurazaka is famous as a tourist spot that retains traces of its history as a hanamachi (geisha district). How about enjoying the Japanese cosmetics and snacks here while enjoying a walk through the town?
On the left is dorayaki (two pancakes with red bean paste in-between) featuring a rabbit, the brand mark (273 yen). It can be brought home. In the center is a cloth (690 yen). On the right is a pouch made of the same material as judo apparel (from 2,625 yen). There is also a variety of Japanese-style accessories, so this shop is perfect for buying souvenirs!
Cosmetics you can only find at a gold beater
This is oil-absorbing facial paper that comes from high-quality Japanese paper (hakuuchishi) used in the process of beating gold leaf. Features a mechanism in which a rabbit pattern appears after the sheet absorbs oil. 378 yen.
24-karat gold used as a sheet mask! It is said that gold leaf has the power of raising metabolism. Apply it to your skin and rub it in to care for dullness and wrinkles! 5,250 yen.
Here are some popular cosmetics, full of Japanese ingredients!
This hand cream, which uses persimmon tannin and soy beans, is the #1 seller. It has a smooth and comfortable feel. 1,575 yen.
This is a dried konjak (devil's tongue) facial sponge. Soak it in water, and after it becomes soft and eleastic, gently rub your skin with it. Use this to care for old keratin. 735 yen.
Soak this cloth bag, which contains rice bran, in water, and then wash your skin by sliding it over. The ingredients in the rice bran will smooth your skin out. Each product's bag color indicates a different added beauty ingredient; choose from green tea powder, red bean, and more. 399 yen.
This is bathing powder made from natural ingredients such as Japanese cypress, ginger, and cherry blossom. Comes in a Japanese-style pouch. 630 yen.
Makanai Cosmetics Kagurazaka Store
3-1 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3235-7663
Store Hours: Weekdays & Saturdays: 10:30AM - 8PM
Sundays & Holidays: 11AM - 7PM
Closed: No set day
http://makanaicosmetics.co.jp
Make Up
Isehan-Honten Museum of Beni
Makeup first spread among the common people in the Edo Period, which began in the 1600s. Kabuki performers and Noh actors were the fashion leaders, and it was a period where many kinds of culture blossomed. Makeup at the time consisted of only three colors: the white of face powder, the black of ohaguro (tooth blackener) and eyebrow pencils, and the red of beni (lip coloring). Isehan-Honten continues to make that beni using the same method, even now.
At the “Isehan-Honten Museum of Beni,” which the company has set up in Omotesando, in addition to purchasing beni, one can observe historical items regarding beni/makeup, and experience wearing this beni as makeup (entrance free of charge). If you are interested in Edo culture or ancient Japan, it's definitely worth a visit.
Red pigment is extracted from safflowers (which are made up of only 1% of this pigment) and then made into beni. It is said that for a small cup of beni, approximately 1,000 flowers are used!
When beni is applied to materials such as porcelain, it becomes iridescent. This is dissolved in water and then used. Beni itself is used in makeup products seen in other countries, but iridescent beni exists only in Japan. It is said that this is the proof that the beni is of top quality, using pigment of high purity.
These are cloths dyed with beni. Just like these cloths, by applying beni to your lips, you can adjust the color from pink to deep red. Another merit of this beni is that since only natural ingredients are used, your lip color will not worsen due to pigmentation. How about matching beni with Western clothing and enjoying it regularly?
Historical items that convey the feel of Edo
The explanations for the exhibits are only in Japanese, but you can get a taste of Edo just by looking at these items. On the left are portable containers for beni called “itabeni.” In the middle are makeup boxes containing items like brushes and mirrors. On the right is a how-to book for beauty that was extremely popular in the Edo Period. Seeing how people from this age carried beni around and learned about beauty from books, one can tell just how much beauty knowledge people of the era possessed.
Beni souvenirs with a gorgeous appearance
Beni containers mainly use Arita ware, a traditional craft product extending back to the Edo Period. On the left is an item using “temari balls,” which were items given as symbols of fortune on Girls' Day or weddings, as a motif. The color of beni has been considered from ancient times to have the power to ward off evil. Give these as a gift to someone special, and they are sure to love it. 8,925 yen.
Isehan-Honten Museum of Beni
K's Minami Aoyama Building 1F, 6-6-20 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-5467-3735
Store Hours: 11AM - 7PM
Closed: Mondays (when Mondays are national holidays or substitute holidays, closed the next day), New Year Holiday
http://www.isehanhonten.co.jp
Beauty Goods
Kumano-Fude Select Shop
No discussion of Japan's proudest beauty goods would be complete without Kumano-fude, a brush made in Kumano-cho in Hiroshima since the Edo Period. This traditional craft is of such high quality that orders are received from famous overseas cosmetic brands.
The distinguishing characteristic of these brushes is without a doubt their tips. Craftsmen take carefully selected hair from goats and squirrels and then sort it even further by hand while making the product. In order to realize the ideal quality, they sometimes mix hair types. The tip, which is made over a period of days, takes on a resilient, delicate feel. It's said that using these brushes in your regular cosmetic routine works wonders for the end result.
If you're looking to buy this kind of Kumano-fude, “Kumano-Fude Select Shop Ginza Store” inside of the Hiroshima Brand Shop “TUA” is best. It boasts Tokyo's best selection, with over 400 types! We hear that some tourists from abroad buy several types together. By all means, include this location in your Ginza shopping plan.
Here are some popular Kumano-fude!
The top seller is the “Chikuhodo” set. This is a 68,670 yen item that mainly uses grey squirrel hair.
This is a 38,850 yen set from the same brand. You'll surely be moved by its smooth feel, which does not sting at all.
These flowery face brushes are perfect as presents. The rose-shaped powder brush, for instance, is 5,250 yen.
These are brushes for face washing and shaving, which create a smooth lather. There are also types that allow you to wash your skin as is, cleanly removing old keratin and pore-clogging dirt. From 2,940 yen.
These are original face brushes that are perfect for use with powder. Take note of their short grips, which make them easy to store in pouches. From 6,300 yen.
This set, which contains a cheek brush, two shadow brushes, an eyebrow brush, and a lip brush, is reasonably priced at 10,000 yen. Why not start with this set?
* The right brush changes depending on the type of cosmetics to be used. When making a selection, we recommend matching the brush with your favorite cosmetics and asking the shop for advice.
Kumano-Fude Select Shop Ginza Store
Hiroshima Brand Shop TAU 2F, Ginza Ueichi Building 1-6-10, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-6228-7813
Store Hours: 10:30AM - 8PM
http://www.fude.or.jp/j/kobo/selectshop_ginza.html
http://www.tau-hiroshima.jp
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