BEAUTY
Makeup Trends to Follow in 2021 | Japan
As we all know, each part of the world does their makeup differently, so what are Japanese makeup sans skincare trends? J-beauty (or beauty trends from Japan) culture has mastered the no-makeup/makeup look first, and you’re gonna want to recreate it ASAP. Makeup and beauty products are heavily emphasized in Japan; department stores and drugstores carry all sorts of products for the rampant beauty lover and for those who like to be more eco friendly. Within just a few blocks, there are often a handful of shops carrying brands, ranging from high-end—Shiseido—to more affordable options—CanMake. Department stores have sections upon sections for skincare and makeup products for their discerning customers.
With my mom being from Japan, she instilled a Japanese skincare routine for me at a young age. She has emphasized how important it is to take care of your skin, with toner and moisturizer being the two main steps I should *never* skip. She has always done her makeup, every single day, no matter what the occasion; she eventually showed me how to do my makeup when I was a teenager. She directed me toward awesome Japanese beauty products and taught me to emphasize my natural features (highlighting that a light makeup look would always be flattering). I’ve grateful to have a mom who is a lover of skincare, beaches and beauty. So, what does a typical makeup bag look like in Japan?
The Skinny on Skin
Typical Japan makeup trends consist of minimalist, flawless, and natural products. With very light coverage foundation and concealer, Japanese women have especially mastered the art of wearing barely-there makeup: a look that has been increasingly popular in Western culture as of late. Women like a very fresh, dewy, seamless finish when it comes to base facial products. Beauty enthusiasts often use powder or liquid foundation, become your own own makeup artist.
VIA BEAU TEA TIME
Goodbye Contour, Hello Blush
We’re all aware of the heavy emphasis on contour Western beauty trends—like sculpted cheekbones or a defined nose—but Japanese makeup fully skips contour and bronzer. Japanese makeup tends to move away from our fave sharp lines in favor of a much softer look, which calls for blush over bronzer. Japanese makeup fans love to add a bit of blush to the apples of their cheeks, even putting some under their eye area to create that round cheek effect. Blush tones can be pink or peach toned, but always applied in a light, natural way.
Eye Shadow: All Natural
J-beauty is known for their smudge-proof liner that lasts all day—that’s some *strength.* Eyeliner is used to define the upper waterline, and maybe create a small, natural wing. In staying with the “soft” trend, brown liner is often the color of choice, as opposed to harsh black winged liners we may see in Western culture.
Shimmery eyeshadow with pinky, peachy, or light-brown tones are used on the eyes as a wash of color (and to add some shine to the lids). Often applied with fingers, this eyeshadow trend is supposed to make the eyes sparkle. Japanese people tend to stray away from matte eye looks, as the whole emphasis on Japanese makeup is dewy, fresh skin.
Lashes are super important in all Japanese makeup styles. Japan is known for having some of the best eyelash curlers on the market: check out the one from Shu Uemura. Curling the lashes opens up the eyes, and Japanese eye makeup is intended to make the eyes appear bigger and rounder for a “cute” effect. Japanese mascaras are highly praised as well, due to them being smudge-proof, waterproof, and jet-black.
VIA BEAU TEA TIME
The Neutral Lip Look
Japanese beauty lip trends also stay in the “natural lane.” Bold colored lips, like a bright reds and super-deep hues, are rarely seen in every-day looks. Lip colors tend to be shiny, but not overly glossy, and they include neutral-colored tones—think rosy pink, taupe, tan, and translucent red. Lip colors have an effervescent sheen to make the lips look healthy and plump, but there is no exaggeration when it comes to lining the lips (no over-lining here!) to make them appear bigger, which is something we see in Western beauty trends. The neutral lip ties in with the rest of the face, giving a youthful, glowy finish.
VIA BEAU TEA TIME
Japanese makeup styles are pretty, youthful, dewy, and super accessible for every-day looks; plus, J-beauty principles are accessible and adaptable for any/all skin tones. J-beauty products are also some of the best in the world, as Japanese quality is often unmatched. Check out some of YRH’s favorite Japanese brands below, and recreate a perfect Japanese look: perfect for summer!
YRH’s fave Japanese brands:
Do you have some favorite beauty brands? Any new makeup looks you’re thinking of trying?
Explore More
