Pop Japan

Geisha’s makeup is one of their most acknowledged characteristics. In the video, you can recognize that traditional geisha wears a full white base face makeup, with a deep red lipstick, and red and black accents around the eyes and eyebrows. The thick white base makeup was originally made from lead. However, it was substituted with white rice powder because people discovered that lead contained poisonous elements that were harmful to the skin. 

Applying geisha’s make up is very time-consuming. The first step is applying a wax or oil-based substance called bintsuke-abura to the neck and face. This is a must to set the white paste-like foundation to the face. After applying the base, pat it with a sponge to remove excessive moisture and blend the foundation. The eyes and eyebrows are then drawn using a charcoal. To finish the look, the lips are given a full red get up.

Tags: geisha's makeup, traditional geisha, red lipstick, bintsuke abura, charcoal