The Japanese way of things, so gentle, so Zen, with its focus on being in the moment and the sensorial experience, has been overshadowed by the Korean wave, at least when it comes to skincare and beauty.
For the past decade or so, with the advent of agile and exciting Korean beauty brands fuelled by the raging popularity of Korean pop culture, J-beauty appears to have taken a back seat.
But make no mistake, Japanese beauty brands, who set the OG benchmark for cutting-edge skincare innovations, never went away, and have continued to quietly push the envelope and capture the hearts and dollars of loyal consumers worldwide. As the demand for Korean beauty levels out, has the time come for the delicate yet powerful world of Japanese skincare to shine once again?
But first, a look at the milestones and hallmarks that have catapulted the cult of Japanese beauty to an international audience.
THE PIONEERS AND POWERHOUSES OF JAPANESE SKINCARE
Several brands have played a vital role in shaping the landscape of Japanese skincare. Shiseido, established in 1872 in Ginza, is hailed as one of the oldest cosmetics companies in the world, and has continually pushed boundaries over the decades with product innovations and breakthrough research.
It remains a behemoth in the beauty industry, owning dozens of prestige brands, from Japanese labels such as Cle de Peau Beaute and Issey Miyake to international brands like Drunk Elephant and Dr Dennis Gross.
Another storied Japanese name is Shu Uemura. Founded in 1967 by make-up artist Shu Uemura, it gave the world the iconic cleansing oil, which combined botanical oils with cutting-edge technology which targeted different skin concerns, and introduced make-up collections steeped in Japanese artistry.
