What Did The Geisha's Use To Create Their Porcelain White Facial Makeup

In the past, there was no electricity in Japan, so artists entertained by dim candlelight. Eventually, they started painting the faces white to look more than cute in such weather condition. Geisha, kabuki actors, court ladies, dancers, etc. adapted the white makeup (oshiroi or shironuri in Japanese) as an essential function of their profession. Not just the face merely also the cervix is painted in the front and back. Geisha paint lines on the back of their necks to make information technology appear longer and slimmer. Such makeup is applied almost every 24-hour interval, every bit the long kimono for dance requires the confront to be painted. For stage performances, even hands and calves are painted white. Commonly, oshiroi takes 30-fifty minutes to apply.

The first pace of the shironuri makeup is applying a thick wax base (abura) onto the bare skin. It'due south melted by the warmth of easily and pressed onto the face up and neck. It smooths the pores and some say information technology heals the pare and prevents sweating!

The eyebrows are layed down with special paste (tsubushi), as they have to be painted with red and black pigment later on. Some geisha shave their eyebrows, then it'south easier to apply the makeup.

The white makeup tin be practical at present. It comes in a form of a white or pinkish powder that tin can be mixed with water to achieve a form of a thick paste. The paste is applied with wide flat brushes so patted with a large makeup sponge. The patting results in a smooth appearance later.

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The pink paste is used for face contouring – nose and eyes area in particular!

The lines in the back are painted while using ii mirrors. For every twenty-four hours look just two lines (eriashi) are necessary, but for special occasions, 3 lines (sanbonashi) are painted with a special stencil.

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The side by side stride is finishing the makeup with black eyeliner and mascara (the first-year maiko might not be allowed to do it) placed on acme of red pigment around the optics. Sometimes a red lipstick is used around the eyes, too.

Finally, the red lipstick (beni) is practical. In the case of the outset-year maiko (except Pontocho commune), the reddish can be applied only on the lower lip. For other maiko and geiko, both lips are painted. The lips are painted smaller than they really are, so they look beautiful and proportional.

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At the cease of the day, geisha wipe off the makeup with a dissolving oil. Wiping off takes only 5-10 minutes.

A brief history of Geisha Makeup

Charming Geisha represents one of the most iconic cultural images in Nihon. The history of a geisha's iconic makeup goes back to the Heian Period (794-1185) where nobility wore the white paste in front of the emperor so that their faces would stand out in the candlelight. During this period, the influence of Chinese culture included trends in beauty and practice. Geishas created a porcelain look for the purpose of showing their emotions clearly to the auditory. This was peculiarly of import in the evening when faces demand to be visible and recognizable. Today, mod Geishas and actors on phase still continue this exercise, with all traditional aspects of classic Geishas appearance.

How to exercise a Geisha makeup

The first step that a geisha takes to putting on her makeup is melting a special wax calledAbura ( 油 ) all over her face and cervix. Geisha warm-up this wax in hands, considering it needs to dissolves into an oily texture. This ensures that all pores and crevices are filled in to give their skin a uniform texture. It as well protects the skin from white pigment.

The adjacent stride involves the most important function of a geisha's makeup: the white foundation calledOshiroi ( 白粉 ). Meaning "White Powder," information technology is carefully mixed with water in a small dish to form a paste. Then that paste is painted onto their faces and cervix with special brushes calledHake ( 刷毛 ). They utilise two different sizes: one that'southward the width of a mitt for large swaths and some other that'southward a few fingers broad for details and minor areas. These brushes are made from badger or caprine animal hair and tin last for a few years.

In a divide dish, she will mix some of the Oshiroi and add some pink pulverisation calledTonoko ( 砥の粉 ) and contour parts of her face. This gives her a less overall pale expect and provides a hit hint of blush when viewed up close.

Then she will paint 2 lines on the back of her neck chosenEriashi ( 襟足 ), meaning "Neck Lines." These two lines serve a dual purpose: the beginning is to give the impression that her makeup is like a mask, and the second is to leave a pocket-size bit of skin showing as traditionally the nape of a adult female's cervix was considered sexy. During formal occasions, she will paint three lines instead of two calledSanbonashi( 三本足 ), which means "3-Pointed Lines."

Afterward the Oshiroi has been practical, she will dab some white powder calledKona Oshiroi ( 粉白粉 ) all over to give her face a softer expect. The pink that she previously practical will prove through as the powder is extremely low-cal.

Next comes the striking red calledBeni ( 紅 ), meaning "Crimson." It is applied with a small brush called a Beni Hake around the ends of the optics, the eyebrows, and the lips. Dissimilar Western make-up, the Beni is used for multiple areas of the face up, which is more akin to a paste than a lipstick. It's dabbed onto the eyes for a soft effect merely painted undiluted onto the lips to make them a bright red. The start-year maiko volition only paint their bottom lip every bit a sign of their immaturity, while maiko from their 2nd year onward and all geisha will pigment both lips. They will pigment their lips slightly smaller than their actual lips to brand them wait cute and more similar flower petals.

Finally, black liner is added to the eyebrows and the eyelids to give them an undeniable sharpness and complete the look.

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Page updated: November 2, 2020