I’m coming back from Japan and the Jetlag and Onigiri withdrawals have finally left my system :) Japan was everything I expected it to be and more, from seizure inducing robot shows to fish market debauchery at 3:00am, it was incredible. My friends and I are fairly open to new and fun experiences, so when one of us brought up the idea of getting Geisha makeovers and taking professional photos, the obvious answer was… “Duh!”.
One of the first things we did in Kyoto was travel to the Gion district to a traditional studio that focuses on Geisha style photo shoots. From the minute we walked in, to the moment we left, was an experience.
Makeup Room:
After filling out a form that I HOPE was a photo release? We walked into a room where I met my makeup artist Mei, who led me to her makeup station. The room was set up so a maximum of 4 women could get their makeup done at the same time, so this was perfect for me and my friends.
Setup:
My makeup station had a set of brushes and foundations that each makeup artist used on all of their clients. Mei had a range of foundations and liquid liners that were White, Black and Red.
Process:
When I say this was a process, I mean This. Was a MF PRO-CESS. Mei prepped my skin with a type of wax and then topped that wax with baby oil.. Now, most of you know— baby oil and wax isn’t always the safest way to prime your skin before makeup application, but I figured there was some sort of reasoning behind it. The white foundation they used on me was placed on my back, my decollate, neck and ALL OVER my face. Mei used a wide Ita brush to place the foundation, and then set the foundation with a large velour puff. Click the links below for videos.
Video 1
Video 2
Style:
Based on traditional Geisha makeup, they used different techniques to make us look younger. The blush placement was directly below the eyes, and around the perimeter of the face. The red lipstick was placed inside the lip line and my eyebrows were waxed down and filled with red liner. According to the culture, red represents youthfulness, so the placement of red blush and accents are to represent a young, fresh face. I think i look like; if Mulan and Casper had a baby.. voila:
When we all finished, i could NOT stop laughing! I was happy I experienced wearing a traditional Kimono and donned the makeup of a Geisha, but once I saw all of us in the mirror, i laughed so hard I almost cried off ALL my makeup. For California girls who listen to Fetty Wap and Rich Homie Quan, dressing up as Geisha's was a once in a lifetime experience we will never forget.
Can you tell which one I am?
Neither can I..