A geisha is highly known for her meticulous upkeep of her looks. Her appearance changes throughout her career, from the girlish, heavily made-up maiko to the more sombre appearance of an older, established geisha. Here, we look into the beauty trademarks of the Geisha and their significance.
White Face
In modern times, the traditional makeup of apprentice geisha is one of their most recognisable characteristics, though established geisha generally wear only full white face makeup, characteristic of maiko, during special performances. It is also said that white skin was considered the most beautiful for women at that time.
Nape of neck
The white makeup covers the face, neck, and chest, with two or three unwhitened areas (forming a W or V shape, usually a traditional W shape) left on the nape to accentuate this traditionally erotic area and a line of bare skin around the hairline, which creates the illusion of a mask.
Red Lips
Rarely will a geisha colour both lips fully in the Western style, as white creates optical illusions, and fully colouring the lips would make them appear overly large. The lower lip is coloured partially, and the upper lip is left white for a maiko in her first year, after which the upper lip is coloured. A newly full-fledged geisha will colour only the top lip. Most will wear the top lip coloured fully or stylised, and the bottom lip in a curved stripe that does not follow the shape of the lip. She will round the bottom lip to create the illusion of a flower bud.
Red is also applied around the eyes. Young maiko might use more of it than older maiko, which would signify their youthfulness.
Geisha Hair
Geishas and Maikos wear a particular chignon bun style called the Shimada. There are four major types of shimada, and they are worn accordingly to the geisha’s ranking. These hairstyles are decorated with elaborate hair combs and hairpins (kanzashi). They sleep with their necks on small supports (Takamakura) instead of pillows, so they keep their hairstyle perfect.
Geisha Skincare Rituals
Apart from the intricate preparations the geisha makes for a grand performance, it is equally important to have thorough beauty rituals to maintain her porcelain skin. Many traditional Japanese ingredients have endured for decades, proving that natural and organic skincare works best on chemically exposed skin.
The Geisha Organic Facial has also been hailed as one of the most well-loved face treatments locally. This 90-minute treatment is appropriately named, as the traditional ingredients used, such as Azuki red bean, Komenuka rice bran, and even nightingale droppings, were what Geisha and Maiko used on their faces for porcelain skin.
Here’s what we love about Geisha Organic Facial:
- When combined with the unique Japanese Ki massage method, the active ingredients are fully optimised to beautify the skin.
- Includes a thorough cleansing, exfoliation, meridian massage, and lymphatic drainage with a jade roller.
- It is hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive and dry skin.
