A Guide to Traditional Geisha Makeup

People stare in awe at the porcelain faced geisha girls of Japan, admire how they move and applaud their impeccable manners and ladylike skills that make them the dream of any Japanese man. What people don’t often realize, is that geisha have been around for centuries upon centuries, and are bred and taught at extensive price and payment to both the geisha and her supporters. They are taught to learn to play traditional Japanese instruments, they learn proper tea ceremony procedures and manners, and they of course wear the appropriate dress and makeup that makes them the geisha the world can recognize.

It’s truly amazing all of the word and effort that goes into that breathtaking getup the professional Geisha wears. The makeup and their kimonos, everything from the length to the color, is a signifier of the Geisha’s status. But what goes into that incredibly white face and perfectly rose red lips? Well, ancient techniques that were used by ancient geisha are still alive and well in their honorable tradition today!

Geisha have a world renown white face, as white as snow and as smooth as silk. They get this way not by some jar of liquid makeup and baby powder. What they use is a compound similar to hair wax, called bintsuke wax. When smoothed on the skin, it becomes a wonderful light colored foundation for the snow white rice powder they use over it. Many people hear rumors that geisha traditionally use bird droppings as part of the mixture that makes their skin so white. Well, that’s true! It’s called uguisu no fun, and it’s the droppings of a nightingale, purified and made into a runny paste to mix into geisha face make up. Keep in mind, these were very different times!

The trademark red pouty lips geisha girls sport is from a more pleasant source. The women used a mixture made from mainly safflower petals for their lips, as well as the sides and ends of their eyes and on top of their eyebrows. This creates a huge distinction between the geisha’s ruby red lips, and her soft white skin. Ohaguro is used by geisha as well, to blacken their teeth as they graduate from student to teacher. (Maiko to Geisha!) It is a black, thick paint that sticks to the enamel on your teeth.

The geisha has many more traditional aspects to her ensemble on and around her face, and a lot of them have to do with the elaborate hairstyle they wear. Seasoned geisha wear what’s called a “shimada” hairstyle, using a chignon bun or similar wrap-over bun adorned with many cute clips and beads depending on the geisha’s status. The hairpins, decorations and hairpins are called kanzashi, and they become more ornate and elaborate the more prestigious the geisha.

These women still cling true to ancient traditions and customs, and many even adhere to the exact teachings they used in those times. Geisha makeup is easy to replicate, but the tradition of using natural and old fashioned techniques gives ancient honor to the beautiful women undergoing the transformation from girl to geisha.