The Complete Geisha Skin Care Routine | 2019
There are a few things that come to mind whenever Japan is mentioned: sushi, Mt. Fuji, and, of course, Geishas. These elegant performers are famed for their exquisite beauty, colorful robes, and the immaculate Geisha skin care regimen.
If you’re looking to channel your inner Geisha, look no further! In this post, the beauty experts at SiO reveal the secrets to Geisha skin care and walk you through the perfect Geisha skin care routine.
A Brief History Of Geishas
Geishas originated in Kyoto, a city about 250 miles southwest of Tokyo, sometime around the eighth century. Traditionally, Geishas were trained in a number of art forms, like singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments. This is reflected in the word “Geisha” itself. It translates to something like “performance artist” or, more generally, “entertainer.”
Of course, Geisha skin care has also been a huge part of Geisha culture for centuries. A woman named Victoria Tsai actually found a 200-year-old Japanese manuscript detailing Geisha skin care practices. Excerpts of the manuscript are translated and discussed in Tsai’s book Pure Skin: Discover the Japanese Ritual of Glowing.
Geisha Skin Care Practices
One of the most notable aspects of Japanese skin care is a focus on homeopathic treatments and natural ingredients. For instance, it’s said that once upon a time, Geishas would dip scraps of silk left over from sewing kimonos in flower water and cover their faces with them. Sound familiar? It’s basically the world’s very first sheet mask.
Legend also has it that Geishas used to bathe in the milky rice water left over after boiling rice. Rice contains gamma-oryzanol, a powerful antioxidant that’s thought to boost collagen production, so there’s actually some evidence that bathing in rice water is super beneficial for your skin.
Now, we’re not saying you have to take a bath in rice water every day to have beautiful, glowing skin. But it definitely makes the point that Geisha skin care is more than just old wives’ tales.
The real lesson to be learned here is that an effective skin care routine doesn’t require dozens of expensive products full of fancy ingredients. Sometimes, a simple, natural approach will produce the best results. Let’s go over these natural methods now as we reveal the ultimate Geisha skin care routine.
The Ultimate Geisha Skin Care Routine
You may have heard about lengthy, 10-step Korean or Japanese beauty routines that take ages and cost a small fortune. This isn’t the case with a Geisha skin care routine.
Despite the gorgeous gowns and meticulously-applied makeup, Geisha skin care is actually a natural and minimalist approach. Here are the seven steps to the ultimate Geisha skin care routine.
1) Remove Makeup With An Oil-Cleanse
Double-cleansing is vital to Geisha skin care success. The very first step in the Geisha skin care routine is to wash your face with an oil-based cleanser. This cleanse removes makeup, moisturizers, and other products.
Why an oil-cleanse? It’s necessary to get all that makeup off! And if you think about how much makeup Geishas wear, it makes sense that an oil cleanser does a much better job than an ordinary one.
Oil-based cleansing may be new to the Western world, but it’s a time-tested tradition in Japan. In fact, The Tale of Genji, a famous Japanese novel written in the early 11th century by a woman named Murasaki Shikibu, mentions women using oil to cleanse their hair and faces.
2) Cleanse Your Skin More Deeply
Yes, this means washing your face a second time—the other half of your double-cleanse. Why is double-cleansing important? Because once you’ve removed all the makeup from your face, it’s easier to wash away dirt and impurities and clear your pores.
For this second step, use a gentle, foaming product that will cleanse thoroughly without drying out your skin.
3) Exfoliate Delicately
Most women exfoliate once or twice per week. Geishas, however, are not most women. In a traditional Geisha skin care routine, daily exfoliation is recommended.
But we’re not talking about exfoliating with harsh products that contain microplastics or other harmful ingredients. We’re talking about using natural exfoliators to delicately wash away dead skin.
Traditionally, Geishas used finely-ground rice powder to exfoliate. This is yet another time-tested beauty method! You can use rice powder to exfoliate too.
Always remember to be gentle with your skin and lather delicately. Daily exfoliation can be a great way to achieve radiant skin, but it can also cause irritation and redness. This is especially true if you have a dry skin type.
4) Treat Your Skin With A Serum
After you’ve double-cleansed and exfoliated, your skin is ready to absorb some active ingredients. Serums are an effective way to give your skin all the nutrients it craves. Look for a serum with Vitamin E for providing hydration, hyaluronic acid for boosting collagen, and retinol for fighting wrinkles.
Expert tip: for a secret weapon in the battle against wrinkles, try SiO Beauty patches tonight. All you need to do is wear them while you sleep, and you’ll wake up to smoother, younger-looking skin!
5) Nourish Your Skin With A Facial Mask
The next step in your Geisha skin care routine is putting on a sheet mask. As we mentioned earlier, this has been a part of Geisha skin care for hundreds of years!
If sheet masks aren’t your thing, try a different all-natural facial mask. You can make a homemade mask out of various household items—cucumber, avocado, papaya, yogurt, and many others.
Don’t hesitate to experiment with different masks! And remember that masking once or twice per week is enough to keep your skin dewy and beautiful.
6) Apply A Natural Moisturizer
Moisturizing is just as crucial in a Geisha skin care routine as it is in any other skin care routine. Your skin needs moisture to be healthy! So, make sure to apply moisturizer at least twice per day—once in the mornings, at then again at night before you to go to bed.
Find a moisturizer with natural ingredients like aloe vera, coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax. Avoid moisturizers with parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances.
7) Protect Your Skin From The Sun
The final step in the perfect Geisha skin care routine is applying sunscreen. We’re sure you know how harmful the sun’s UV rays are for your skin, so we’ll spare you the lecture. Just make sure to put on a little SPF every morning before you leave home.
3 Bonus Geisha Skin Care Tips
Just to make sure your skin stays as smooth and beautiful as a Geisha’s, we have three additional skin care tips for you!
1) Pat And Massage Your Products On
Applying serums and lotions in a circular motion can actually damage your delicate skin. Instead, try patting and massaging your products on from your chin up to your forehead. The idea is to gently pat and push your skin up, rather than pulling it in all directions.
2) Take A Holistic Approach To Skin Care
Geisha skin care doesn’t stop with taking care of your skin. It’s about your health overall! Below are a few tips that will keep your skin looking young and smooth.
- Get at least seven hours of beauty sleep every night.
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat plenty of anti-aging foods.
- Drink lots of water and green tea.
If you want to get the most out of your Geisha skin care routine, you’ve got to take care of your body inside and out.
3) Wear SiO Beauty Patches
They might not be part of a traditional Geisha skin care routine, but SiO Beauty patches are an extremely effective way to improve your skin’s health while you sleep!
In clinical trials on almost 100 women, dermatologists found that SiO Beauty patches reduce wrinkle depth in as little as one night.
Wear SiO Beauty patches on your neck, brow, and the edges of your eyes and mouth to experience all the beautifying benefits they have to offer. Simply apply the patches at the end of your nightly skin care routine, get a good night’s rest, and wake up to smoother, younger-looking skin.
If you want the skin of a Geisha, follow the tips we’ve provided here and start wearing SiO Beauty patches tonight!