HALLOWEEN LOOK: GEISHA/MAIKO MAKEUP ATTEMPT

Geishas are highly trained professional women whose job is traditionally to entertain men... that alone explains why they are dressed in expensive looking kimonos, their very glamorous(atleast in the early years) hair where there is not a strand out of place & the very artistic white makeup.... their stories & traditions are very interesting but what interests me the most is the makeup they wear & the meaning behind it... I guess the white makeup is worn depending on the age of the lady wearing it & to categorize the occasion a Geisha will be attending... the V or W shape symbols seen on the nape may indicate whether the event they are attending is a normal event(V) or a formal event(W).... this is also done to accentuate the back of the neck which is a traditional Japanese erotic area.... the line of bare skin around the hairline also creates the illusion of a mask....

another thing that caught my interest is the shape of their lips, at first I didn't think anything of it, then I got curious & that's when I found out that the shape of the lips & how much is painted on them (top, bottom, both) can distinguish how old the Geisha or Maiko is, where they are from, & how far she is in training...

there's a lot more technicality in the makeup worn by Geishas or Maikos & etc... but I just wanted to try & create my own version of a Geisha makeup....

I found this picture & made it as my inspiration....

& here is my own version.... a modern geisha...

PRODUCTS USED:

-face-
Clinique dramatically different moisturizing gel
Carnival Colors Makeup - White (bought from a halloween store today... I don't recommend these cheap makeups, they are a pain to apply... I mean I guess I shouldn't have expected anything from it, besides it was only $3.99... I just bought it coz I wanna try the Geisha makeup so bad & I don't have any white makeups... I would probably invest on a real theatrical makeup like Ben Nye, Mehron, Graftobian or Kryolan in the future)
Coastal Scents Silica Powder (to set the white makeup, which is probably not a great idea coz it made the makeup cake like heck on my whole face)

-cheeks-
NARS blush - Desire (used a credit card to make a really defined line)

-eyes-
Spirit Gum adhesive (also bought from the halloween store.... used to tame my browse for concealing)
Pro 88 Matte Color eyeshadow palette (colors used are marked X on the image below)
MAC fluidline - Blacktrack (as liner & brow color.... no cat-eye today, lined my eyes pointing downward for that Japanese looking eyes)
Revlon ColorStay eyeliner - Black (on bottom waterline)
Shiseido Lasting Lift mascara - Black

-lips-

Smith's Rosebud Salve
NYX round lipstick - Eros

 

have you seen the round lipsticks in this packaging? for some reason the last time I bought some round lipsticks from NYX, they came in this packaging....

instead of this....

did you ever get this from the NYX website??? or did I get gypped???

anyhoo... back to the Geisha look....

this one seem to remind me of those Geisha porcelain dolls/figurines with chubby ass cheeks & smiling with their tiny eyes....

like this one....

teehee...

& now leaving you with my favorite picture of the bunch.....

hope you liked this look....

I didn't dress up for halloween, the Geisha outfit was too expensive for my broke ass... besides I didn't wanna buy a costume that I am only gonna wear once, I'm saving that moment for my wedding dress... **wink** LOL.... but yeah, I decided to just play with my makeup, just because I don't have a matching outfit doesn't mean it'll stop me from doin makeup!! what's my Pashmina scarf doin anyway right?!?!

did you dress up for halloween??? what costume did you wear?? did you get to use your makeup skillz???