Kissing and making up in Tokyo

When I was younger, I wanted to start my own cosmetic line. It was to be called Gish after the actress Lilian Gish. I imagined all the fabulous ad campaigns that I would have and all the witty names that my colors would bear. I actually went as far as contacting a generic cosmetic company in Queens, New York, that makes and packages your stuff in pre-made colors. It was kind of downhill from there. Cosmetics are supposedly the luxury for women of an egalitarian world.

Surely it should be something more than crack cosmetics from Queens.

The cosmetics industry is one of the upwardly thriving industries netting billions a year. Whether its ploy is to pick on women’s insecurities or be really cute purse candy, there are a few noble brands that do more than just be marketing jewels. Like Shiseido.

I grew up with Shiseido. My mother was an avid fan – she adored their foundation because it suited Asian complexions at a time when most foundations came in rosy hues better suited to the yodeling Heidis of the West. So it was always around and it still serves as a staple in her dresser... and now mine.

When I was assigned by the editor to experience Shiseido’s full cosmetic experience in Tokyo, I was game. Four days of makeup talk and we even got a slot for an exclusive interview with Tom Pecheux, the creative director of Shiseido and their reigning muse Anouck Lepere.

When you hit Tokyo with Shiseido in mind you realize that the company owns Tokyo! From 24-hour convenience stores to the toniest of cosmetic temples, their products line the shelves in a manner that will jar you with volume and selection. There’s no doubt that Shiseido is part of what defines beauty in Japan.

Shiseido’s imposing and impressive Ginza building is proof of its legacy and its direction towards the future. Despite the fight buildings that surround it, the structure shines. It was the original building where the brand first started and now it serves as the venue for some of the hottest bars, restaurants and bakeries in Tokyo. This is also where Shiseido holds office and educates people about the products. In Harajuku they also have an interesting showroom where you can try top-shelf Shiseido products, but you might have to buy it someplace else.

But to truly learn about Shiseido you have to go to the Shiseido Research Center where floors are divided into hair care, skincare and cosmetics. It’s amazing to see industrial vats filled with some of the most precious skin creams which are poured into sophisticated pots. The research is thorough – as in there’s like a philosophy of trying to trump oneself over and over again until perfection is achieved. To most parts of the world perfection is elusive, but not here where it is the only accepted standard.

It was a trip going around, seeing samples of hair lining basins as they tested out shampoo. The cosmetics were so great I wanted to steal them all. The skincare line now is better appreciated since, one, it’s not tested on animals, and two, the research that goes into it is tremendous.

Meeting the faces of Shiseido was also a pleasure. At the Park Hyatt in Tokyo where Lost in Translation was filmed, we met Tom and Anouck. Much to my surprise, Tom told me that we had already met. Me and gay men, indeed. We traced it to a rather fabulous night in Hong Kong at the Kee Club several years ago. I was rather embarrassed that I was not able to recall our meeting. One, because I’m an idiot and two, I did not know the gift of being with someone who, aside from having incredible talent, has touched the face of Esther (formerly known as Madonna – he is her makeup artist).

Tom was a pastry chef who decided to bake goodies for the face instead. "I like to do things that make me happy. Food makes me happy. Sex makes me happy. And most of all, beauty makes me happy," he says, sounding like a Grade A Frenchman indeed. He oversees the collections for each season and creates the star products. For fall/winter 2005 it’s all about "glamour, a return to the good times," Tom declares. The colors are gilded and rich. My personal favorite is Cantaloupe, a slightly matte coral color that I believe every woman should have in their pockets.

His cream blushers, dreamy and lightweight sticks of heaven, color cheeks much "like you just had very good time," Tom says suggestively. Talk about knowing how to use icing properly.

His dream is to create a foundation spray that will allow women to achieve coverage in seconds. His dream is my dream now, too. Anouck was as sweet as she looked. She looked very much like a Berlin art student who just happened to be a French supermodel in her clever denim outfit. Her taste in clothing suggests that she’s not part of the St. Tropez Flavio Briatore bitches. She’s more interested in more noble things like architecture and literature. She was also excited to show her brother around since it was his first time in Tokyo. I was fighting the urge to ask if he was cute.

The experience was grand. I’m not really a convert since I’ve been a fan since birth, especially of their makeup line. But it’s like a honeymoon – you renew your love for something that you’ve loved for so long and now it’s even stronger.