Living legend

For decades, the Shu Uemura brand has been attached to wondrous eyelash curlers (fans include Hollywood royalty such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Madonna), brilliant pearlescent palettes and beautifying cleansing oils (a bottle is sold every 30 seconds worldwide). The unconventional pompadour, with which Shu Uemura launches each mode makeup collection, a new innovation or a newly-opened boutique, never fails to stun the visual senses and upend expectation.

The man behind the brand though solicits a more reverent association. Shu Uemura, the man, is a figure shrouded in the iconic aura reserved for the likes of Liz Taylor and Marilyn Monroe, both of whom were fans of Uemura back in the ‘50s. He is a moving portrait of the Japanese Zen philosophy, a true lover of nature, and a man of steadfast devotion. For almost 50 years, Shu Uemura has promoted the aesthetics of the East and the rich culture of his motherland through his cosmetic line: the minimal designs on his packaging, the Japanese artwork on his limited-edition collaborations, the eyebrow pencil shaped like a samurai sword, the patience and painstaking detail that goes into his makeup application.

His love for nature, nurtured while he was growing up amidst his father’s renowned gardens in Tokyo, is also constantly reflected in the makeup collections he creates and the products he formulates (all Shu Uemura products, even makeup, contain Depsea water, considered to be the purest water in world and extracted from 320 meters below sea level). The brand’s most recent holiday collection, Moondrops, is a maquillage still of the shades that make up the mystery of the evening. Though he has been in the makeup industry for more than 50 years, Shu Uemura is nowhere near slowing down. He takes each day as an adventure, and continues to dazzle with makeup magic as much as philosophical perception.

YStyle: How and why did your fascination with nature start?

Shu Uemura: Nature is source of humanity. So I am always thinking about the safety of the skin. If you want to have a nice makeup result, good skin condition is needed. And to achieve good skin, water is essential to skin. Trying to find and acquire good things for skin: that is what I would call my fascination with "nature."

Which of your products are you proud of the most?

I will say the cleansing oil. As the "father of cleansing oil," it means that it is my son.

How has the high performance cleansing oil evolved since the ‘60s? What kind of resistance did you get when you first developed it? What changes has the cleansing oil gone through?

First of all, I found the cleansing oil Unmask in Hollywood. In Hollywood, the cleansing oil was already popular and every actress was using it. So, I brought it to Tokyo and improved the formula and added ingredients to adapt to Japanese women’s needs. In the beginning, people rejected using the oil in terms of textures. But I have never given up on my quest to improve it, and in believing that women will become beautiful by using the cleansing oil. Today, it is very popular but I will always be improving it for every woman – it is a never-ending process.

How much time do you spend in your gardens? Is this where you gather inspiration for your upcoming collections?

I grew up in the Uemura garden, felt the various seasons there – the four seasons are very important in Japan. I sometimes get the inspiration from the plants and flowers in this garden.

What is your favorite season?

That is a difficult question. I like every season because there are good points for each. In spring, for example, the flowers are blooming.

Describe how you decided to become a makeup artist.

When I was hospitalized for tuberculosis when I was young and was wondering about my future, I thought, "Is there a profession that needs only minimal stamina, one that matches my interests and character, in a field that nobody has tried before?" I came up with makeup and beauty.

What career path would you have taken, had you not decided to become a makeup artist?

If I had not been a makeup artist, I would probably have become a movie actor. I used to belong to the drama club, and I always want to entertain people.

If your makeup and products are for enhancing the skin and physical beauty, what do you recommend for enhancing the spirit?

I think that pursuing beauty enhances the spirit. If people become beautiful, I think that the spirit and the mind also become beautiful.

What part of nature are you most obsessed with?

I would say water. I have products made out of deep sea water and my makeup line also includes deep sea water.

What collaborations have you done in the past and which of these are you most proud of?

It would be the cleansing oil limited edition collaboration with Ai Yamaguchi – it was the first time to have art drawn on the actual bottle.

How did your interest in art begin?

Fortunately, I was exposed to a lot of art and music in my childhood. My father was an eager collector of art works and I was surrounded by various art pieces. That was probably how it all started. Today, I often go to musical performances and concerts.

What beauty secrets do you stand by?

Beauty must be reborn and people must have bien-etre (well- being). This is all about the revivre (rebirth) of beauty and should be the most important existence within the whole body. However perfect physical beauty may be, if it does not coordinate with your well-being, this beauty is a failure.

You’ve been working in the beauty industry for more than 50 years. Do you feel that you get better with age?

I will say that the job is part of my life. I am always interested in creating something regardless of age.

What legacy would you like to leave and be remembered for?

It’s a bit early to ask me this kind of question because my adventure is still continuing. I am always seeking new innovations and creations, and am always venturing into new fields with a spirit of challenge.

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