J-Beauty: The Original Skinimalism

The pared-down, simple approach that defines Japanese skincare is making a big comeback, and this brand is leading the way.

- Vanessa Chia

Fast beauty has, in recent years, made it easy for us to satisfy our beauty cravings for new, trend-focused and entertaining products. Just look at K-beauty’s fastmoving ingredient discoveries, innovative products and quirky packaging.

But sometimes, we need a simpler approach. And that’s what Japanese beauty, or J-beauty, brands with their slower, more measured approach, offer. In fact, the Japanese term “wabi-sabi” is the perfect description of how beauty is viewed in the country. Known as the art of “imperfect perfection”, it translates into a minimal aesthetic and a lessis-more philosophy.

“J-beauty is all about simplicity… we try to utilise products that are used in the way they are conceived or [how they are sourced]. This is something that makes J-beauty quite different from other types of beauty care options,” says Meeth founder, Japanese model-actress Sonmi.

Instead of charging ahead, many J-beauty brands prefer to take their time to invest heavily in research and development, and do countless rounds of trials, before introducing a product to the industry.

And it seems like J-beauty is having a resurgence. Gabriella Beckwith, a senior analyst for beauty and fashion at global market research company Euromonitor International, says that with customers prioritising quality over quantity, and with the focus on science-backed breakthrough formulas (qualities that J-beauty is well-known for), Japanese beauty brands are the ones to watch.