As an expat in Japan, I’m always curious to learn more about Japanese culture and trends, so what better way to peep inside this box by way of magazines?

Well, we all know that we shouldn’t believe 100% of what we read but at least you can get an idea of what is touted as the ideal in a certain society. And boy, a Japanese fashion magazine definitely leaves many clues.

I’ve always wanted to read Biteki, 美的 (means beauty is possible), so I bought a copy of their April issue last week. It was February and the April issue is out. Now that’s another indication that this country is restless and competitive where trends are concerned.

The other reason why I chose Biteki was the “surprise” freebie that was stated on the cover. It’s also the Japanese answer to Allure in the US. The difference is there are no Hollywood celebs featured, but I couldn’t spot any celeb interview with a Japanese star either. Biteki focuses on beauty, beauty, and beauty.

I discovered quite some time ago that Japanese fashion and beauty magazines give great freebies and a copy only costs anywhere between 500 to 800JPY (USD5.60 to 8.90). From what I see, branded cloth bags and cosmetic pouches are most often packed neatly inside magazines, but once in a while you get something different. I thought that this freebie would be travel-sized cosmetics, but it was really a make up DVD.

I was disappointed because I wanted to try some Lunasol cosmetics but the DVD was very revealing in what kind of looks Japanese women love, so it turned out to be quite interesting, plus there were a few tips which I found illuminating. From my casual perusal, it seems natural, girlish looks are favoured but they are a lot of work. It just brings to mind this quote from the movie Steel Magnolias, “There is no such thing as natural beauty.”

That may be true but the Japanese try their best to enhance their looks through products, rather than cosmetic surgery. It’s hard not to bring up the Koreans who actually accept cosmetic surgery as a part of life, but a survey also found that the average Korean woman puts 17 products on her face before she leaves for work. Wow.

To be continued…

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