Kabuki-Makeup Video by the Kabuki Star. Part 1

Kabuki

Hi! This is Sarah in Tokyo. Are you interested in kabuki-makeup?

Koshiro Matsumoto, one of the kabuki stars, made the makeup video under the state of emergency in Japan. Usually, you can’t look behind the scenes of kabuki. If there wasn’t a corona outbreak, we couldn’t have seen it. Therefor, I have mixed feelings.

Anyway, this makeup video is intriguing.

松本幸四郎、自宅で隈取【歌舞伎ましょう】

Since the video is in Japanese, I’ve put the English explanation below.

The video contains the makeup processes of tachiyaku(leading male-role actor) face, and then Kumadori (shading) face. I have explained the first one this time and will explain the second one next time.

0:00~ Koshiro said “It is the first time for me to disclose the makeup process.”

0:51~ 1. Shaving: He shaved all his eyebrows as a preparation!! “Some other people use bintsukeabura (hair oil), for their eyebrows instead.”

2:25~ 2. Base: He put bintsukeabura on his face, and then put face powder. “The same as normal makeup, applying the base, bintsukeabura, evenly is the most important.”

3:40~ 3. Oshiroi(white power foundation): He applied oshiroi with water over his face. “The key is the bold and speedy brush stroke.” Then he patted his face with a sponge. “I can put face powder evenly if the base is even. Therefore, the base is the key, as I said.” Then he apply face power again to keep his face smooth.

5:14~ 4. Nose: He added oshiroi to his nose to make his nose high bridged. “Applying white (oshiroi) on white makes the naturally defined nose.”

5:49~ 5. Mehari (eye makeup): He applied eyeliner. “The color is nasukon (eggplant) made by mixing beni (crimson, deep red) and little sumi (india ink, black). Symmetrical lines are the basic.”

6:30~ 6. Lip: He applied the same color on his lip. ”Tachiyaku, (leading male-role actor) uses his finger for his lip, while nimaime (handsome man) and onnagata (female-role actor) usually use a makeup brush.”

6:50~ 7. Eyebrows: He drew his eyebrows with matted aburazumi (special pigment for eyebrows).

8:03~ 8. Mehari, again: He added eyelines.

8:39~ 9. Mascara: He wore mascara?! “Fortunately, My eyelashes are long. Therefore, applying mascara makes my eyes big. Mascara makes my eyes more elegant than thick eyelines do.”

9:14~ 10. Finished!: He finised tachiyaku (leading male-role actor) face.

He then started to do kumadori. I will explain it next time. See you!

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