Spirit of Bimajo
There was a commercial by SK-II, the Japanese skin care cosmetic brand, back when I was in school. I remember so vividly their phrase in the commercial, "if there are more 50 year-old beautiful women, Japan will change."
My mom got all the SK-II for me when I visited Japan last year-she's GOD to me.
SK-II is a semi luxury brand targeting from mid 20s to older women and I grew up thinking it's something my mom would use, and now I must say I cannot say enough about how amazing their products are.
Being Asian in America means you are automatically seen underage and getting ID checked at every bars you go.
That was the first culture shock experience coming to America from where I could start going to a bar when I was 15..well, not legally of course but back then it was so much easier in Japan.
Now, I am still told that I look like 15 year-old (which is almost half of my actual age,) I cannot stop thinking how ridiculous it must have looked when I was drinking at bars at age of 15.
As mysterious as Asian genes, Japan now has the beauty contest called Bimajo (beauty witches) contest.
From the 2014 5th Annual Bimajo Contest image. The winner is 43 year-old mom (She has 3 kids!)!!
This contest is just like a regular beauty contest but the contestants are all late 30s, mostly 40s women.
Second place winner. She's 47 year-old! Wowza.
Here's the video from 2014 contest.
They are regular housewives, moms, and working moms, just like every day normal Japanese women, but they are beauty witches!
Just a normal happy photo of sisters or friends gathering with their babies you would think, this is actually a 42 year-old mom (on the right) and her two daughters, 22 and 19 year-old, (left and the middle) with their babies. So she is a GRANDMA.
This Bimajo movement started getting more popular in the last some years.
(They even have a Facebook page. )
It is quite amazing to see all these Bimajo ladies because I think it shows women in the 20s and 30s that these Bimajo contestants were just like them- They maybe watch what they eat, work out, and prepare for the contest but more importantly they are proud of themselves regardless of their age, occupation, or their career. And it is inspiring.
She is one of the beauty witches, and is a 49 year-old CEO!
I think this movement came around the perfect time since women are getting socially and economically more independent and more powerful in Japan.
It is inspiring because they are comfortable with their age. They don't dress like they are too old to dress up. They are confident and enjoying being a woman.
Bimajo spirit is ageless, and its spirit of mind is timeless.
I'd like to keep making timeless pieces as well.
I've always looked forward to seeing my 40s and 50s.
Well, here's the last sticker I'll put out.
Thanks for reading.
それは昔、SK-IIのコマーシャルで
「美しい50歳が増えたら、日本は変わると思う。」みたいな事を言っていたのをご存知でしょうか？
かれこれ中学だか高校位の時に観たんですが、その時は正に母親位が使う化粧品としか思ってませんでした。メナードのCMも然り。
日本に帰った時母が一式揃えてくれました。神！
ところがそれも今となっては駆け込み寺扱いしていた SK-IIも普段使い、
肌への浸透の仕方も半端ない。歳取ったんだ！！と思わされます。
アメリカに来てからは何せ超アジアな見た目の私プラス童顔なので未だにバーに行っては年齢を確認されます。（こっちは21歳から飲酒解禁なのです。）
まだ15 歳位に間違えられたりもするのですが、15とか、日本では飲み歩きを開始し出していた歳。。今思うと恐ろしい程子供な見た目の私が堂々とお酒を飲んでいれた当時の日本。。変わりましたねー。最近は。
そんな中、美魔女なるものを発見したのですが、
それはそれは素晴らしいブームだと思います。
主婦でも、ワーキングマムでも、これだけ綺麗な見た目の30代後半、40代の女性が居るというのは20代の女の子にもとても励みになると思います。
正直こっち来て余計思いますが、日本人の40代は綺麗です。
世界的に見ても綺麗です。
だってこの準グランプリのひと、47歳て。
これも衝撃でしたが、この左のひとおばあちゃんなんですね。
姉妹と子供の写真かと思ったら、母と２人娘にその子供、て。孫！！みたいな。
参りました。
このひとも49歳とかで社長。素敵ですね。こういう日本の女性が自立して、社会的にも経済的にも強くなっていくのはとっても良い事だと思います。
男中心でまわる社会で頑張る女性が美しいというのは結構強い武器になると思います。
何より女性が歳を取る事に後ろめたさを感じなくなる社会なんて正に理想じゃないですか！
こういう精神は大事です。私はもうオバちゃんだから。。といって着飾らなくなるとオバちゃんに見えるのは当然です。背筋を伸ばして、好きな服を着て自分が一番心地よい状態でいられる、余裕のある大人の女性。そんなひとはいくつになっても魅力的に見えます。
私もタイムレスなジュエリーを作っていきたいと思っています。。
最後に、アジア人の典型的な歳の取り方、と題してこのふざけたイラストで今回はおしまいです。
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読んでくれたひと、ありがとう。
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