Fragrance house

Shu Uemura

Shu Uemura was founded by Japanese makeup artist Shu Uemura, who established Japan Makeup in 1967. His early identity was shaped by a Hollywood makeup career and by a philosophy that makeup should enhance individual beauty rather than create an entirely different person. In 1967, the company introduced Unmask, an oil cleanser at a time when oil cleansing was not yet common in Japan; in 1968, it presented its first mode makeup collection, framing makeup as an artistic and fashion-related form of expression. The brand opened its first Tokyo boutique in Omotesando in 1983, with open testers and transparent presentation that made experimentation part of the retail experience. L’Oréal became its majority shareholder in Japan in 2003 and consolidated the business globally from January 1, 2004. Today, Shu Uemura is described as a Japanese-origin international makeup-artist brand combining Japanese aesthetics, precision, detail, crafted-in-Japan tools, and self-expression.