From Monday, March 13, everyone in Japan will be able to decide whether to wear a mask to protect themselves from the epidemic. The media found that people are buying new cosmetics, trying to solve skin problems, etc.
Kyodo News reports an uptick in lipstick sales even though the recent outbreak of pneumonia has reduced demand for the product. People are visiting medical aesthetic facilities in more significant numbers as the end of the school year approaches because there will be more opportunities for formal photographs. Programs that teach people how to fix people’s teeth and make them smile again are also quite common.
On a recent Friday night, a woman in her thirties from Furuya City, who works for a local company, was in the makeup section of JR Nagoya Takashimaya. What did she say? “If I don’t hide my face, I’ll have to apply more layers of makeup each time. A life where I can remove my mask seems inevitable, so I intend to be well-prepared for it. Again, I can’t wait.”
Lipstick sales increase by 20%
According to reports, the store’s lipstick sales jumped by about 20% year over year from January to February, likely due to the increased demand for the product and the increased opportunity to remove masks around the New Year.
Both bestsellers at Yokkaichi’s Kintetsu Department Store are lipstick and skin care products to counteract the aging effects of mask use. Cosmetics manager Tomoka Usami said, “we are feeling the positive mood from customers.”
There has been a rise in the use of dermatological services offered by medical clinics and beauty parlors.
Women between the ages of 40 and 69 make up the bulk of patients at Sakura Beauty Surgery in Tsu for mouth peripheral procedures. While hyaluronic acid is effective for lines and is frequently out of stock, questions like “I want to get rid of the acne that I used to cover up with a mask” and “I don’t mind the sagging skin” continue to come in.
Young people’s expressionless faces become a problem
Representative Takumi Tezuka from Tokyo’s Handsome Man Production, a retailer of men’s hair styling products and eye makeup, said, “Internet conferences now have higher resolution screens, so it’s more likely that attendees will see each other’s faces. This has led to an increase in men’s appreciation of physical attractiveness “. He is confident that the company’s signature product will remain a best seller even after removing the masks.
More than three times as many people have applied to “Smile Education,” a company in Amako, Kanagawa Prefecture that provides smile training to businesses and others since last November when the removal of masks became a topic of discussion. Keiko Kawano, the company’s representative director, revealed that some business leaders asked about the problem of “expressionless young people who spend a large part of their lives as students wearing masks.”
Many singles in their twenties and thirties take advantage of private lessons to improve their dating prospects. Participants were instructed to practice smiling and were given a small mirror to check their expressions. Kawano states, “Students have told me they feel more positive after practicing their smiles. I’m happy that I can help others appreciate the value of a cheerful demeanor.”
