Happy Birthday Mr. Uemura & Thank You
Today marks what would have been legendary makeup innovator Shu Uemura’s 80th birthday. And how fitting is it that shu uemura is launching the HANA-BI Summer collection to commemorate this special day and the anniversary of the first boutique opening in Omotesando, Tokyo 25 years ago in 1983.
Shu Uemura was born in 1928 and throughout his childhood, aspired to be an actor. Due to an illness that would inhibit him from pursuing this career, he found a passion in makeup artistry that allowed him an outlet for his creativity and made a lifetime of impact in the beauty world. Here is a timeline of Uemura’s career highs and innovative contributions to the cosmetics industry.
1955 - Shu Uemura gets his big break as an artist when a makeup artist from the set of the movie Joe Butterfly asks him to be his assistant
1965 - Established Shu Uemura Make-Up Institute, the first Hollywood style makeup studio in Japan, bringing home unknown US cosmetic products and giving them to his students
1971 - Established JM Laboratories, Inc. to meet his own stringent standards of skincare and beauty and began in-house production of skincare products
1983 - Opened the first Beauty Boutique in Tokyo’s upscale Omotesando district, followed by an award-winning boutique in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris in 1986
1998 - Launched DEPSEA WATER, the first time deep sea water had been incorporated into a skincare product garnering Uemura worldwide acclaim and numerous awards
2000 - Partnered with the L’Oréal group, pioneering a new chapter in beauty for the new millennium
2005 - Opened Tokyo Lash Bar in shu uemura counters, a modern cosmetics play-space that opened the make-up palette to customers and introduced the launch of annual false eyelash collections
2007 - Launched Phyto-Black Lift, the first anti-aging skincare line based on the power of black phyto-ingredients, followed by the launch of Art of Hair, shu uemura’s first professional hair care line.
What have been your favorite shu uemura innovations or products over the years? I can definitely say that the lash curler is my saving grace and that I wish I could own every pair of their lashes!
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On June 19th, 2008 Denise said:
Do you have one of those eyelash curlers?
On June 19th, 2008 Denise said:
Duh,I didn’t see the bottom of the post! I want one, I remember they had a special 24kt plated one a while back.
On June 19th, 2008 stephanie said:
i used to love his eye lash curler, but i find that the shiseido one fit the shape of my eye better, since it’s flatter.
his brushes, his blushes and most of all, his cleansing oil is what i truly cannot live without. I have 2 back up bottles at all times.
On June 19th, 2008 Lilan said:
Hi Denise,
I love the shu curler! Do you have one?
I don’t think I’d ever splurge on a 24k gold one, but it would be nice to have for sure
On June 19th, 2008 Lilan said:
Hi stephanie,
Thanks for stopping by!
I just recently discovered his cleansing oils as well and I truly like them. But my friend tells me there’s an inexpensive version from DHC that works just the same. Have you tried it?
On June 19th, 2008 MandyPandy said:
Breaks my heart all over again.
On June 20th, 2008 Lilan said:
Don’t be sad Mandy! His ghost is still hanging out and protecting you from beauty faux pas I’m sure!