More and more Japanese men are now using eyelash extensions as part of their grooming. Are they too beauty-conscious or should all men employ this beauty hack?
After striding zigzag through the throng of locals and tourists over Shibuya Crossing – possibly the world’s most heavily used pedestrian scramble – I make my way up the Dogenzaka Street in search of this place that would sooner or later shake up the sense of men’s beauty of the world.
Walking past the police station stands a greyish white apartment building with wooden entrance doors. I somewhat apprehensively open the doors to realise that I am in the right place – the information board on the wall read: “CRAZY BEAUTY MEGALASH Co., Ltd.”.
Located on the top floor of the apartment building, Crazy Beauty is a true hidden gem for beauty-conscious people of all ages and nationalities. Crazy Beauty is a beauty salon that specialises in eyelash extensions and offers extensive service available to both women and men.
Admittedly, long and thick eyelashes are an iconic part of women’s face even to this day, but such conception has slowly yet surely been changing. “Every day we have male customers coming in, although the proportion is still about 10%”, says the shop manager Misa.
“The number of male customers has been increasing every year over the past five years … and I think the number will grow even further in the years to come.”
So, why are eyelash extensions catching on amongst Japanese men?
“Because many Japanese men have thin eyelashes compared to foreigners,” explains Shima, a male ‘lash artist’ at Crazy Beauty. “More and more of them are starting to feel the need of strengthening their impression with thicker eyelashes [following the westernisation from social media].”
Hitoshi, one of the Japanese male customers, agreed to answer where his motivation for the lash extension was coming from: “I was told by my friend(s) that my eyes don’t give much impression, so I looked up on the Internet how I could improve my impression with the eyes and learnt about eyelash extensions for men.”
It was only a day or two ago when he decided to get the extension. Although he said he was a bit nervous, it was quite easy for him to make the decision given that the first counselling and the lash application was done by Shima, who is also a male.
“Especially with male staff members, it is easy for male customers to feel at home … just like hair salons. It [men’s eyelash extension] is definitely getting more common,”
says Shima who recommends extensions for men of all ages and nationalities.
That being said, can it actually be recommended to men outside Japan, let alone outside Asia?
Interestingly, as Misa pointed out that 10% of their customers are male – and of which, male customers come from not only Japan but literally all over the world. Whether it be those who are currently living and working in Japan or those who are just travelling in Japan, eyelash extensions actually are mainstream for all men.
Age of male customers ranges anywhere from 10 to 60; those in their 10s and 20s are mainly the fashionable ones and recent graduates hunting jobs and thus want to brush up on their first impression, those in their 30s and 40s being sales people, young entrepreneurs as well as those in the TV/entertainment industry, those in 50s and 60s being attractively health-and-beauty-conscious seniors.
The founder and CEO Yumi Ozaki herself spent time working in the US, studying the latest trends and the cutting-edge techniques used by one of the most popular salons in the country called LASH SPOT. She then brought home such experiences and techniques to Japan and that is how the company Crazy Beauty started.
As the Crazy Beauty founder was on the training back in the US, eyelash extensions were already popular particularly amongst male actors and male models. One reason why men’s eyelash extensions are catching on in Japan is because of the price.
Misa says the average market price for men’s eyelash extensions is somewhere between Y7,000 and Y10,000 (which is approximately £50-70) whereas in the US the price could climb up to $130-300 (approx. £100-120). Prices vary depending on the salon, its location, its service and such, but eyelash extension salons in Japan are generally way cheaper than elsewhere despite its top-notch quality.
Crazy Beauty is well-known for using special Russian sable hairs which are thinner than ordinary hairs made from minks’ hair, making them a great option for men of all ethnicities who prefer a natural look rather than a fluffy and full look. The lashes are available in a number of different colours, meeting the needs of each and every single customer.
Now that we know that eyelash extensions are becoming gender-fluid and even popular amongst men on a global scale, how does the sense of beauty in Japan compare to that in the West?
Out of curiosity, I ventured to get myself the extension too. I reflect on my first-ever eyelash extension experience (as a straight man, in case you’re wondering) quite positively. And yet, like many other things in life, men’s eyelash extensions also come with both pros and cons.
First of all, one of the good things is that you can instantly look attractive without damaging your natural lashes and they look really natural without anyone noticing. This gets people believing that you’re a natural beauty and this boosts your self-confidence. However, this is only if your technician is skilled and certified, so make sure you do thorough research on the salon and technician online first.
Another good thing is that the service is specifically tailored to your needs and expectations. If you ever don’t like the look, you can just go back to the salon and ask your technician to take them off. The removal process only takes about 10-20 minutes for free of charge or less than $30 – this depends on the salon. Alternatively, if you don’t have the time to physically go to the salon, just remember we all lose three to five lashes every day and in four to five weeks, your faux lashes will all be gone as your natural lashes continue the cycle of growing, shredding and being dormant.
On the other hand, the side notes would be that you will have to be extra careful not to touch your eyelashes. This means that you will have to give upon the luxury of showering your face with nice hot water after a long day at work or at Uni. Also, you can’t sleep with your face snuggling into your favourite pillows. These can cause your faux lashes to fall off with your natural grown lashes as well as your baby lashes in the worst-case scenario.
Another thing is that this is a time-consuming and expensive habit. A full application from scratch can take up to 90 to 120 minutes and a refill application ranges from an hour to 90 minutes. While getting extensions in Japan is relatively cheaper than in the US and Europe, you are advised to go to the salon every couple of weeks, which means anywhere from $100-200 will sprout wings and fly out of your bank account every one to one and a half months. So, you will have to make sure this is the right investment for yourself.
As my last reflection, men’s eyelash extensions seem to be merely one of the many things today that exemplifies diversification in the wake of the expansion of and understanding for anything non-binary all over the world. What used to be just for one gender in the past is now being considered gender-fluid, with Crazy Beauty holding the flags of diversity and globalism lashed down in the heart of Tokyo.