Edo Beauty

An Edo beauty prepares for her daily skin care ritual. A vermilion cloth at her mouth contains an ancestral secret: cleansing face and body with rice bran alone.

The diktats of the Shogun are harsh, but she chooses joy. She delights in the small pleasures that make up her ordinary life. To enjoy the passing of the seasons, to feel in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

The velvety texture of rice bran, moistened with warm water, moisturizes her face. The delicate scent of the rice penetrates her senses. Everything is soothed and satiated. Rice bran, the finely ground outer husk of brown rice, concentrates 90% of the nutrients found in brown rice. Vitamins, minerals, fiber, amino acids and ceramides-a treasure of benefits for the skin, a delicate prelude to makeup.

With her upper body bare, the Edo woman lives her intimacy to the fullest. A hymn to self-acceptance. You can't demand self-confidence. It must be learned. Very gently. With daily caresses. She knows she'll return to her ritual tomorrow, tomorrow, again, another time. Thanks to this ritual, she lives from day to day.

Rice bran is a key ingredient in Bizen skincare products, each a journey into heritage. Japanese beauty is embodied in natural, timeless formulas.

Estampes par Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865) Deuxième estampe © POLA Research Institute of Beauty &Culture