Geisha Makeup
For many centuries the uniqueness of the Geisha has been an intrigue to Western Civilization.  Being geisha is an art, though a common misunderstanding is the thought that Geisha are prostitutes, but it is absolutely wrong statement. Geisha don’t sell their body and soul, but art. And makeup is also a part of the art. Traditional Geisha makeup is a pasty white face, neck (moving around to the back, traveling to the collar of the kimono), and hands. Small pout lips are painted over the natural lips and the eyes are trimmed in red.

Today, the traditional make-up of the tiro geisha is one of their most recognizable characteristics, though established geisha generally wear full white face makeup characteristic of maiko only during special performances.

The traditional makeup of the tiro geisha features a thick white base (originally made with lead or rice powder) with red lipstick and red and black accents around the eyes and eyebrows.

The application of makeup is hard to perfect and is a time consuming process. To avoid dirtying the kimono makeup is applied before dressing. First step, a wax or oil substance, called bintsuke-abura, is applied to the skin. The second one, white powder is mixed with water into a paste and applied with a bamboo brush. This white makeup covers the face, neck, and chest, with two or three unwhitened areas (forming a "W" or "V" shape) left on the nape, to accentuate this traditionally erotic area, and a line of bare skin around the hairline, which creates the illusion of a mask.