アイプチ

Here is another of my new discoveries in Japanese fashion: アイプチ (eye putti).

I remember a couple years ago my Korean friend telling me about how many girls in Korea undergo a surgery called blepharoplasty, or more simply, double eye lid surgery. This is a cosmetic surgery that creates a crease , thus resulting in a double eyelid. However, this surgery is not as popular in Japan. Because according to my friend Yoshiko, Japanese people feel that cosmetic surgery is not natural. So instead they use Eye Putti.

(image credit: Japan Beauty website)

So what is Eye Putti you say? Well, it’s a glue. Yoshiko explained the application process to me the other day, all in Japanese, which involved a lot of hand gestures (since  I had trouble understanding), and it just looked really painful as she seemed to be doing some sort of  pulling action (；>艸<；) But I’ve researched it now, and it doesn’t seem that bad (phew!).  It’s a little hard to explain how it works, so here is a link to the Eye Putti website in Japan that gives you a how-to guide and a video:

Eye Putti

You also have mezaiku, which is an alternative that isn’t glue, but instead a super fine stretch fiber (mezaiku). Here is a video on how to wear mezaiku:

It’s incredible what make-up can do! Personally, I don’t really know what to think of this whole double eyelid culture. Some may see it as Japanese girls ( and actually not just Japanese, but other Asian countries as well) as having a western complex. And that may be the case, but I also think make up is make up.  Women all over the world wear foundation to hide their spots, mascara to lengthen their eye lashes etc. Furthermore, in my opinion it just fits into that whole kawaii (cute) culture you will find in Japan. At the end of the day, what girl anywhere doesn’t want to look her best?