Beni – Japanese Geisha Lipstick
As it turns out, Geisha or the ultimate entertainers of Japan were truly trendsetters in the arena of beauty not only for their exceptional skills at the Japanese performing arts (they’re not PROSTITUTES). They have been using all-natural make-up for centuries which was taken out of style as Western style lipstick and other beauty products began to flood the market. A Japanese cosmetics firm named Isehan-Honten is ensuing the revival of the all natural make-up that was part of Japanese culture for millennia by releasing the world’s most expensive lipstick. Beni is extracted from orange-petaled safflower which has the peculiar habit of having its most color before the sun rises (so they are picked before the sun rises) in July at Japan’s Yamagata Mountains. They are soaked, steamed to make a compound that turns red when water is applied. Richness of the color can be changed with the amount of water that is applied, ranging from pale pink to rich ruby red. The lipstick costs around 70,000 to 300,000 Japanese Yen which translates to around 335 to almost 1,500 British Pounds!