Japaralia November 2025 vol.26

English translation below by Perplexity

Beauty That Isn’t Swayed by Trends or Eras

It’s now my 22nd year since leaving Japan. Back when I lived in Japan, I used to buy fashion magazines every month, studying the latest trends and copying the outfits the models wore. Once a season ended, the trends would change, and I would feel embarrassed wearing those “old” clothes into the second year. My closet changed dramatically every season. Even after moving here, I bought Japanese fashion magazines at Kinokuniya when I could, but since I rarely went back to Japan, I didn’t have many opportunities to buy trendy clothes.

After a few years, the only Japanese TV I could watch was NHK news on SBS. I could tell what was in style by looking at the news announcers, but the announcers—whom I once thought of as smart and cool—started adopting more girlish hairstyles and fashions, and their eyebrows kept getting thicker.

Observing these changes from afar, I began to see them as almost comical. My younger sister in Japan’s eyebrows also became thicker, and when she told me, “Your eyebrows are too thin. It’s strange,” I thought to myself: a decade ago, thin, drawn-on eyebrows were all the rage, so by those standards, today’s look is what’s strange. Trends really are mysterious. What once seemed odd can look fashionable, and what was cool before can later seem outdated—even though it’s all worn by the same people. Even if someone’s hairstyle, clothes, or eyebrows didn’t suit them, everyone would fall in line with the trend. At the airport, you could spot the Japanese people just by their similar styles. I realized that I, too, had been one of them, and it was like a wake-up call.

True beauty isn’t about chasing trends, but rather discovering the hairstyle, style, and makeup that brings out your individuality. Audrey Hepburn, who made her debut in the 1950s, is still considered beautiful—her style is timeless. Even as she aged and acquired wrinkles, her elegance only deepened. Someone I admire recently is Miki Nakatani. She’s about the same age as I am, but still radiates a refined beauty that feels perfectly suited to her. Wearing only what’s trendy—even if it doesn’t suit you—can make you look older or unnatural. With Netflix now, I can watch more Japanese TV, but for nearly twenty years I didn’t. So, I’m always surprised either by actors who haven’t changed a bit or by those who look so different I don’t recognize them until I see their names.

When it comes to skin health or beauty in general, the most important thing is to find what brings out your best. Once I realized that, I no longer cared about trends and started choosing only what I truly liked and what suited me best. I stopped worrying about others’ opinions.

Here, if the quality is good, I’ve worn my favorite clothes from Japan for ten or even twenty years. They still make me happy every time I put them on. Skincare is also overwhelming, with so many products and opinions. When choosing skincare, first consider your objective (anti-aging, whitening, moisturizing, etc.), research options that match, and then understand what ingredients will do for your skin. This is more useful than just trusting word of mouth.

Doubting everything or believing everything others say are both actually the easiest choices, because it means not having to think for yourself. Even what I say may not always be right, and there’s still so much I don’t know in this world. That’s why I actually appreciate when people ask me questions—it’s a chance for me to learn too. I can answer most things, but every now and then, someone asks something that becomes a great homework assignment for me.

Whether it’s reviews or trends, try thinking about why things are said the way they are—not just on the surface, but more deeply. You’ll start to see new perspectives.

Ultimately, choosing what consistently brings out your best—regardless of the era or trends—means having a beauty that never wavers, no matter what changes around you.