Anyone who has watched Marie Kondo’s cult Netflix show The Life Changing Magic of Tidying will know the Japanese host adores containers and has perpetually perfect skin. Her hair glistens, her make-up glows and it’s all down to a handful of products, explains her Los Angeles based make-up artist Megumi Asai to The Cut.
There are two things that spark joy for Kondo, according to Asai, firstly extra long eyelash extensions and secondly sunscreen. Her routine is as clean and tidy as the rest of her life as it revolves around Tatcha’s Pure One Step Camellia Oil Cleanser, THREE’s Balancing Emulsion as a moisturiser, a spritz of rose water and a dab of Herbivore’s Coco Rose Lip Conditioner.
Naturally, her make-up is as minimal as her clutter. The process begins with Laura Mercier’s Foundation Primer. ‘I use it under sheer foundation,’ explains Asai, ‘You don’t need a lot. Her skin is so beautiful that the makeup was not to hide imperfections — I used a minimum amount of it to let the skin shine through.’ For a rosy glow, she favours Le Blush Creme de Chanel that compliments her Clarins Rouge Eclat lipstick (in pink cherry) and her champagne and taupe eyeshadow’s from Chanel, Tom Ford and Smashbox. For eyeliner, she opts for MSH’s liquid Love Liner because ‘[y]ou can draw very thin, smooth lines with it, and it doesn’t smudge!’
If - god forbid - Marie’s skin begins to look shiny under those camera lights, Asai relies on Tatcha’s Japanese oil-blotting paper.
As simple as her make-up regime is, believe it or not, her hair care is even more precise. With naturally straight hair and a healthy diet -‘She brought her own bento box and amazake (a Japanese fermented-rice drink rich in vitamins and digestive enzymes to promote beautiful skin, among many other benefits) that she’d made every day for the shoot.’ - she needs to do very little to make it look glossy. Hence, Ouai’s hair oil is the only product she uses.
Yet another life lesson we're learning from Marie Kondo.