Shiseido Creative proposes makeup that allows experience of color vision diversity

Co-creation partner Ms. Ayami Azemoto

Shiseido Creative Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President: So George Sugitomo) has developed a tool that enables individuals to experience the differences in color perception associated with color vision diversity.*1 This initiative expresses the varying ways beauty is perceived in the world.

This effort is part of our internal project, the “Universal Beauty Design” team. Questioning whether makeup colors reflecting trends and majority preferences are universally accepted as beautiful, we introduced a new concept of "makeup that allows experience of color vision diversity," under the theme of "Beauty Beyond."

*１ Color Vision Diversity: There are three types of cone cells in the retina that enable color perception. However, due to congenital factors such as genetics or acquired factors like accidents, some individuals have fewer cone types, leading to different color perceptions. The most common color vision type is "Type C," while those with color vision minority types, "Type P" and "Type D," make up approximately 5% of men and 0.2% of women in Japan, and approximately 8-10% of men and 0.5% of women in Europe and America. There are also individuals with "Type A" and "Type T" color vision.

Development of collaborative visuals "MY COLOR MY BEAUTY"

Completed beauty shot

As a new creation of beauty, we aimed to produce a makeup kit and visuals that allow non-diverse individuals to experience the world of color vision diversity. From the planning stage, we collaborated with Ayami Azemoto, who has visual impairment (low vision*2) and color vision minority. We also extensively discussed with hair and makeup artists from the Shiseido Beauty Creation Center.

Ms. Azemoto selected the colors she felt were the most "beautiful" from Shiseido’s diverse range of lipsticks and eye colors, working with a makeup artist. The Universal Beauty Design team then created a color kit pairing the selected colors with how Ms. Azemoto perceives them. Furthermore, she participated in directing the photoshoot of models using these items. During the shoot, staff with "Type C" color vision, considered the majority, wore "Variantor"*3 to experience the world as seen through Ms. Azemoto’s perspective, helping to create a new expression of beauty together.

(From left) Ms. Azemoto selecting Shiseido makeup products, Behind the scenes of the shoot using the color vision simulation filter "Variantor *3", The color vision simulation filter "Variantor *3," which can mimic the visual perception of individuals with color vision deficiency, The color seen by C-type color vision individuals (left) / The color expressed as seen by Ms. Azemoto (right)

*2 Color vision deficiency and low vision are different. Color vision deficiency refers to a difference in color identification compared to the general population, while low vision indicates a condition where sufficient vision cannot be achieved even with corrective lenses.

*3 Variantor: A color universal design support tool that allows individuals with "Type C" color vision to experience the perspectives of those with "Type P" or "Type D" color vision. This project emerged from a collaboration between Ito Optical Industry Co., Ltd., Toyohashi University of Technology, and Kochi University of Technology, and is currently available for purchase through Takara Supply Communications Co., Ltd. https://www.variantor.com/jp/

Future Developments

We plan to publicly unveil a series of activities including "MY COLOR MY BEAUTY" in early 2025. Starting today, examples of Variantor's use will also be featured on the Ito Optical Industry Co., Ltd. website. Shiseido Creative remains committed to discovering beauty in everything and will continue to expand beauty experiences.

SHISEIDO Universal Beauty Design®︎

Launched in 2017, this project represents one of our design philosophies. We aim to provide all individuals with a seamless and uplifting experience when engaging with cosmetics, rather than merely pursuing visual beauty.　https://www.shiseidocreative.com/universal-beauty-design

(From left: Reina Umemura, Eiko Shiota, Jun Kitamura)

【Credits】

• Planning, Design, and Production
  Emiko Shiota, Rena Uemura, Jun Kitamura (Shiseido Creative Co., Ltd.)

• Photography
  Masato Kanazawa (Shiseido Creative Co., Ltd.)

• Makeup
  Sawako Yuri (Shiseido Co., Ltd.)

• Video production
  Tsuyoshi Ono (onophoto Inc.)
  Shingo Kasai (Urigayatsu Inc.)

• Co-Creation Partner
  Ayami Azemoto
  Takara Supply Communications Co., Ltd.
  Itoh Optical Industrial Co., Ltd.

• Casting
  PROCEED Co., Ltd.

• Model
  Celine Himekawa