Shu Uemura

Shu Uemura was founded in 1967 in Tokyo by the pioneering Japanese makeup artist of the same name, who first made his name transforming Hollywood actresses on film sets in the early 1960s. He launched one of the original cleansing oils in 1960 and built a brand around the philosophy that healthy skin is the foundation of great makeup. The company was acquired by L'Oréal in 2004, joining its luxury division alongside Lancôme and YSL.

The brand is famous for its cult eyelash curler — widely regarded as the gold standard among makeup artists — alongside its gentle cleansing oils, professional brushes, and the Rouge Unlimited lipstick line. Shu Uemura blends Tokyo minimalism with artist-grade pigments and tools, sitting in the prestige tier and maintaining a devoted following among professional makeup artists and beauty editors worldwide.