The emergence of the Gyaru subculture in the late 1990s was a pivotal moment in Japanese beauty history.Gyaru is a beauty standard that originated from young japanese women themselves, rather than being dictated by traditions and norms. Gyaru was a direct counterpoint to the prevailing ideals of pale skin and natural makeup that had rooted itself into japanese standards for centuries. It embraced a more bold, artificial, and often rebellious aesthetic. For many young women, Gyaru is a way to assert their independence, challenge societal expectations, and create their own definition of beauty. It's about self-expression and belonging to a community that shared these values.While the intense popularity of Gyaru peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the subculture has not entirely disappeared. Various iterations and influences of Gyaru aesthetics can still be seen in japanese fashion and youth culture.Namie Amuro's immense popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s played a crucial role in mainstreaming and popularising the Gyaru style. Amuro's fashion and makeup (tanned skin, bleached hair, thin eyebrows, and platform boots) became synonymous with the Gyaru look and were widely emulated by young women across Japan.Amuro's success in the mainstream media gave the Gyaru style visibility and a degree of cultural legitimacy, encouraging more young women to embrace it.Within the Gyaru umbrella, several distinct and often extreme styles emerged. The most visually arresting being Ganguro, and its even more intense evolution - Yamanba. These sub-styles took the core Gyaru rejection of pale skin and natural makeup to a whole new level.Ganguro (ガングロ): peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and is characterised by:* Darkly tanned skin: Often achieved through tanning beds or sun lamps, going far beyond a healthy glow.* Bleached or dyed hair: Bright blonde or orange hair was common.* White or light-colored concealer on the lips and around the eyes.The Gyaru subculture was not monolithic; it encompassed various distinct styles, each with its own specific fashion and makeup characteristics. Some prominent examples include:* Kogal: Often associated with a schoolgirl-inspired look, featuring short skirts, loose socks, and tanned skin.* Yamanba/Manba: The most recognisable of the subcultures due to a surge in digital tourists repopularising early 2000s aesthetics. It is known for extremely dark tans, white or brightly colored makeup around the eyes and lips, with colorful hair extensions and accessories.* Onee-Gyaru: A more mature and sophisticated take on the Gyaru style, with a focus on glamorous fashion.* B-Gal: Influenced by hip-hop and R&B fashion.Both Ganguro and Yamanba are undeniably opposite from widespread beauty standards of wearing natural makeup on white skin. They're a powerful visual statement, a deliberate rejection of traditional japanese aesthetics, and a way for young women to express a sense of freedom, rebellion, and belonging to a subculture that celebrated these bold looks as a beacon for the future, and being in control of it on the then-new digital plane.However, despite their differences, all Gyaru sub-styles shared a rejection of the traditional Japanese beauty standards of:* White Skin: Gyaru actively pursued tanned skin through tanning beds or sun exposure.* Natural Makeup: Gyaru makeup was typically bold and artificial, featuring heavy eyeliner, false eyelashes, colored contact lenses, and bright lip colors.The rise of Gyaru was a significant cultural phenomenon that:* Empowered women: It provided young women with an alternative way to express their individuality and challenge previously conventional notions of femininity and beauty.* Created a sense of community: Gyaru subcultures fostered strong social bonds among young women who shared similar fashion and lifestyle choices.* Broadened the definition of beauty: It demonstrated that beauty could be defined outside of traditional parameters and that different aesthetics could be embraced and celebrated.* Evolution and adaptation: Gyaru styles have evolved and adapted over time, with some elements being incorporated into more mainstream fashion.* Lasting impact: Despite its decreased mainstream popularity, the rise of Gyaru left a lasting impact on japanese beauty culture by demonstrating the power of youth-driven trends and the possibility of diverse beauty standards. It has paved the way for greater acceptance of individual expression in fashion and makeup.The legacy of Gyaru lies in its contribution to a more open and diverse landscape of beauty in Japan, where individual expression continues to be valued.
