Preparing for job interviews right now. Terrified obviously but all my friends have been giving me tips on appearance. I obviously need to look smart, minimal makeup but enough to make it obvious that I put effort into my appearance. Watching friends do that look makes sense. I get it.
But I’m not Japanese. I have large, kinda sunken eyes. Prominent cheek bones and darker brows. With even the slightest bit of mascara, it looks like I have heavy makeup on. Like, it looks inappropriate and unprofessional. When I try and counteract those features, I just look like I’m caking makeup on. A Japanese friend told me lovingly that it makes my makeup look like party girl makeup. Inappropriate for an interview. But it’s just my more European features which end up making my face and makeup look harsher than others. I’m worried it’s going to hinder my interview and working experience. I tried just foundation and no mascara but I just don’t look as soft and appropriately professional was others. Am I right to worry? I’m at a stalemate with my appearance and do struggle a little now realising how different I look to everyone around me. I don’t want colleagues or employers thinking I’m unprofessional based on my appearance that I can’t control. I believe I’m attractive in both body and face but struggling a little here. Tried explaining it to my Japanese friends and they say it’s just best to interview at the local hostess club 🥲🥲
32 comments
Just put nothing on.
Don’t work for Japanese companies.
Solved.
Invest in a professional makeup session and ask for the specific look that you are going for. Make sure you are paying attention while they work. Take note of their technique and the next day onwards, try it over and over again, even when you have nothing planned. You are probably struggling with technique more than anything, which is perfectly normal given that you are in a new environment. Don’t counteract your features, what you need to do is complement them appropriately.
If you can, line up the makeup session to happen the morning of a series of interviews. That way makeup is not something you have to worry about. Another alternative is to watch makeup tutorials – look for someone with similar features and practice practice practice. Good luck!
“it’s just best to interview at a local hostess bar”?
You need some new Japanese friends.
I don’t think you need to worry too much about this, unless a lot of people have told you that you look angry and cold.
I’m no expert in makeup, but when I want to come across soft and warm, I smile a lot, especially with my eyes, and use light colors for lipstick and rouge to give myself a warmer look.
So yeah, a lot of smile goes a long way. And I feel you may be overly anxious about this. Good luck with the interview!
You know… you will look “different” whatever you do. So the point is to look appropriate in your different way. You probably compare your longer lashes to shorter ones and immediately it looks like a set of falsies, etc. For mascara, you could try brown rather than black. Go light ok the eyebrows. CC cream (perhaps even mixed with your moisturiser) rather than foundation (it is tricky to match shades). A bit of blush goes a long way. Try the round ones from canmake in a nice warmer tone. Lips: tint rather than full on paint :-). Again: you can’t look the same. Try and figure out the best look for the amazing, unique you that you are. And: well done for getting to the interview stage! The very best of luck!
You’re not Japanese so no one will expect to to look Japanese. Pluck your eyebrows and put on one of those tinted lip balms and you’ll be fine. Maybe a face powder if you get oily.
If you want to use mascara get one in brown and avoid the volumizing ones because they tend to be clump city. I like the Kissme Heroine Micro Mascara for a minimalist vibe.
Ironing your clothes and styling your hair will probably be more important to giving off the professional vibe.
I have a feeling that you’re getting into your head about this a bit and it’s not so bad. I am by no means a makeup expert but maybe a lighter colored mascara will help?
just do what you always did. just be confident and be yourself. your friends sound a little immature/inexperienced. it seems they expect you to look “Japanese” if you just use the right makeup, but you won’t. you’re not going to miss out on a job for looking too European, trust me.
You can try for a no makeup look.
Use correction creams to conceal the shadows caused by sunken eye sockets and use a bb cream or moisturizing light to medium coverage foundation to even out your tone. A light brown eyeshadow to define your eyes, a natural looking lipstick and a pink blush.
No need for mascara, but you could try curling your eyelashes.
Try to keep is to the bare minimum, you don’t need to do much for interviews. You just need to look awake and fresh.
I know M.A.C and other makeup counters have makeup services where they do your whole face. You could go and ask if they would do your makeup and by some products so next time you can do it by yourself.
I wear a full face of make-up (mascara, brows, blush, foundation, eyeshadow and lipstick) and have never been told I look unprofessional. Obviously, colour palette choices come into play. Just wear what makes you feel good and comfortable. I second the idea of seeing a professional to highlight your features. You aren’t Japanese, so they won’t expect you to look it.
Your friends sound judgmental and overall shitty.
Just put on neutral light colors, no glitter/highlighter and you’ll be fine.
For what it’s worth, I know nothing about makeup so I just went to my job interviews in foundation and nothing else, and that didn’t cause any problems. I wouldn’t worry about it too much!
Those people are not your friends. They’re horrible. I don’t even need to look at you to know you look absolutely fine.
There is no “one way” to look. As others have said, you could try brown mascara if you want a subtle look. However, as a European myself, no one has made weird comments about how I look. It’s irrelevant.
Get away from those horrible people you call friends, first of all. Secondly, don’t sweat it. You’ll look great whatever you do.
Honestly just be yourself. I have similar features and eyeliner makes me look like Amy Winehouse (RIP) and a little bit of make up looks too much! I understand you.
I worked for a sportswear company, went to the interview with a competitor brand lol and wore a bohemian look (back then I was totally into that). I got the job, because I was confident and knew what I wanted. Wear confidence!
To your so called friends, I agree with some users, they are not friends. I am not going to say my opinion on Japanese women (from a half Japanese woman’s perspective), but get girlfriends that lift you up and support you.
You may be overthinking things. Just keep your expression passive, don’t smile too much, nod imperceptibly, don’t move your arms around too much, say as little as possible.
Have you tried going for brown mascara and eyeliner instead of black? I realised that the colour of those two products MASSIVELY changes the harshness of my makeup. If the shade is black, the contrast looks extremely stark on me but a soft brown made my whole look way more subtle and nice.
I REALLY recommend [this Cezanne Lasting Curl Mascara in 03 Mauve](https://amzn.asia/d/664F4M6). It doesn’t come out pink like the bottle at all, it’s just a soft mauve-brownish shade that blends with your natural lash colour and just really softens the whole look. (But make sure to also buy [a dedicated mascara remover like this one](https://amzn.asia/d/7oTsWMX) otherwise it’s a bit hard to take off!)
Light brown, extremely thinly drawn eyeliner also helps in my experience. If my eyeliner is black or drawn too thickly, the whole vibe changes drastically haha. It might take practice to get it really thin. I recommend the [Kate Super Sharp Liner in BR-2 Bitter Brown](https://amzn.asia/d/4himOWR). It is a bit darker brown than I’d like BUT the longevity and fine point that allows a thin line is unmatched 🙂
Then, I would opt to spot conceal under eyes and blemishes OR foundation applied to the middle of your face, working it outwards with a damp beauty sponge (I recommend Real Techniques) to the edge of your face so it has a natural finish. That way it doesn’t look like a beige mask with full coverage all the way to your chin and hairline haha.
Pair that with minimal powdering (just under eyes/forehead) and a natural cream blush to avoid caking. I recommend [Cezanne Face Glow Color](https://amzn.asia/d/8tH7dBr)! I have it in Peach Glow 01, but depending on your colouring 02 might work too. Apply it with your fingers across the apples of your cheeks bringing it up towards your hairline, but don’t bring it down too low because that can look heavy. Hopefully that’ll give you a nice natural flush.
Good luck! I wouldn’t worry too much though as your face is in fact different, and that isn’t a bad thing!! Makeup is very personal so it will take some time to get the hang of what looks natural on you, but I I hope some of this helps! :)))
I have a hard time believing wearing mascara suddenly makes you look like you’re wearing party girl makeup unless you’re literally putting on like 5 coats of the thickest clumpiest mascara out there.
I’m white and also have pretty deep set eyes and recently I’ve been wearing just tinted moisturizer, concealer, blush, mascara and sometimes eyebrow pencil and a nude lipstick or lipgloss and it looks pretty simple and understated and definitely not like party girl or club makeup. Maybe your friends are just exhibiting a bias and aren’t used to seeing white women in general or something so you just look different to them.
I think there shouldn’t be anything wrong with wearing a base (like tinted moisturizer or foundation, etc) as long as it matches your skin tone as closely as possible, some concealer, some mascara, some blush and maybe a very nude (like pretty much your natural lip colour but extremely slightly enhanced) lip.
There’s no way that could come off as heavy makeup or “party makeup” unless either your base is not your colour and looks either very dark/orangey on your skin, or very white and like you’re wearing a mask, or you’re putting on many coats of spidery thick clumpy mascara or something
I have the same issue. I’ve been told all my life my features are something that makes me look like I’m a 18th or 19th century portrait that came alive and I have the same things as you, prominent cheekbones, deep eyes, dark brows, we probably look similar in terms of features. I look like an absolute clown when I wear too much makeup so at one point I decided to embrace the old portrait look I apparently have and do makeup in the same style. This means I’ll go very light on the makeup, no mascara, but I do curl my eyelashes, just shaping my eyebrows for a bit, light foundation and a bit of concealer where it’s really necessary and some natural looking cream blush only at the apples of my cheeks. Finish with a bit of non tinted lip balm for a bit of shine. This look might work for you as well.
I don’t make up for interviews. I just make sure my hair and clothes are perfect.
Did you use black mascara? Mascara can be challenging to apply and keep in place if you have oily eyelids or tend to sweat. My suggestion is to try transparent mascara (the colourless one).
Another idea is to find a nude eyeshadow that complements your eye color, along with a simple blush, to get a soft makeup effect. You can also use colored lip balm to add some color to your lips if they are pale.
I’m sure you can find a style that enhances your features. Sorry to hear about your friend’s rude comment!
Yeah I don’t know what your features are- like what you actually look like- but Korean and Japanese style makeup is super popular nowadays so if you haven’t I would try maybe following some tutorials from people on YouTube who have similar features? Like looking up Japanese makeup western features/ Korean makeup Western features
You are overthinking this. Just a nude lip colour and whatever makes your eyebrows look done. Concealer and powder if you are self conscious about your skin. Hair tied back if its long.
I have had Japanese beauty professionals put on my makeup and it was a disaster. If you try mimicking a Japanese look with Western features, you will always fail. Just try going for a natural look (light foundation, rose colored lipstick, thin eyeliner, no mascara) and you will look well put together. Of course you will stand out as a foreigner, but you should embrace that. See it as an opportunity to leave a lasting impression and also mention in your interview how your international background is an asset. If they don‘t want you, their loss, just move on an try interviewing with international companies. That‘s the spirit.
lol you’re white. Someone will hire you based off that alone.
Your friends sound like assholes, tbh. Can you imagine if this was flipped, if a Japanese girl was in a western country and people said things like “Your face is so flat you just look like a geisha, you should interview for an Asian restaurant instead.” I’m sorry, I don’t use this term often, but this is subtle racism. It’s in the same vein as saying all foreign women look “sexy” even when we don’t want to because we have “curvy” bodies—it’s this weird oversexualization because of ingrained stereotypes.
If you want to, look up East Asian makeup tutorials on YouTube. I personally like Japanese style makeup more than the sculpted American look, I just can’t be bothered to use contour and strong eyebrows etc. However I would also consider getting new friends.
Your friends are assholes. Just go no makeup if you need to.
It sounds weird that a bit of mascara is making you look like you’ve put on “party makeup”. Is it possible your friends are a little jealous?
The only thing I could think of, is if you’re very fair in skin tone and hair colour and you want to go for that “natural look” is to opt for a brown mascara instead of jet black. Best of luck to you!
You said you were told to wear enough makeup “to make it obvious that I put effort into my appearance,” but I don’t really think that’s true. The most important thing to project in Japanese job interviews is 清潔感 or a “clean and wholesome” appearance. Less is definitely more when it comes to makeup. If you already have well-defined features, then all you really need is concealer/foundation for obvious blemishes and maybe some face powder if you get oily. Make sure your eyebrows are groomed and you generally look clean/neat. Like others have said you are really overthinking this.
>I’m at a stalemate with my appearance and do struggle a little now realising how different I look to everyone around me.
I think the real problem here is your psychological response to looking different from the Asian women around you.
You can’t change the fact that you, along with every other white person, have more angular and prominent features than those of Asian women. Every person who interviews you will have seen a white woman before and understands our features are a bit “harsher” and stand out when we wear make up. Frankly sounds like your friends are just trying to make you feel insecure.
Omg this is my problem too. Also European facial features. Most makeup styles make me look like I have tons of unnatural makeup on, and it’s just not… me. What works for me is foundation close to my skin tone plus – and this is key – something to fill in my eyebrows. It has to be subtle (I recently discovered eyebrow mascara and that works very well). Before that I used some eyeshadow to fill in the eyebrows. Maybe lip gloss without color as well. If you’re patient enough, using very an eyeshadow tone VERY close to your natural skin color on the eyelids can also add some subtle extra. This look works very well for me!
yeah it’s time for new friends. I seriously doubt it looks like “party girl makeup”, but if you want a softer look maybe try brown mascara, or even the pink/purply mauve shades that seem to be popular right now. maybe even orange blush. try blotting on your lipstick, or even use the lipstick as a blush as well. maybe check “clean girl makeup” on youtube
I use a light colored cream stick for under/above eyes before foundation and use lighter powder after foundation in heavily chiseled sections to soften those areas. But since we’re foreigners, we’re going to stand out regardless so I don’t focus too much on makeup. These days it’s just some BB cream under the eyes to be less of a panda.