While the trend of attaining 100 percent perfect teeth has perhaps waned a bit in the US, in Japan, some are choosing a more fanglike look. Dubbed "yaeba" in Japanese (or the American equivalent snaggleteeth), the style has young women heading to the dentist for crooked smiles, courtesy of plastic pieces affixed to the teeth. But why? "The gapped tooth is sort of preorthodontic or early Read more

Temporary decals for teeth have been around for a few years now, but leave it to the always avant-garde Japanese fashion industry to make them chic. A recent spread in Ginza magazine shows off cute tooth decals and suggests that fashionistas are matching their nail art with their tooth art, and even their nail shape to their tooth shape. Fashion-forward young women are also matching their Read more

Japan is the land of advanced personal care, but the latest products for beating the heat look like they might be a little too cool. Apparently, foams and gels that get as cold as 23 degrees when rubbed onto skin have seen a boom in sales, as Japanese consumers try to avoid running air conditioners and fans. From the video demonstrations of these products, the foam looks like it could be Read more

Vice has a fascinating piece on the "bagelhead" body modification trend in Japan. Some young people have taken to infusing their foreheads with saline to create bulges and "bagel" or "donut" shapes. It's not a permanent effect, but the look is certainly noticeable. It's a fascinating read, and the pictures are amazing. What do you think of this form of body art? Is it any different, really, than Read more

LED has been a big beauty trend in Japan and South Korea of late, from these eerily beautiful luminescent eyelashes to new glowing grills that light up your teeth in neon shades. I'd definitely swipe some of those LED lashes, but I'm not sure about these grills. The video illustrating how these babies work is called "Party in the Mouth," which I am way, way too immature not to giggle at. Check it Read more

In other parts of the world, brands like Shu Uemura, Shiseido, and Kanebo are household names and integral parts of most women's skin care regimens. Globally, they're renowned for their technologically advanced formulas, and the European market loves them. But given Shu's recent withdrawal from the US market, clearly things aren't going so well here. Why, though? The US is the world's largest Read more