Kumi Koda is the face of stem cell skincare brand, Aveaute

Kumi Koda is getting her product coin with a skincare / beauty brand, which makes sense and is very on brand for Kumi. One thing I will say about Kumi Koda, is that whilst her music is a mess, her product tie-ins (for the most part, shout-outs to the Pachinko EP) haven't felt completely left field and weird as they often can with J-celebs; who usually plaster their faces on any and everything.

Aveaute is a new skincare / beauty brand on the market, which interestingly is part funded by Avex. Aveaute specialises in products produced using stem cell research and technology, with a product range consisting of serums and face masks.

I'm messy and I'm trash. So of course my raggedy ass laughed and thought 'She shoulda released a skin care range for older women and called it Amniotic Beauty'.

If you know, you know.

South Korean skin care is seen by many as a golden standard, given the range of products, that so many people in South Korea even bother with a skincare routine, and the proof being that so many South Koreans appear to have the most perfect skin. But Japan ain't no slouch when it comes to skincare neither.

One thing that surprised me the most upon my first trip to Japan was the range of skincare and beauty products. During this time (it was A LONG ass time ago, 2008...I think!?) skin care wasn't wasn't what it is now. Skincare sections in UK drug stores and supermarkets were still small, didn't cater to different skin types and only catered to women. There were so few brands who had anything to do with skincare. So my mind was blown when I first entered a drug store in Japan and saw how vast the range of skincare was, how reasonably so much of it was priced, and how extensive it was for men. There were products that I hadn't ever seen nor heard of before, which didn't make their way overseas until YEARS later. So every time I went to Japan thereafter, I would always stock up on that shit. Gatsby facial paper is THAT bitch.

HENNYWAY.

Back to Kumi Koda.

Kumi Koda | Aveaute

She looks so damn good in the promo material. Kumi never misses when it comes to these low key, soft glam looks, or whatever they be called. It's when a bitch tries to go hood that we run into problems. There's a sweet spot and balance between these styles, and a way for her to go street without just straight up appropriating, but she's yet to truly find it.

The Aveaute products are available in selected stores and on Amazon Japan. They come with photo cards of Kumi herself, so they're sure to become collectors items amongst her fans. I'm surprised there was no song tie in though. "To Be Free" woulda fit this perfectly.

💿 Album reviews: angeL + monsteR [My Name Is...] | re(CORD) | DNA | AND | W Face | Walk Of My Life | Bon Voyage | Japonesque | Color the Cover | Dejavu | Eternity ~Love & Songs~ | Universe | Trick | Kingdom | Black Cherry | Secret | Grow Into One | Feel My Mind | Affection