Live lively, the way to enjoy beauty and the quality of life

It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but creating that beauty is all within the powers of women. With the right makeup, the face is a canvas that can be turned into a stunning masterpiece. But finding the right tools and products isn’t always as easy as it sounds; we should expect nothing less than perfection when it comes to products that we apply to our bare skin on a daily basis.

This is exactly the sentiment Mika Arakaki shares. The Managing Director of Arakaki Tsusho Limited, a company that’s credited for bringing some of the popular Japanese cosmetics brands including Bandi, Dear Laura and Cuore, to Hong Kong, Arakaki understands the importance of a good makeup product from a user’s perspective.

“Makeup is so close to our everyday life, we wear it on our skin and we are sending a message to the world through the way we look. It’s a very personal experience,” she says.

For Arakaki, however, it’s much more than sharing this special beauty experience with other women around the world. With distribution in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and the USA, bringing Japanese products to these countries is also about sharing the passion and culture of Japan with the world.

“People associate Japanese products with great quality, sensitivity and affordability. They choose Japanese products because they want to feel the connection with Japanese culture and what it represents,” she explains.

The brands Arakaki distributes are inspired by Japanese animation characters. From crime Fighting Sailor Moon to fantasy hero story Dragon Ball, cosmetic products become a medium not only for beautifying but also for customers to engaging in the very unique Japanese anime culture.

“Hong Kong girls love cute things, and when they open a compact case that’s like the one Sailor Moon uses, they really connect to the cute sentiment as well as a the image that they are reminded of from the cartoon.”

But as cute as these anime characters are, no girl wants to walk around town looking like they’ve stepped out of a cartoon. And this Arakaki agrees with. “It is very important that I ensure the quality of each of these products we carry are of the best quality. I try every single one of these products to make sure they are up to my standard.”

Beyond keeping up with her high standards, Arakaki is also mindful to ensure that all products are true to their claim. “It is crucial that we are true to ourselves and to our customers. Honesty is always the best way; we ensure these makeup products can actually do what they claim. Because our customers trust that we deliver top quality, it is crucial that we maintain our reputation.”

Arakaki believes makeup is not only an essential part of a woman’s daily routine, but should also be something that is fun. That’s why it’s important for her to ensure her products are safe to use, “The customer shouldn't have to worry about the quality of a product. It’s something that is very personal and close to our skin, these products absolutely have to be of the highest quality.”

It is only through this dedication to quality, she says, that customers will have the confidence to continue purchasing her products. “There are so many products on the market and the only way to build a royal customer base is to let the products speak for themselves. If the products are good, they will return for more.”

As for her plans to further spread her beauty philosophy and Japanese beauty and anime culture around the world, she’s looking to tap into the growing interest in anime in the USA and in France.

“People in both of these countries are increasingly interested in Japanese culture and anime. They are fascinated with the dedication Japanese people put into everything and our attention to detail is also reflected in our products,” she explains.

With the anime fan base burgeoning across the globe, it’s easy to image where Arakaki and these product fit into the big picture. To Arakaki, the company is more than just a distributor of beauty products; it’s her way of connecting the world with Japan.

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FAST FACTS

• Arakaki Tsusho Corporation (Japan headquarter) was established on 1st January, 1980.

• The company developed to become one of the top three import and export cosmetics companies in Okinawa

• Arakaki Tsusho Limited provided more than 30,000 kinds of products

• Arakaki Tsusho Limited (Hong Kong branch) was established on 13th March, 2012.

• The company’s own brand, BiosMist (beauty machine) was developed in 2012.

• Arakaki Tsusho Co., Ltd. (Taiwan branch) was established in August 2013.

• Arakaki Tsusho (S) Pte. Ltd. (Singapore branch) was established in October 2013.

• Planning to expand to other Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.