Canmake Tokyo is a cosmetics brand that has become synonymous with affordability, cute packaging, innovation and the spread of Japanese makeup trends to the global frontier. For many, it’s the first point of contact into the world of makeup; a fun and low-risk platform for exploring self-expression, finding personal style and building confidence in adolescence.
In a 2022 survey conducted by NTT Com Online Marketing Solutions Corporation, Canmake Tokyo ranked first place for favorite cosmetics among Japanese women aged 18 to 29, and second place for women in their 30s.
Most Canmake products retail for less than ¥1000, and the brand pioneered Japan’s drugstore makeup industry. Now, after 40 years of helping people “find their kawaii,” let’s take a look at Canmake’s company history and their evolution through the years.
Sharing Beauty Since 1985
Canmake’s roots extend back to 1918, with its parent company Ida Corporation (also known as the Ida Group). Ida Group is also behind other popular Japanese makeup brands Fiancée, Cezanne, Ducato, Mapepe and Rosy Rosa.
Ida Group’s founder Kohachiro Ida ran a wholesale business selling cosmetics and daily necessities while working as a peddler in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood. The humble business grew and became an incorporated company in 1940. Kohachiro Ida retired to an advising position in 1949 and Hideo Ida took over as the new president.
Hideo Ida’s tour through Europe and America in 1964 prompted a new chapter for the company that would also revolutionize the industry and Japan’s makeup culture. At the time, cosmetics in Japan tended to be expensive, a commodity running in the realm of luxury. Compared to that image, Ida was impressed by the products that could easily be purchased at supermarkets and drugstores at reasonable prices. This inspired the launch of Cezanne Cosmetics and later in 1985, Canmake was born.
“We wanted more people to enjoy makeup easily…deliver[ing] items that uplift the spirit every time they are seen,” says Yuki Yamaguchi, Canmake PR representative, for Fashion Tech News.
Consumers didn’t have to rely on the constant presence of beauty advisors in department stores and had open accessibility over the makeup counter to freely browse.
Illustrations courtesy of Canmake Tokyo.
Trends Through the Decades
The 80s
Canmake launched with a handful of basic but eye-catching products: a line of lipsticks, eyeshadows, blushes, nail polishes and colognes. With the aesthetic of the 80s and the present bubble economy, having strong accents in each part of the face was a popular look. Looking at the relationship between socio-economics and makeup trends, sharp and upbeat looks tend to grow in fashion to match its flourishing environment.
Photo courtesy of @cosme Tokyo.
Canmake appealed to trends with vibrant pigments such as blue shadows and ruby red lips. Mascara came in the traditional black, but also blue. These bold offerings were affordable yet didn’t sacrifice style or quality, allowing people to easily experiment and participate in beauty trends.
The 90s
In the 90s, trends evolved towards thin, angled brows and nude lips — characterized by the gyaru subculture. The emergence of gyaru counterculture rejected the traditional Japanese beauty standards with its ideal pale skin, black hair and modest style in stark contrast with tan skin, bleached hair and flashy outfits.
Products that created a pearlescent effect complemented well with tanned skin, so Canmake introduced pearl mascara and nail polish. “Nuance liners” came with a wide library of colors and were multi-functional as both eyeliner and lip liner.
The 2000s
These trends persisted into the early 2000s era with the arrival of the new millennium. “Eye Nuance,” a small eyeshadow palette, was released by Canmake in 2001 with a set of three playful shades in a cute round container. The product grew to one of Canmake’s top-selling products and remained on shelves until 2019.
Photo courtesy of Canmake Tokyo.
The 2010s
In the mid-2000s and into the 2010s, a doll-like face with long fluffy eyelashes became the new ideal. This cuter, more youthful look could be achieved with Canmake’s “Quick Lash Curler” which remains one of the brand’s best sellers. The product acts as an all-in-one, with primer, mascara and top coat conveniently built into a single tube. Strong rosy blush trends sprouted Canmake’s “Loose Cheek” and “Cream Cheek” blush, and highlighted undereye area looks could be created with the “Four Shiny Eyes” palette to create the illusion of big dolly eyes. The “Marshmallow Finish Powder” came in a pretty compact and created a doll-like porcelain finish.
Following the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, cosmetic trends geared towards a more natural look. During periods of natural disaster, political instability or economic recession, makeup also reflects a mood of restraint and practicality. Basic neutral colors such as brown became an expected inclusion in palettes for everyday makeup looks. The “Creamy Touch Liner” produced a bold line of color that was smudge-proof and would last for hours.
Canmake premiered their first television commercial in 2016.
The 2020s
Now in the 2020s, today’s makeup trends focus on radiance and bright eyes. A tone-up base cream brightens the skin for a naturally beautiful complexion. The “Abloom Finish Powder,” a new sister-product of the popular marshmallow powder, blends five color-correcting shades in a cute flower-like design for clear matte skin. The “Metalook Mascara” is designed with a special metal comb that delicately coats eyelashes in a trendy bunched shape for extra volume.
Award-Winning Products
Canmake Tokyo’s products have won a variety of awards, including from the renowned beauty review website and retailer Cosme (stylized as @cosme). Their Best Cosmetics Awards have been a long-standing benchmark for makeup shoppers in Japan. The “Eye Color Magician” liquid eyeshadow, “Luminous Luna Pact” foundation and “Mix Eyebrow Color” brow palette all won first place in the Single Eyeshadow, Foundation Cream and Eyebrow Powder categories respectively at the 2023 mid-year review.
This year brought an additional winner, with the newly released “Metalook Mascara Volume Look” winning the mascara category in the 2025 Mid-Year Best Cosmetics Awards.
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