Takaaki Miyake, 30, is the founder of the gender-inclusive wellness brand euer. His interest in wellness came from a desire to craft a more meaningful career beyond his background in the fashion industry, one that he hopes will bring positivity into the world. He also hopes to inspire people of all genders to find joy in daily skin care rituals.
1. What is one thing you find beautiful about Japan? I like that each region or prefecture has quite a different culture that feels unique to it. When you travel to Hokkaido, Kyoto or Okinawa, what you can experience in each place is strongly reflected in the local food, activities and landscapes.
2. Why did you want to create a wellness brand? At a certain point in my life, maybe toward the end of university, I started to feel insecure about my life and career. Somehow, I felt like I wasn’t growing as a person. The pandemic happened, and that became a trigger for me to think about my life. Eventually, I decided to work toward making a positive impact on people.
3. What kind of products have you created so far? I’ve launched a skin care series that includes toner, cleanser and lotion. I want to ensure that the products are consistent with my philosophy of delivering moments of happiness.
4. Why did you choose the name euer? Before starting the brand, I asked myself what happiness means to me. Somehow, I came across the Greek word “eudaimonia,” which means “good spirit,” “happiness” or “welfare.” The word was a bit too long to be a brand name, so I took the “eu” and added “er” to show that it’s something you can belong to — like how you might say someone is a New Yorker or a Londoner. Essentially, euer is a collective of like-minded people who do good things.
5. What is an example of a “moment of happiness” for you? Sometimes it comes when I’m exercising or playing sports. Other times it’s when I’m chatting with my friends or going to my favorite cafe or restaurant.
6. Aroma is linked to skin care. Do you have a favorite smell? I like cedarwood, citrus, coffee and rain. The smell of ice skating rinks reminds me of when I started playing ice hockey at 6 years old.
7. Design is a key element at euer. What other products have designs that you're a fan of? I like well-designed products, especially ones that I can actually use daily — not just to have on show because they’re too fragile to use. For example, my recent favorite purchase is a pair of earphones from the technology brand Nothing and a kettle from Russell Hobbs.
8. What are some Japanese ideals of male beauty? The typical ideal of male beauty in Japan relates to the concept of “otokorashii,” which simply means “manly,” but is slightly different from being muscular. Doing things like wearing makeup, going to cute cafes or even earning less money than your female partner is considered the opposite of otokorashii. There are so many Japanese idioms that support the idea that men should fit this type of stereotype, like “otoko wa dokyō, onna wa aikyō” (men should have courage and women charm). However, I believe the ideal of beauty depends on each individual, regardless of what gender they identify with.
9. What did you feel was missing from the men’s beauty sector in Japan? Well, a lot of major skin care brands have launched their own men's beauty lines, but the motivation is based more on aspects such as sales growth or marketing campaigns. Despite these launches, there is still a lot of misunderstanding about men's beauty. In everyday Japanese society, many people still associate men's beauty as being a part of queer culture. I felt like a real sense of inclusivity and belonging was missing from all these launches.
10. Do you think men’s beauty is becoming more popular? It is, both in Japan and overseas. Unfortunately, I think sometimes (it’s) for the wrong reasons, with major brands just positioning men’s beauty as part of the latest trends. Skin care is something you should do for yourself, not just to be part of a trend.
11. What do you think stops men from taking care of their skin? The otokorashii mindset, as I mentioned earlier. It could also be related to another Japanese term that I don’t like: “joshiryoku,” which translates as “girl power” and can be used in demeaning ways toward men. For example, because I take care of my skin every day, some people have commented that my joshiryoku is very high.
12. How does that make you feel? I’ve had a daily skin care routine for a long time, just because I enjoy it and it makes me feel better about myself. I feel slightly uncomfortable when other men make remarks like that.
13. Why did you switch careers from fashion to beauty? I had a lot of insecurities about the industry. People often talk about how fast the fashion cycle is, and I definitely agree. Gradually, my mind just couldn’t keep up with it anymore.
14. You had been in fashion for nearly a decade. When did you start feeling that way? Around two years before the pandemic. When that happened, it became quite obvious what was essential in my life and what was not. For me, the materiality of fashion — especially things like luxury items of clothing — just didn’t feel important. I wanted to do something that could help people. In the field of beauty and wellness, I saw the potential to have a positive impact.
15. What does wellness mean to you? Having a mind that can think positively even when something bad happens. For example, if I see people throwing trash on the street, I sometimes get quite angry at them. But when I’m in a positive state of mind, I don't get angry — I just pick up the trash and throw it in the bin.
16. How do you get into a positive state of mind? Doing exercise helps me a lot. Sometimes I feel like I don’t want to go, because I know I'm going to do something very hard, but I always feel refreshed afterward. My night time routine is also very important, I try to really slow down and stay away from social media. I always have a notebook or diary with me to help me write down and organize my current ideas, too.
17. What do you enjoy doing on vacation? I like staying at nice hotels or ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) in terms of interiors, atmosphere and hospitality. I don’t really do any specific activity, but I love using onsen (hot springs), sometimes even multiple times a day.
18. If readers had to implement one thing into their beauty routine, what do you suggest? Apart from doing a skin care routine every day, I think eating properly is key. Just aiming for well-balanced nutrition and not regularly over-eating.
19. When is the best time to moisturize? Whenever it’s necessary for your skin, but the most common time is after washing your face in the mornings and evenings.
20. What book or film has had the biggest impact on your life? “The Courage To Be Disliked” by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. It shows you how to detach yourself from past experiences, have the strength to change and realize that it’s OK if not everyone likes you.
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