Editorial column "The Surroundings of Wonderful". The theme this time is "Why do Japanese people like doctor cosmetics?" In fact, the reason may have been born in the Meiji era. Editor N explores the reason.

Have you heard of "Baltz water," which has been soothing the skin of Japanese women since the Meiji era?

When I think of doctor cosmetics, one of the things that comes to mind is "Beltz Water."

My grandmother had a number of cosmetics lined up on her dressing table, but the one thing she never ran out of was "Baeltz Water." I remember her saying that she would use it when her skin got chapped or rough in the winter.

"Baelz water" was prescribed by Dr. Baelz, who came to Japan as a foreign employee from Germany during the Meiji period. Its main ingredients are glycerin, alcohol, and sodium hydroxide, and it is also called "potassium glycerin solution." It is still used to treat cracks, chapped skin, and frostbite. This "Baelz water" is such a long-selling product that you can still buy it at any pharmacy. (Currently, if you search for "Baelz water" on Amazon, you will find "potassium glycerin solution." https://amzn.to/3Sq1TGX)

The name was coined when Dr. Ernst Baelz, staying at the Fujiya Hotel in Hakone in 1883 (Meiji 16), noticed that the maid's hands were rough and he prescribed the product, which is how the product gained popularity. Since then, it has been used by Japanese women as a lotion for a long time.

If you look at women's magazines from before the war, you'll find a lot of advertisements for "Baelz Water." It's interesting to see that it was used not only for skin care, but also for dissolving face powder, which is a little hard to imagine today. I think that up until a certain point in the Showa era, "Baelz Water" was definitely recognized as a lotion made by a doctor to soothe maids suffering from chapped skin.

My image of "Baltz Water" being gentle and soothing to the skin comes from my grandmother's stories and the Fujiya Hotel anecdote. On top of that, until around 2000, there was also the image that doctor cosmetics were for people who suffered from sensitive skin or atopic dermatitis.

As time passed, "Balz water" became a thing of the past, but perhaps its image remains in the minds of Japanese people.

2001: The Arrival of Doctor Cosmetics

Obagi, which arrived in Japan in 2001, overturned my image of skin-friendly doctors. What was shocking was the way they used vitamin C. Up until then, everyone knew that people took supplements to improve their skin, but Obagi was different. The suggestion of applying vitamin C to the skin as a beauty serum was revolutionary for us. It was truly a black ship in the world of doctor cosmetics.

Since then, it seems doctor cosmetics have blossomed all at once both in Japan and around the world. This may have been related to the fact that laser treatments and the like have started to become popular. The path to cosmetic development has become clear from cutting-edge clinical research in dermatology, and there is a sense that doctor cosmetics are one or even two steps ahead of conventional cosmetics.

Today, 142 years have passed since Dr. Baelz's "Baelz Water" created the foundation for Japanese people's trust in doctor-approved cosmetics. In my lineup of cosmetics, there is always a doctor-approved cosmetic, either a gentle one or an aggressive one.

This week's recommended items: "My starting lineup and 4 doctor's cosmetics that interest me"

There are quite a few doctor's cosmetics that I never run out of among the cosmetics I have at hand. However, I also want to reach for the rookies that appear one after another. I will introduce my favorite starting lineup and doctor's cosmetics that I am interested in!

What is a "nice neighborhood"?

Our editorial blog "Around the Wonderful" delivers tips on beauty, fashion, aging, and more to help you live a wonderful and comfortable life. A beautiful person may need to have a natural appearance, but a wonderful person is all about how they are. Therefore, anyone can be a wonderful person, and we chose this title because our editorial staff wants them to be that way. We will also occasionally include information about presentations and other events.