Cute cat culture goes too far with Japan’s freaky new kitty skin care masks

No heartwarming anime-style artwork here, as these masks make the wearer look like a very large, very real cat.

Japanese society places a great value on personal hygiene, and that extends to taking care of your skin. But just because the country is serious about grooming doesn’t mean it can’t have fun with the process, as evidenced by the variety of playful themed skin care masks that have gone on sale here, ranging from kabuki to Attack on Titan examples.

With Japan’s love of cuteness, it’s no surprise that kitty cats are a common motif, with both Hello Kitty, and, oddly enough, rock band X-Japan feline face packs having been sold in the past. But with companies constantly pushing the kawaii envelope, eventually someone was bound to go too far, and many would say that’s what happened with manufacturer Asunarosha’s new product.

Officially called the Narikiri Face Pack–Cat, (narikiri being a Japanese word meaning “transform” or “take on the appearance of”), the masks go on sale May 2 at Japanese drugstores, as well as novelty retailers such as Village Vanguard and Don Quijote. Each package contains an aloe lotion mask with one of four designs, though which exact one you’ll get is a secret until you open the package.

To be fair, when they’re not in use, some of the cats look pretty cute, such as the wide-eyed sweetie above and his napping pal. The remaining two, though are a little less friendly-looking.

But if you think they’re intimidating like that, wait until you see them being worn!

▼ Unsettling

▼ Unnerving

▼ Unending night terrors

Aesthetics aside, we should point out that there’s no reason to think that the Narikiri Face Pack–Cat is any less effective than other skin-beautifying products in this category. However, before slapping one on, you’ll want to consider the very real possibility that before it comes time to peel the mask off and show your friends and family your rejuvenated complexion, they’ll all have packed up and moved as far away from the terrifying werecat as possible, which sort of limits their upside.

On the other hand, priced at just 350 yen (US$3.15) each, Asunarosha’s new masks are an extremely affordable way to purchase a little privacy or, alternatively, to put together a perfectly bone-chilling Halloween outfit, if you’re looking to get your costume shopping done half a year ahead of time.

Source: Asunarosha via IT Media
Top image: Asunarosha
Insert images: Asunarosha (edited by SoraNews24)

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