The make-up of the Geisha is elaborate and time-consuming. First, the bintsuke-abura, an oily base, is applied to the skin. Next, white powder, mixed in water to form a paste, is applied with a bamboo brush on the face, neck, and chest, with two or three unwhitened areas (forming a "W" or "V" shape) left on the nape. Lips are painted bright red, and there are red and black accents around the eyes and eyebrows.

The hair is worn up and adorned with elaborate haircombs and hairpins, exposing the neckline. In the seventeenth century, hair-combs were large and conspicuous, generally more elaborate for higher-class women. Later, smaller and less ostentatious hair-combs became popular. Today, Geisha use wigs that need to be regularly tended by highly skilled artisans. Traditional hairstyling is fast fading away.

The term Geisha originally described female entertainers in Japan in the seventeenth century, who were skilled in the art of singing and dancing. Decades later, the training of the Geisha intensified, and with it came a rise in stature. They soon became an integral part of business entertainment and served as gracious hosts at the parties and functions of their patrons.