'm in a lab coat on a guided tour, passing through the sacred clinical hallways of Shiseido Global Innovation Center (GIC) in Tokyo. In contrast to the glossy façade of beauty campaigns and illuminated store showcases, the view before me is entirely different. It feels unembellished and highly classified as I spot researchers and workers discreetly working in silos, while occasionally catching glimpses of homogenous unlabelled bottles and equipment. The pockets of silence between my guide's courteous explanations say more than they do, almost as
