We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mari. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mari below.

Mari, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My journey began at the young age of 10 when I entered the entertainment industry as a child actor. I spent my entire youth in Tokyo, dedicating myself to countless acting lessons and auditions, all in the hopes of becoming famous.

Despite my best efforts, major roles never materialized. It was a painful experience to watch my peers, who were taking the same lessons, find success. Looking back, I realize that this period of struggle and failure fueled a strong sense of rebellion and resilience within me.

By the time I was in high school, I had a change of heart. I realized that becoming the top actress in an industry of countless hopefuls was like winning the lottery. It was then that I decided to shift my focus to a more niche field where I could truly stand out and become a pioneer.

That’s how I discovered the world of hand modeling. After nine years of continuous rejection in acting auditions, I was cast in a major corporation’s commercial within just one week of becoming a hand model. A year later, at the age of 20, I had become the undisputed top hand model in Japan.

At 26, I took the leap and moved to New York. I was the first hand model from Japan to successfully obtain the highly exclusive O-1 Visa for individuals with extraordinary ability. Within six months, I was featured in a global campaign for Tiffany & Co., among other notable achievements.

The decision to launch my own hand care brand was driven by two key moments during my career.

The first was the harsh treatment I received from senior hand models when I became successful. My rapid rise naturally caused some jealousy. Witnessing this, I made a strong commitment to myself that when I got older, I would never become the kind of person who is envious of a younger generation. I knew I needed to build my next career while I was at the peak of my current one.

The second moment was a subtle, yet powerful, observation I made when people approached me for hand care advice. I noticed that many of them would unconsciously hide their hands. It struck me that, just like their faces, a lot of people were dealing with deep-seated complexes about their hands. At the same time, I realized there was a surprising lack of hand care products specifically focused on beauty and aesthetics.

These two realizations solidified my dream of becoming the owner of a hand care brand—a mission to not only beautify hands, but to help people gain confidence and change their perception of a part of themselves they once felt they had to hide.

Mari, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The most unique aspect of my brand, “TAKE MY HAND,” is that I, as a professional hand model who has dedicated my life to hand beauty, am at the helm of its product development.

My products are meticulously crafted by artisans at a trusted factory in Hokkaido, Japan. At the same time, all visual production, including design and photography, is handled in New York. This process allows us to fuse Japan’s celebrated craftsmanship with New York’s modern sensibilities.

Furthermore, our products are made with a commitment to clean ingredients. They are 99.59% naturally derived, free from common additives found in many hand creams, such as silicones, parabens, and artificial fragrances. For scent, we exclusively use 100% pure essential oils—a rarity in the American market.

TAKE MY HAND is truly a professional-grade hand cream, already a favorite among artists and crew on set in New York.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

One of my favorite marketing stories took place this past April at our brand launch event in Tokyo. While I hired a major PR firm, the event’s stunning result was thanks to a close network of young artists I collaborated with.

My personal touch was the decor. Instead of traditional, large-scale decorations that would be discarded after a single day, I partnered with a plant shop to use real plants and flowers. We later repurposed them into bouquets as gifts for our collaborators.

This event proved that a commitment to our brand’s ethos is far more powerful than conventional marketing, and it created significant momentum for my business in Japan.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

What truly helped me build my reputation in the market was the network of connections I have cultivated over the years. When they learned of my brand launch, numerous artists, models, and influencers from both Japan and the U.S. began sharing my products on their social media, one after another.

This organic social proof, combined with the strong appeal of the product itself, led to these same individuals making multiple repeat purchases for themselves and as gifts. It showed me that genuine support and a quality product are the most powerful forces for building a lasting reputation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tmhbeauty.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmhbeautycom/
• Other: Amazon link :
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DM2KDRM9

Image Credits

Floral background product photo: Kosuke Nishimura

Hand photo: Kanji Ishii

Monochrome profile photo: Lisa Kato

Wedding photo: Sara Olivia