As beauty standards are different in each country, makeup etiquette is also different. Korea too has its’ own makeup etiquette. The latest youth makeup trends in Korea are the natural look, young-looking makeup application techniques, and tailored personal colors. Let’s look at each one of these.  

▲ Four Seasons Personal Color Analysis (Photo from Naver Blog)

   Korean makeup also tends to focus on making the person look younger. Drawing ‘aegyo sal,’ or cute fat under the eyes that stands out when smiling, is a popular trend because it creates a youthful look. It also makes the eyes appear bigger and the eye area brighter. The most common way to create the appearance of this fat is to draw it using a make-up highlighter and some contouring. First, draw a thin curvy line using your contouring just underneath the lower lashes. Make sure it matches your eye shape. Then, apply a bright highlighter between the lash line and the contouring. Blend in the makeup to make it look more natural. This will create a puffy effect that looks like natural ‘aegyo sal.’       There are two significant goals to achieve with the Korean natural makeup look. The first is dewy, glossy skin, achieved with the application of 'transparent makeup.’ For transparent makeup, Koreans use products with moisture-retaining properties, such as a moisturizing cream or a moisturizing foundation, to help keep the skin looking hydrated. They also use face mask sheets for the face to absorb plenty of essence before applying a base to hydrate the skin. Another typical feature of transparent makeup is the use of foundation. Koreans opting for the transparent makeup look use as little foundation as possible. It is strictly used to cover blemishes or any dark circles under their eyes. They also prefer a cushion foundation because they tend to retain more moisture than other styles. Another trend is 'puppy eyeliner', or downturned eyeliner. Unlike Western people who love the cat-eye look or upturned eyeliner, Koreans mostly love downturned lines. It looks more natural than an upturned line, and it has the added benefit of making the eyes look bigger. In addition, Koreans draw their eye wings using a long, narrow shape to lengthen their eyes. When it comes to eye shadow, Koreans apply the shade in an oval shape around their eyes to achieve a more natural look. 

   Another trend in young-looking Korean makeup is the 'fruit juice' makeup style. It focuses on using natural-looking shades of pink or red to create a healthy and fresh-faced look. Specifically, spreading peach, strawberry, or watermelon-colored blush makes the cheeks look like ripe fruit. The key point is to apply it directly on the front of the cheeks, from the top of the cheekbones to just below the eye. This technique is different from the ‘draping’ technique mostly used in western beauty, where you blend the blush upwards and outwards to contour the cheekbones. To increase the freshness of the look, add a fruit-colored lip tint to finish.    

   Finally, one of the latest trends in makeup here is the use of a ‘personal color’ chart. Personal color test categorizes people into two groups, ‘warm tones’ and ‘cool tones.’ ‘Warm tones’ include orange and brown colored makeup that is clean looking and mature. ‘Cool tones’ include blue, pink, and black that offers an air of chic innocence. Both color tones are further divided into four seasons, ‘spring’, ‘summer’, ‘autumn’ and ‘winter.’ ‘Warm tones’ are prominent in ‘spring’ and ‘autumn.’ ‘Spring warm tones’ include pastels and vivid colors that remind people of the warming weather. ‘Autumn warm tones’ include brown makeup and lots of shading techniques. ‘Cool tones’, are also divided into two seasons, ‘summer’ and ‘winter.’ If the skin color seems white or pale, it means you are a ‘summer cool-tone.’ This group must avoid makeup with yellow tones. If your skin color not only seems white, but also looks good with black, you are probably a ‘winter cool tone’. 

▲ The Guide Book of Personal Color (Photo from 'The COLOR With KMK')

   To test your color style, answer these questions. What is the color of the vein on your wrist? Is it green or blue? What type of jewelry suits you better, gold or silver? When you press your fingertip with your thumb and forefinger, is the color of your fingertip, red or pink? If your vein looks green, gold accessories look good on you and your fingertip changes to red, then it is likely that you are a ‘warm tone.’ If it does the opposite, it proves you are a ‘cool tone.’ Of course, this test is not absolutely accurate, but it can help you find your personal color that works best for fashion and makeup.  

   Natural or young-looking makeup styles along with using your most suitable ‘personal colors’ are popular trends nowadays in Korea. They can enhance one’s beauty and help change your look in a fresh new way. Which trend do you want to try out?