The basics of K-beauty makeup - these tips will help you succeed

The basis of permanent and beautiful makeup is always a good skin care routine and preparation of the skin for makeup. With a Korean skincare routine you make sure that the skin is definitely taken care of and that the makeup base spreads beautifully on it. Countless amounts of different make-up products can easily cause a feeling of helplessness; where the hell should I start? Although there are no rules in makeup, many little tricks and tips help to build self-confidence in makeup.

How is glass-skin makeup created?

Dewy glass skin is primarily created with a good skin care routine, but the effect can and should be enhanced with make-up.

When the aim is to create as even and glowing skin as possible, a priming product is a good addition to your makeup routine. After priming the face with a glowing primer, follow with a light BB cream, which brings more glow to the face, for example Holika Holika Bare Dew Tone Up Cream - Glow. For those who want more coverage, test Missha Glow Cushion - foundation. Trendiest application method for foundation is the spatula, which creates incredibly smooth and even base. Favour BB- and foundation products that have a dewy finish and apply a liquid concelaer where needed.

After this, you can follow up with a highlighter of choice. Liquid highlighters are especially good for creating glass skin makeup, but you can also use powder form, only the end result is slightly different. Then apply preferably a liquid or stick blush to give the face a bit of warmth.

Glass skin is, as the name suggests, really dewy, bright and glowing. But what if you have combination or oily skin, isn't it going to look like you're in desparate need of a rice paper? The answer is spot mattifying. The secret to make glass skin look enviably glowing and not oily, is to place powder on strategic places in tiny amounts. Add a small amount of powder from the corner of your nose down to the outer corner of your lips. Then a small amount under cheekbone and if needed, a little bit on your forehead.

Powder doesn't necessarily need to be completely matte, you can also choose for spot powdering and to making sure that your make-up stays in place for as long as possible, a more luminous version such as Tonymoly My Luminous Perfume Glow Powder. The shimmer powder fixes the make-up and gives the skin a beautiful glow.

What is Korean makeup like?

How does Korean makeup actually differ from Western? There is of course differences in makeup trends within Western countries, but generally speaking there has been a major trend of strong features and not-so-natural-like makeup in the Western countries. Meaning well-defined brows with high arches or on the other hand very bush-like texture, long false lashes and over-drawn and defined lips.

In South Korea on the other hand a soft, natural eyebrows have been the main stream trend for quite some time now. This means eyebrows that are quite natural and subtle, even straight, and not presicely drawn or strictly defined. The natural shape of brows have been filled where needed and lightly colored.

Makeup base is glowy and natural, BB- and CC-creams as well as tinted moisturizers are favoured over foundations. Strong countouring or warming up the face with bronzer isn't much used, on the other hand soft blushes are added to warm up the complexion.

Eye makeup is usually soft, neutral or even pastel colored, also cat eye styled liners are popular to give a doll-like finish. In the inner corner of the eye or on the bottom lid is added a dash of glitter or shimmering eyeshadow.

On the lips Korean women favour more glossy and dewy, even glass-like finished instead of matte. Lip tints are very popular and K-beauty lip tints' consistencies are beyond measure.

In what order should the makeup be applied?

Although the order is not written in stone, makeup artists, for example, follow the order below when applying makeup. [Tip!] If you are going to create a very dark Smokey eye makeup, we recommend that you start with the eye makeup so that the dark eyeshadow does not fall on the finished makeup base.

1. Primer or tone-up cream
2. Make-up, BB or CC cream
3. Concealer
4. Powder
5. Blush, shading and highlighting product (unless you use liquid products, then add them before powder)
6. Eyebrows
7. Eye makeup
8. Lip makeup
9. Finishing spray

Make-up primers

If you want to create a makeup base that is as durable and beautiful as possible, you should start applying makeup with a primer product after your skincare routine. In basic everyday makeup, this is by no means necessary, but a good primer helps the foundation spread more evenly and makes the makeup last better throughout the day.

Korean women love glowing skin, and in addition to a good skin care routine, you should prefer glow-inducing primers to achieve it. A real cult classic is Laneige Head Makeup Serum priming serum that moisturizes, smoothes the skin's surface and extends the duration of makeup.

 

Tone up creams

Those familiar with Korean cosmetics have surely come across tone up creams, which are real multi functional products. They often have a high sun protection, so they work excellently as a sunscreen that lightly evens out the skin tone. In addition, they can be used for priming makeup like a primer by bringing evenness to the skin tone and they improve the duration of makeup. As an added bonus, you can skip the sunscreen and just use it tone up cream!

BB and CC cream

How k beauty stands out in the offer BB and CC creams different from foundation? You may have also come across a tinted moisturizer, which BB and CC creams are also like, but with added brightening ingredients and minerals. BB and CC creams are very light in composition and create a good layerable base; you can use them to create a slightly smoother, very natural makeup base than your own skin, but a little better. BB cream comes from words beauty balm and they create a light ball coverage and are at their best for covering small skin imperfections and creating a "no makeup" makeup look. Instead, the CC cream ie Colour Corrector is usually more airy in texture and the end result is more matte.

Especially if you have very fair skin, and it is difficult to find a shade light enough in the range of BB creams of Western brands, you should look for example Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream or Holika Holika Shimmering Petit BB Cream.

In short, BB and CC creams differ from foundation creams in terms of their caring properties, and in addition, they are lighter in composition and suitable for creating a natural end result.

Foundation and its application

The legendary cushion foundations of Korean cosmetics have also landed in the selections of Western brands, but there is a reason for the popularity of Korean make-ups. We recommend you try it Amuse Dew Power Vegan Cushion or About Tone Nothing But Nude Cushion -make-up cream to create a natural make-up base.

Start applying the foundation with a brush on the areas where there is the most coverage; for example redness. After that, dab the foundation into a seamless pattern with a makeup sponge.

Use a smaller brush to add foundation to areas that need more coverage. Mix the concealer with the foundation so that the shades blend perfectly with each other.

Concealer

True to its name concealer adds extra coverage to the primer. There is a wide range of concealers with different degrees of coverage, compositions and those that leave both a matte and matte finish. The concealer is only applied after the primer product, i.e. BB/CC/makeup cream, or of course directly on top of the moisturizer or sunscreen, if you don't intend to use other primer products. With the concealer, you can cover up small and large blemishes on the skin and, for example, brighten up dark circles under the eyes.

[Tip!] Concealer easily accumulates in the creases under the eyes, so we recommend adding concealer, then continuing with, for example, the eyebrows, and then returning to finish the foundation. In the time when the eyebrows have been arranged and finished as desired, it is usually already visible where the concealer accumulates in the lines. Take a clean cotton swab and gently dab away the excess concealer from these areas, and only then finish the foundation with powder.

Test About Tone Hold On Tight Concealer, with a thin, easy-to-layer composition and skin-soothing ingredients.

 

The powder completes the make-up base

Make-up cream (or BB/CC cream) and concealer are fixed in place with powder. The use of powder is by no means mandatory, especially if you want a very glossy end result, but the use of powder extends the life of primer products. Powders are also available in several different compositions (loose and stone powders) and final results (e.g. ball, glowing, matte and natural). K-beauty makeup also offers innovative powder shades for various skin problems; for example, for skin suffering from redness, we recommend a test Missha Airy Pot Pressed Powder (Mint) - stone powder.

Apply a small amount of powder with a brush to set the makeup under the eyebrows and on the lids. Test transparent About Tone Air Fit Powder, which fixes makeup while smoothing and smoothing the skin's texture. Suitable for oily skin, for example Etude Zero Sebum Drying Powder.

 

Blush, shading and highlighting color

More blush on the highest points of the face to brighten and enliven the look. Highlighter should be added to the places where the light hits the face first and most strongly; on the brow bone, cheekbones and bridge of the nose.

We have cheek buns for every taste in our selection, but we recommend taking a look About Tone Fluffy Air Blusher a liquid blush that leaves a beautiful velvety finish and comes in many wonderful shades.

Shading- and with highlighting products can emphasize or fade facial features by creating desired shadows or, as the name suggests, by emphasizing certain facial features. The most common places to add shading are just under the cheekbones, the edges of the bridge of the nose, and the hairline and jawline. Highlighting products, on the other hand, are added where the light on the face hits first or, accordingly, on the points that you want to highlight in particular. Add accent color, for example, to the bridge of the nose, on the arch of the upper lip, and on the brow bone and cheekbone.

The ABC of color makeup

Once you've created the makeup base you want, it's time to move on to the so-called color makeup.

Eyebrows

Eyebrow trends change and depend a lot on where in the world you move. Whereas in Western countries a very graphic, clearly-lined, but rather bushy eyebrow trend has been popular in recent years, in South Korea, for example, it is more likely to come across soft, even slightly fluffy brows. The eyebrows are not strongly drawn, but natural and even cute.

Whatever your brow style, there are several available today to finish your brows different products. Brow pencils are perhaps the most familiar way for most people to take care of the corners and they are very versatile; you can, among other things, fill in few spots, improve the shape of the corners. There are both eyebrow pencils wood-colored that liquid.

Eyebrow gels keep hairs in place and are available in both transparent and colored formulations. With the gel, you either easily and quickly create finished corners with one product, or place the corners accentuated with other products in place. Brow pomade is cream-based and usually comes in a small jar. With them, you get a natural end result if you want to fill fewer spots in the corners or emphasize the natural shape of the corners. Brow powders also work in the same way. Brow waxes, so to speak, freeze the brows in place and make them look bushier. 

Eye shadow and how does the shape of the eyes affect its application?

If you want a particularly long-lasting result, first apply a cream eyeshadow to the lids, then a powder eyeshadow. The primer also improves the eye shadow's staying power tremendously, we recommend you try it Bbian Last Eye Primeria!

Korean makeup brands offer a great selection and the most spectacular glitter eyeshadows, as well as palettes for creating natural everyday makeup. Take a look at our selection of eye makeup from here.

A simplified rule of thumb for applying eye shadow can be:

1. Add a neutral eye shadow to the entire lid first
2. Use shading to shape the eyes by adding a slightly darker shade that matches the eyeshadow you applied first in the crease (where the moving lid meets the brow bone). For example, try a light brown for the entire lid and a slightly darker brown for shading. If you have heavy moles, check out our own tip below!
3. A darker shade is added to the outer corners of the eyes to emphasize the eyes. Create a v-shaped shape from the base of the eyelashes towards the outer corner of the eyes. Start with a small amount of color and add as needed to create the desired finish.
4. If you want, in addition to the shadows, you can add light to your eye makeup by choosing a light or even glittery eyeshadow shade, which is added to the inner corner of the eyes and the highest point of the brow bone. 
5. Remember to blend all the eyeshadow lines carefully! 
6. If desired, add eyeliner to complete the look.
7. Finally, the eyelashes are bent and mascara is added.

These above instructions worked were the eyeshadow shades you chose restrained neutrals, or wonderfully sparkling glitter shades. Careful blurring of the borders has a big effect, so remember to continue applying the brush on the edges until the exact tonal border of the color disappears.

Round eyes are quite the same size in both width and height, and both the moles and the white part around the iris are clearly distinct. Round eyes can be emphasized with a neutral eye shadow. When doing dark smokey eye makeup, take the dark shade right to the base of the lashes to create an impressive final result. To emphasize the shape, it is recommended to add mascara mainly only to the upper lashes and remember to bend the lashes to create an even more open look.

Monolid, or Asian-type eyes easily recognized by the fact that the moving mole cannot be distinguished when the eyes are open. The shape of the eyes can be emphasized particularly well with a eyeliner pencil. In the outer corner of the eye, you should try to create a curved shape and at the same time fade the contour.

Downward curving eyes identify by examining the outer corner of the eye; does the shape go down or does it go up. If the outer corner of the eye is slightly lower than the inner corner, you have downward-curving eyes. For downward-curving eyes, you can add a fade highlighter or concealer to the outer corner of the eye, curl the eyelashes and brush the mascara in a straight upward motion (rather than cat-like outwards).

Upturned eyes: like downward-curving, upward-curving eyes can also be distinguished by looking at the outer corner of the eye; the outer corner is slightly higher than the inner corner, like a cat. A cat-like eyeliner fits the shape of the eye particularly well, the effect of which should be enhanced by focusing the eyeliner on the outer corner of the eye and softening the eyeliner upwards.

Heavy-lidded eyes: the moving eyelid remains partially or completely hidden under the overlying skin. Usually, the brow bone is also heavy and very distinct. When applying eye shadow for eyes with heavy lids, you should pay particular attention to the fact that the make-up does not stick to the moving lid or eyelashes on the brow bone. It's worth testing waterproof mascara and eyeliner, as well as priming the eyeshadow well. In addition, when applying eye shadow, deviating from the instructions, shading should not be started at the eye crease, because the effect may emphasize the heavy eye shadow even more. Instead, look directly into the mirror and start applying the shading eyeshadow where the moving lid meets the browbone as you look forward. This opens up the look of the eyes, and there is no risk of a heavy eyelid messing up your fine makeup.

Almond-shaped eyes are oval-shaped, i.e. they are wider in height. The outer corner curves upwards and outwards and the crease line is clear. You can emphasize the shape of your eyes by making your eyelashes the focal point of your makeup or by trying dark Smokey eye makeup.

Mascara

Mascara is certainly one of the most common makeup products, and there is plenty to choose from. One of Yeppo's enduring hits is Bbian Never Die Mascara, which, as its name suggests, stays in place all day long. The absolute most popular mascara shade is black, but especially for skin types that represent softer shades in the color analysis, we sometimes recommend testing brown mascara - it can suddenly become a new favorite! The brown shade is often a softer and more natural color shade for eyelashes than black. Of course, nothing else creates drama as well as black!

[Tip!] If you want to create more dramatic lashes, try adding a bit of loose powder between coats of mascara. This creates an additional adhesion surface for the eyelashes in the same way as the fibers used in fiber mascaras, and enables the creation of even more impressive eyelashes.

Lip products

If you are going to create a strong lip make-up, if possible, it is recommended to exfoliate your lips from dry skin the night before and apply the cult product that has become a cult product at night Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask Berry lip mask.

As with other make-up, it is also important to prime the lips carefully and to proceed in a certain order, especially with eye-catching lip make-up.

1. Exfoliate your lips and apply a mask or lip balm
2. If you did the exfoliation and lip treatment just before applying makeup, pat the excess lip creams off before the next step.
3. Apply a lip primer, or if you don't have one, either a light layer of makeup or concealer. You can get extra hold by lightly powdering your lips before applying lip makeup, but especially if you suffer from dry lips, you should be careful with powder.
4. Line your lips if you like. You can also apply a lip liner as a primer to the entire lips before applying lipstick or other lip products.
5. Apply lipstick or other lip product directly from the stick, with your fingers or a brush.
6. If you want to layer the lip product to enhance the staying power or shade, press your lips against a paper towel or tissue so that the extra color sticks to the paper.
7. Add another layer of lip product.
8. The matte end result can be finished off by lightly applying transparent loose powder.

Lipsticks emphasize the shape of the lips and are available in countless different colors and textures.

Lip glosses and especially the Korean ones create a very shiny, even watery finish. They can also be used to emphasize the plumpness of the lips.

Lip tints i.e. Lip stain and lip tint are a cross between lipstick and lip gloss. They lightly color the lips and last particularly well.

Lip liners emphasize the desired shape of the lips and improve the durability of the lipstick.

Lip Plumper is a lip gloss that gently plumps the lips, which can be used on its own or to finish lip makeup. Try for example Keep In Touch Jelly Lip Plumper Tint which combines the shine of lip gloss, the permanence of the shade and the plumper effect.

 

Finishing sprays

If you want your make-up to stay in place all day or evening, add a make-up fixing spray as the last step. It acts like hairspray and binds everything in place. Try it Frudia Makeup Setting Fixer spray that helps to balance the sebum production of the skin and keeps the make-up beautifully velvety all day.