Makeup Game Strong | Lane Crawford

Makeup arrives with novelties every year and it’s no different in the K-beauty realm. If you deem yourself a cosmetic obsessive, your makeup arsenal would be equipped with at least a sprinkling of South Korean wizardry amidst your go-to stash. From cute cushion blushers, and alphabetised BB, CC, and even DD creams, to the current hype on glass skin, idol lashes, and the revival of Y2K makeup trends with a modern polished approach, Korean makeup trends have cemented its place in the global beauty lexicon.

In case you’re up for experimenting with your makeup routine, Jason and Bonnie from our Beauty team reveal the tips and tricks on how to recreate the top Korean makeup trends this spring.

It’s ALL about glass skin

Contrary to western makeup trends that emphasize shading and contouring, the key to nailing Korean makeup is to create an ethereal, dewy, baby skin effect. The goal? To channel your most innocent and youthful self.

Here's how:

Apply Augustinus Bader’s AB Cream onto clean skin to keep it hydrated
Having a blank, clean canvas is essential. Opt for Tatcha’s Liquid Silk Canvas and work it onto face and neck.
Prime your face and neck with this Givenchy Prisme Green primer to control redness. To counter yellow skin tone, consider trying a purple primer.
Use your fingertips to apply the makeup base on face and neck. This will give your skin an instant glow.
Squeeze a small amount of Lancôme Teint Idole foundation and thin it out with a Bobbi Brown Full Coverage brush on the back of your hand. Keep the application gentle and don’t overdo it. Your body temperature will also help the product blend better with your complexion. Apply evenly on the face and neck. Don’t be afraid to apply it on the edge of your lips. This will come in handy when you’re creating Ombre Lips.
This step is IMPORTANT. Go a shade lighter with your foundation on your temples, tip of nose and chin and use Charlotte Tilbury’s Beauty Light Wand to highlight dented spots to achieve a plump and full look.

Jason’s tip: Use a concealer brush instead of a foundation brush for more precise application. Press and gently roll the brush to work the product onto face. NEVER stroke to blend the product onto skin.
Put loose powder on the temples and bake for 10 minutes before dusting off to set the look.

Bold idol lashes without falsies

We’re seeing K-pop idols and celebrities sporting this bold lash trend and it involves carefully clipping strands together to achieve the most stunning fanned, doll-like look.

Here's how:

Use your eyelash curler to curl your lashes
Ensure your lashes are all in one direction. Use a spoolie to help you fix them. The goal is to have all your hairs pointing outwards and up. Doing this before applying mascara will prevent clumps and makes the finished look more polished.
Apply Byredo’s Astronomical Mascara but focus the pigment on the lash line. Wiggle the tip of the mascara wand on the roots of your lashes first, then comb upwards when there’s not much left on the brush.
Before your mascara dries, grab a pair of tweezers (the sharper, the better) and press a small bundle of eyelashes together to form a single “lash”.

Jason’s tip: Work from root to tip when using your tweezers so you’re also distributing the mascara evenly throughout the hairs and removing clumps. Don’t forget to clean your tweezers in between!

Peachy rosy cheeks

Perfect for both daytime and nighttime makeup, women in Korea are currently obsessed with warm-toned shades like apricot or peach to create a youthful look. While western techniques are about accentuating the apple of your cheeks, this Korean makeup trend focuses on recreating a natural flush or dialling it up for high impact colour.

Here's how:

Swatch Hermès Rose Abricot Blush Powder with your blush brush and lightly dust the pigment onto the lower parts of your cheek. Build softly for a natural flush.
For a spring flush, layer on the peach pigment and apply it all the way up to your temples and across your nose bridge for a more exaggerated look.

Reverse ombre lips

This trend needs no introduction. Previously reinterpreted by using a darker shade in the centre of the lip and gradually fading outwards, Koreans are now reversing the look to embrace the nineties lip trend. The key is to blend colours well for a natural, even finish.

Here's how:

Go over your lips with a foundation to cancel out natural pigmentation.
Opt for a lip liner that is two shades darker than your lipstick and apply it on the perimeter of your lips. We recommend Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat Walk of No Shame Lip Liner.
Use a lip brush to blend towards the centre of your lips. The desired effect should be smooth without definition.
Apply a lighter shade of lipstick in the middle of your lips and blend well towards the top and bottom of your lips. Be patient and blend thoroughly. We used Tom Ford Beauty’s Matte Lip in Suede Rose.
Dab on a hint of lip gloss to the centre of your lips for the perfect pout.

Y2K eye glitter (but subtle!)

Embrace the Y2K aesthetic and bring on the iridescence with shimmer and shine. Although purple and pink hued eye shadow are reminiscent of the 90s trend, the trending colours in the K-beauty world this year are coral, peachy tones. When choosing the right shade, Jason suggests opting for one with fine glitter for a more subdued, refined look.

Here's how:

Prime your eyes with Tom Ford Beauty’s Emotionproof Eye Primer to create a crease-proof finish
Use an eye shadow brush and apply Hourglass’ Curator Eyeshadow in Doe to the centre of the eyelids and blend evenly over the entire lid. Don’t forget to tap the brush to remove any excess product to prevent smudges.
Focus on packing pigment to the lids and keeping the edges of your shadow crisp and tight.