Beauty, Sorted: Get Korean Beauty Secrets In Under 10 Minutes

If you’re an ardent follower of Korean pop culture like we are, you’ll know that Korean beauty is all about playing up your natural beauty and creating a look that’s as flawless as it is effortless. Whether it’s the barely-there eyeshadow or a very light hint of blush to create a more youthful appearance, the emphasis has always been on accentuating your natural beauty, rather than covering it with too much makeup.

“The key to achieving a look inspired by your Korean celebrities is to find your best features, and play them up”, says makeup guru Keith Bryant Lee. “Your goal is to create a look that feels touchable and natural. This is also a great beauty regimen for women who are busy and don’t have a lot of time in the morning to get ready.”

Here, Keith shares his best tips on how you can unlock the beauty secrets of your fave Korean celebs.

01. Get Song Hye Kyo’s Glowing Skin

“As mentioned, getting the K-beauty look is about having a good base”, Lee says. “Having healthy glowing skin means you don’t have to put too much makeup on after.” He recommends adding an exfoliator to your skincare regimen, as the gentle scrubbing will help to remove dead skin cells, and promote skin regeneration. “By exfoliating once or twice a week, you’ll start to realise that your skin looks noticeably brighter and more radiant!”

A recommended exfoliator would be Beigic’s Correcting Exfoliator. Made of Peruvian green coffee oil, coconut oil and coffee grounds, the formula works together to gently unclog your pores, without setting off any sensitivities. Vitamin E is also incorporated into the product to help slough away dead skin cells, which also helps refine the appearance of pores.

Once you’re done, dab on Auolive’s fan-favourite Eyes Lifter serum, which helps to invigorate tired-looking eyes by eliminating fine lines around the eye area and lightening the dark circles under your eyes. 

Finally, boost your skin’s moisture levels by pressing a few drops of Mellow Naturals’ Hydration Drops and patting it evenly across your face. With a proprietary blend of natural ingredients including squalene and rosehip oil, this face oil fights against external aggressors while maintaining a balanced and moisturised mien.

02. Two Easy Steps To Achieving Seo Ji-Hye’s Look

Even though her character on Crash Landing On You was a high-maintenance heiress, actress Seo Ji-Hye prefers to keep her makeup looks easy and fuss-free.

“If you look at her past red carpet appearances, you’ll notice that she likes to keep a very minimalist look”, says Lee. “To recreate her look, all you really need – apart from your foundation – is an eyeliner and a lipstick colour that isn’t too overpowering.”

Lee recommends that you find a lipstick colour that’s two shades darker than your natural lip colour, so the end result has just enough colour without looking overdone. “The Ultraromantic Lipmattic Liquid Lipstick from Solos Cosmetics is a very safe choice, as it’s very versatile for everyday wear.” 

If matte lipsticks aren’t your thing, you can also follow up with the Everday TintUp Lip Tint from Solos Cosmetics. Dispense a small amount on your index finger, and lightly dab it over your lipstick for a soft, glossy finish. As a bonus, you can even try dabbing this lip tint on your eyelids, to achieve that rose-coloured eye that Korean celebrities are fond of too.

Lastly, when it comes to drawing on your eyeliner, Lee’s recommendation is that you work with a guide.

“The easiest way to get that K-beauty eyeliner is to draw the wing, making sure you don’t over-extend it”, he advises. “One you have that, you can easily trace your eyeliner pencil towards the inner corners of your eyes.” One great liner you can try is the Micro Black Myliner Liquid Eyeliner from Solos Cosmetics. With a Halal-certified formula and a smaller felt tip size for greater precision, you can confidently recreate Ji-Hye’s look. 

03. Jisoo’s Nail Art, Without The Fuss

Don’t forget the tips! Like BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, nail art can be incredibly effective in glamming up your look. As Lee mentions, nail art “is a great way to have fun and express your personality, and you can tell the world a lot about who you are just by the type of nail art that you pick.”

Because some of us may not have the luxury of time to visit our nail artists regularly, Lee recommends using nail art instead. “It’s incredibly quick, and the possibilities are endless”, he tells us. “Just pop it on, finish with a topcoat and you’re all set!”

For this, we look to Nodspark’s ever-growing array of nail accents to pick our faves. Looking for something that’s summer-appropriate and fun? Nodspark’s “Summer Pantone” nail stickers come with refreshing shades that are inspired by zesty citruses and warm sunset colours.

Those looking for something more timeless can count on the “Black Swan” series to deliver. With geometric shapes and lines in black and white, this graphic artwork will add a classic accent to your look.