Associate beauty editor Melissa Chew tries on a typical Korean makeup look and a classic American makeup look.
Makeup: Rina Sim; Hair: Kenneth Ong
I usually don’t go to such extremes as doing my entire makeup look to resemble celebrities or to create a whole trending look, but for our latest Beauty In A Minute video, for the sake of comparison, I am wholly embracing a typical Korean makeup look AND a typical American makeup look.
Korean makeup is all about dewy skin, tinted lips, pretty flushed cheeks, shimmery eyes, and soft, full brows. A classic American look on the other hand is all about contouring and definition, matte finishes and dramatic eyes. As different as chalk and cheese.
ALSO READ: HER WORLD’S HONEST REVIEW OF FENTY BEAUTY MAKEUP
All the steps of the makeup for both looks are really vastly different. Here’s a step by step breakdown:
Base makeup
Korean: Sheer coverage with a dewy, glowy finish. A sure bet is to use a cushion foundation, which is ideal for creating that luminous complexion. Makeup artist Rina Sim used NARS Aqua Glow Cushion Foundation SPF23/PA++, $68.
American: Full coverage with a semi-matte finish. Try a two way cake foundation or one with a creamy liquid formula like Yves Saint Laurent Beaute All Hours Foundation, $98.
ALSO READ: HOW TO GO FOUNDATION-FREE AND STILL LOOK FLAWLESS
Brows
Korean: Full with a straight-ish shape and a soft blended in look. Try a brow powder kit like Kate Designing Eyebrow 3D in EX-5, $20.50, available at Watsons.
American: Arched and super defined. Only an eyebrow pencil or a brow gel applied with a flat brow brush can give you sharp looking brows. M.A.C Fluidline Brow Gelcreme, $31, was used.
ALSO READ: 7 EYEBROW MAKEUP FOR PERFECT LOOKING BROWS
Eye makeup
Korean: Shimmery eyeshadow in pretty pastel shades, soft kohl eyeliner and a coat of mascara. Rina used Clé de Peau Beauté eye color quad in #301 Marmalade Sky, $80, and NARS Velvet Shadow Stick in Goddess, $45, to create the line of shimmer under the eyes.
American: Deep-set eyes with brown eyeshadows to define double eyelids, winged eyeliner and dramatic lashes. Urban Decay’s Naked Heat Palette, $83; and Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner, $22.90, were used.
ALSO READ: 5 EYESHADOW MISTAKES YOU’RE PROBABLY MAKING
Face colour
Korean: A pretty pink flush on the cheeks. Go for a cream blush in a pretty coral or pop pink hue, dabbing onto cheeks with your fingers. We like Moonshot Cream Paint in #804 Dragon Fruit, $27.
American: Contour and highlight to define cheekbones, jawline and the nose bridge. A palette like Kat Von D Shade & Light Contour Palette, $73 is perfect for adding definition to the face and for dimension, use a highlighter like Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone, $58.
ALSO READ: MAKE THOSE CHEEKBONES POP: THE BEST CONTOUR KITS FOR ASIAN SKIN
Lips
Korean: Of course the K-beauty ombre or gradient lip look. Laneige’s Two Tone Tint Lip Bar in No.4 Fruits Candy Bar, $32 is a classic lippie specifically to create this look. Or try Dior’s new Rouge Dior’s limited edition Double Rouge, $50.
American: Matte lips in a dusty pink or nude hue. Reach for liquid lipsticks in matte formulas to deliver that rich, velvety colour. Rina used Dior Rouge Dior Liquid in #614 Jungle Matte, $50.
ALSO READ: 9 OF THE LATEST LIQUID LIPSTICKS