But the photo shoots and editorial spreads have also allowed the world outside K-pop to see beauty trends and brands that, like, CL, have been on red carpets and music videos for ages in Korea but are just starting to become popular in the West.
Her look in the W Korea spread is a perfect example of that. Instead of rocking her signature cat eye, CL looks shadowy and demure with flawless skin coverage, a light rose lip, and deep rose and black eyes. All three trends have been huge in Korea for a while, but are just starting to get more popular outside the country.
This is a look worthy of international runways, but it's a great one because it's also attainable for us mortals who don't have access to professional makeup artists and killer lighting every time we get ready. Plus, you can do it all using some of Korea's best and most affordable makeup brands. Here's how:
Flawless Skin Coverage:
Even behind a netted black veil, CL's skin is glowing so bright you practically need sunglasses. For that kind of bright, dewy coverage, you'll probably need a few products. First things first: make sure your face is super clean and moisturized. You could also do a brightening sheet mask to really feel revitalized before putting makeup on your face.
Then, you can start with a makeup base. Bases are designed to do a few things: clean up uneven skin tones, fill in pores so makeup goes on smoothly, and help makeup stay on cleaner and longer. If you normally have red skin undertones or get a few blotchy reddish spots you'll want to go with a green makeup base like Missha's Style Fitting Wear Makeup Base. That's because red and green are opposite on the color wheel, so the calm green of the makeup will mix with your reddish skin to provide a more even tone. If you're more concerned about cancelling out some big pores, go with The Face Shop's Pore Tightening Cover Cream.
Next, splash on a little of Goodal's Waterest Lasting Water Oil. This is a great product to apply daily, especially for people with oily skin who normally fear adding any oil to their skincare routine. These seven fermented oils provide the moisture that even oily skin needs to be healthy and glow without the greasiness or shine that other oil-based products usually provide. When applied above a base and under makeup, it adds that extra radiance that takes your look from drab to worthy of a W Korea spread.
Next comes the foundation. Since you've already cleansed, moisturized, and applied a base, you can go for light coverage that looks more flawless and bright than heavy and matted down. One great option is CLIO's Kill Cover Highest Wear Foundation, which delivers SPF coverage along with a light color matching formula. For even lighter coverage that will do a little more to correct color imperfections, opt for a CC cream like AmorePacific's CC cushion compact.
No matter what you use, remember that application is key: use light dabs to pat it around your skin rather than quickly smear it on with fingers or a rough brush.
Contouring is all the rage in the West these days, but Korean makeup trends like CL's on the cover of W tend to skew more for a flawless finish across the board. If you want to give your face a little more structure, though, use a subtle highlighter like the Son & Park Highlighter Cube along the point of your nose, the highest point of your cheekbones, and the arch of your eyebrows.
Eyes:
Here's the most distinctive look of CL's W spread. The best part is that unlike her on-point cat eye, this style doesn't require a whole lotta skill. It's mostly getting the right products and slathering a whole bunch of them on your face.
Let's start with the shadow. You don't have to be super precise or use a bunch of different colors here like you might with other eyeshadow looks. In fact, all you have to do is get a shadow stick like Club Clio's Gelpresso Stick Shadow in No. 3, Hold Me Tight and slap it on around your eyes. Start with a good thick line right underneath your lid and right over, as if you were applying a thick layer of eye liner. Then use a beauty blender or your fingers to rub it in a little, smoothing it out on your bottom lid and spreading some upwards on your top lid. It doesn't have to be perfect, but make sure it's nice and thick directly around your eye and fades out the further it goes from your eye.
Then we'll do some liner. This, like the shadow, doesn't have to be perfect, but you don't want to make it too haphazard, either. Use a product like the TONYMOLY Backstage Gel Eyeliner in black. It has a relatively easy-to-use brush that can be moved to form both thick and thin lines, and it provides solid coverage even when things get oily, teary, or sweaty. Do a nice thick stroke of this over the rose eye shadow and a thinner layer directly underneath your bottom lashes.
Now the lashes! This all depends on how long and luscious your lashes already are. If you've already got long lashes that curl upwards, go wild with a super volumizing mascara like the Holika Holika Magic Pole Mascara. The magic here is all in the wand. It's great for lifting and separating lashes so that they're dark and heavy without being clumpy.
If you don't have many lashes to start with, or if you just want to create extra drama like CL does with this photo shoot, go false! The popularity of falsies these days mean there are some great affordable options on the market. Try out Darkness False Eyelashes - they're incredibly durable, have multiple styles available, and are easy to use even for first-timers.
Lips:
Finish this look off with a cool, calm, and collected lip. Nothing against a bossy red smooch, but a lighter, refreshing rose looks best with this eye and skin makeup. Langiege Silk Intense Lipstick got popular after Song Hye Kyo wore it in 'That Winter The Wind Blows.' She wore it in the beige chiffon shade, but the slightly pinker blond coral shade complements the rose eye shadow of this look.
Voila! You're as fly as CL. Take that look out on the town and let us know how it goes!
