[Requested] Kim Hyun-A Signature Makeup: The Basic Eye and Lip Tutorial
There was a request to do a tutorial for K-popster Hyun-A’s makeup. If you’re not a Korean-pop fan, you might better know her as having featured in a version of Gangnam style.
Disclaimer: Aside from a similarly small mouth, Hyun-A and I have very different-shaped eyes. Mine are a lot wider and more upward tilted (I’m a “cat", not a “puppy"), and my lid doesn’t fold down over the inner-corners of my eyes. But if you have a more typical East Asian eye shape or a mono-lid, it will look more similar to Hyun-A.
A few key things to note about her look before you begin:
- Skin: She seldom ever wears obvious blush. The skin is very even and porcelain-toned (there are some videos where she has a tan on, but she is mostly pale), so if you’re channeling the look, skip the blusher and any shimmer or obvious contouring.
- Her brows match her hair. In looks where she has black hair, her brows are charcoal/grey. Mostly, her hair is a coppery shade, and her brows are lightened to match, so match yours to your hair!
- I haven’t seen many people in the West deliberately UNDER-drawing their lips to make them smaller, but this is what Hyun-A does. I kinda like this approach to exaggerating the smallness of her lips rather than trying to over-draw and fake a larger mouth.
- Her eyes are doe-shaped (slightly down-turned) as are a lot of East-Asian women’s, but instead of the typical Japanese Gyaru puppy-dog eye, she adds a very thick and low flick at the ends for a flirtier cat-like twist, without changing the downward tilt of her overall eye look.
The first thing you want to do is to look in the mirror and search for a natural fold at the outer corner of your eyes. This is the “marker" for getting the shape (and making sure both sides are even).
Next, simply draw a line along the upper lid, as close to the lash line as you can, and extend it out along that natural line on your skin. Don’t make the liner too thick. Liner used: VDL Ready Steady Liquid Liner pen.
Hyun-A’s signature liner look places big emphasis on the outer corners to extend and widen the eyes. (If you have very long/large eyes, or yours are quite far apart to begin with, don’t draw the line out too far.)
Well, in general, just don’t draw it out so far that you look cock-eyed. I see so many girls who overdo this, and it’s not pretty.
I used Maybelline Master Drama in Midnight Drama for a very black and opaque effect. You don’t want there to be any difference between the liquid and the pencil.
P.S If you make any mistakes or mess up, just use a cotton bud dipped in water-based makeup remover to clean up.
Pop in your circle lens (she usually uses a soft brown that isn’t too unnatural) to finish the look. I’m skipping them!
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Now the cherry-blossom lips!
First, apply a lip concealer (or regular concealer/foundation) around the borders of your lips and blend it out so the outsides get muted. This gives you room to draw in and exaggerate the “Clara Bow" lip that Hyun-A favors.
Emphasize the cupid’s bow, making sure there is an obvious dip between the 2 peaks, and then concentrate most of the color in the center of the mouth where your lips meet.
Use a light hand because you can add more if you need, but it’s harder to rub out if you over-do it.
I used Bourjois’s Sweet Kiss Naturel #05, which is a rather translucent lipstick with a satin finish. A gloss or one of those balm stains would work just as well.