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YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM A MADE UP FACE

the difference styles of Korean and American makeup

By Jeong Min Park

Makeup is truth
We see people and we take them in as they present themselves. So we have a tendency to think that everything is natural, especially within our own cultures. We meet people and we don’t even begin to think how they got to look like that. They look like they look. Now, if we were a bit smarter, we would at least stop to think how long it takes them to look like they look. And we would have to admit that from the moment we get up in the morning to when we leave for school or work, we look radically different. In fact, we all know what a change in hairstyle will do and what 20 pounds of weight will do, and what clothes can do to our appearance and how people treat us.

And so one of the most interesting aspects of a woman’s day, and women are more controlled by appearance than men, is how they put on makeup. But, you don’t really begin to understand how radical an act this is until you see women put on makeup from different cultures. And then when you really see it, you can’t miss it! The differences in the “natural” look between American and Korean women is astounding and there’s a whole industry on YouTube that makes this quite clear. So, I want to look at makeup techniques as a form of cultural understanding about what’s beautiful and what’s natural. Although we know, nothing actually is.

Who are you?
For Korean women, it’s all about looking youthful, fresh, and radiant. Whereas  for American women, it's all about looking sexy and sophisticated. There are four obvious differences between the two makeup styles. For the base, Korean women use a moisturizer to soften the skin while American women use matte foundation to contour the cheekbones and to enhance the structure of the face. Basically, Korean women are obsessed with skincare that projects a youthful, glowing appearance. The Korean skincare routine keeps skin looking flawless, with or without foundation.


So when we talk about base, we’re really talking about the foundation of what these different cultures are going after with beauty. It’s not called base for nothing. The foundation for Korean women is a notion of eternal youthfulness. One could say that that’s rather infantilizing, to not age, but I would argue that Korean women’s use of the youthful base is more of a statement about being opaque, not quite present, and therefore having the opportunity to choose multiple paths. Whereas the bolder and more dramatic base for American women might be construed as being limiting in that you can so clearly read the face. The Korean face is trickier and more elusive and that, strangely enough, allows for greater variation than what we might otherwise think.


See the difference
The popular Korean gradient lips became so after Korean celebrities started using that technique. Using bright pinks, corals, and reds give the appearance of sweet rosebud lips. American women prefer lining their lips with a nude lip pencil and going over it with a matte nude lipstick to give them the appearance of a full and sexy pout.


They both want to be appealing and sexy, but take radically different paths to that goal. For Korean women to achieve this, they go for a soft and alluring look. Most Korean men are attracted to glossy and rosebud lips so when women use nude lipstick, they’ll often ask if she is hurt. That’s right, men can’t tell the difference between a lipstick choice and injury. This tells you how deeply embedded these techniques are in each culture.


Is that the same person?
For the eyes, Korean women tend to keep things simpler. They usually choose subtle and shimmery pink, peach or champagne shades on their eyelids. Korean women tend to only fill in the upper lash line with a brown or black eye pencil and extend it slightly outwards for naturally defined looking eyes. In contrast, American women tend to go for bolder smoky eyes and strong graphic cat eyes.


When we talk about eye makeup, we have to talk about eyelids. Korean women are concerned with the aegyo-sal, which is the little fatty deposits under our eye. It does not refer to those bags under our eyes that we all get from aging, but it sits right under the lower eyelid. Some people believe that it can make women look more youthful and innocent. Further, Korean women use the eyeliner to draw a downward line, creating an innocent look.



These concerns with the eyelid are connected to what some have called a Korean obsession with plastic surgery. Teenage girls in Korea prefer to receive plastic surgery as a gift rather than an actual gift. The most common procedure in Korea is double eyelid surgery. Koreans are commonly had mono eyelid and small eyes, that is why double eyelid surgery has become so popular.


We're all different or are we?
Again, natural and youthful is the key point for Koreans. They don’t normally wear false eyelashes and tend to prefer naturally curled eyelashes with a coat or two of mascara. However, Americans like long flirty eyelashes with tons of volume and impact. Long, thick, and dramatic eyelashes known as falsies are a must. For the brows, Korean women tend to gravitate towards straighter and fuller brows as they lend a more youthful, innocent look to the face. This year, however, slightly rounder-shaped brows are preferred for a more feminine feel. On the other hand, American women prefer a more defined and arched brow to look sexy and sophisticated.


Every culture has its own beauty standards. Nobody could judge which makeup style is right or wrong, but it sure can tell you a lot about what a society and its people value. Sometimes, the soul is the cover of the book.



©Jeong Min Park and CCA Arts Review

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