7 Konglish K-Beauty Makeup Terms — From Tone-Up Cream (톤업크림) to Shading (섀딩)

💝 Lost in Translation? Korean English Words – Part 4: Makeup Edition


안녕하세요. I'm Hangeulia ^-^

Ready to add some color? After skincare basics in Part 3, we’re now stepping into makeup. From cushion pacts to shading, Koreans use plenty of English-looking words that mean something a little different. Let’s join two friends at Olive Young and later at home as they get ready for a night out 💄



💜 Tone-Up Cream (톤업크림)

Situation
Friends browsing Olive Young’s makeup aisle.

Dialogue
A: 이 톤업크림 발라봤어?
(i ton-eop-keu-rim bal-la-bwat-seo?)
B: 응. 피부가 환해 보이더라.
(eung. pi-bu-ga hwan-hae bo-i-deo-ra)

Translation
A: Have you tried this brightening cream?
B: Yeah, it really makes your skin look brighter.


💛 Story Note
In Korea, 톤업크림 (tone-up cream) = a cream that instantly brightens your skin tone. It usually has sunscreen function, so many people use it as a brightening sunscreen or as a base cream before foundation.
👉 It’s very popular for creating a natural “no-makeup” look (쌩얼) while evening out skin tone. In English, people usually say brightening cream or brightening sunscreen, not “tone-up cream.”

  • Tone-up cream (톤업크림) = brightening cream / brightening sunscreen / base cream


💜 Cushion Pact (쿠션팩트)

Situation
Two friends testing a new compact on the back of their hands at Olive Young.

Dialogue
A: 이거 쿠션팩트 신상이래.
(i-geo ku-syeon-paek-teu sin-sang-i-rae)
B: 오~ 촉촉하고 커버력 좋은데!
(o~ chok-chok-ha-go keo-beo-ryeok jo-eun-de!)

Translation
A: They say this is the new cushion foundation.
B: Oh~ it feels moisturizing and the coverage is great!


💛 Story Note
In Korea, 쿠션팩트 means a compact with foundation-soaked sponge, applied with a puff. It’s one of the most popular K-beauty items for quick touch-ups. But in English, people don’t say “pact.” Instead, you’ll hear cushion foundation or just cushion. So if you see “쿠션팩트” in Korea, just think of it as cushion foundation. ^^

  • Cushion pact (쿠션팩트) = cushion foundation 💄


💜 Blusher (블러셔)


Situation
Two friends trying out makeup at Olive Young.

Dialogue
A: 너는 블러셔 어떤 색 좋아해?
(neo beul-leo-syeo eo-tteon saek jo-a-hae?)
B: 나는 코랄 계열이 잘 받더라.
(na-neun ko-ral gye-yeol-i jal bat-deo-ra)

Translation
A: What color blush do you like?
B: Coral shades look good on me.


💛 Story Note
In Korea, people say 블러셔 (blusher) for the cheek color. But in English, the common word is blush, not blusher. So if your Korean friend says “블러셔 발랐어,” it means they put on blush.

  • Blusher (블러셔, beul-leo-syeo) = blush


💜 Viewler (뷰러)

Situation
Still shopping at Olive Young, looking at makeup tools.

Dialogue
A: 너 뷰러 어떤 거 써? 나는 속눈썹이 자꾸 쳐져.
(neo byu-reo eo-tteon geo sseo? na-neun sok-nun-sseop-i jak-ku chyeo-jyeo)
B: 나도 그래~~ 그럼 너도 이거 히팅 뷰러 한번 써봐.
(na-do geu-rae~~ geu-reom neo-do i-geo hi-ting byu-reo han-beon sseo-bwa)

Translation
A: Which eyelash curler do you use? My lashes keep drooping.
B: Same here~~ Then try this heated eyelash curler.


💛 Story Note
In Korea, people say 뷰러 (byu-reo) for an eyelash curler. This word comes from “viewler,” but that’s not English — it’s Konglish. If you ask for a 뷰러 in Korea, the shop staff will understand you, but in English you should say eyelash curler.
👉 Sometimes English speakers just say “curler,” but usually that means a hair curler, so be careful! 😉

  • Viewler (뷰러, byu-reo) = eyelash curler
  • Konglish word – use “eyelash curler” in English


💜 Eye Hole (아이홀)

Situation
Still shopping for eye shadows at Olive Young.

Dialogue
A: 어떤 색 아이섀도 찾는 거야?
(eo-tteon saek a-i-syae-do chat-neun geo-ya?)
B: 여기 아이홀에 자연스럽게 음영 넣어보려구.
(yeo-gi a-i-hol-e ja-yeon-seu-reop-ge eum-yeong neo-eo-bo-ryeo-gu)

Translation
A: What kind of eye shadow are you looking for?
B: I want to add some natural shading on the crease.


💛 Story Note
In Korea, people often say 아이홀 (eye hole) when talking about makeup. It sounds funny in English because “eye hole” means literally a hole in your eye 😅. What Koreans mean is the crease of the eyelid — the fold where you usually apply shading.
👉 So if you’re studying Korean beauty terms, remember: 아이홀 = eyelid crease.

  • Eye hole (아이홀, a-i-hol) = eyelid crease
  • Konglish word – say “crease” or “eyelid crease” in English


💜 Pearl (펄)

Situation
Two friends doing their makeup at home.

Dialogue
A: 아이섀도우 이거 바를까?
(a-i-syae-do-u i-geo bal-leul-kka?)
B: 아니, 펄 들어간 게 더 나을 것 같아.
(a-ni, peol deu-reo-gan ge deo na-eul geot gat-a)

Translation
A: Should I use this eye shadow?
B: No, I think the one with some shimmer would look better.


💛 Story Note
In Korea, 펄 (peol) usually refers to the sparkly particles inside eye shadows or other makeup products. People also use the word 글리터 (glitter), but when talking about the shimmery finish in shadows, Koreans often just say “펄.” In English, you won’t hear “pearl” for this. Instead, people say: - shimmer = soft, fine sparkle - glitter = big, bold sparkle - sparkle = general word for shine
👉 So if a Korean friend says “펄 있는 섀도우 (peol it-neun syae-do-u),” they mean an eye shadow with shimmer or glitter, not a shadow made of pearls 😅

  • Pearl (펄, peol) = shimmer / glitter


💜 Shading (섀딩)

Situation
Two friends putting on the final touches before going out.

Dialogue
A: 나 턱에 살짝 섀딩 좀 해야 될까?
(na teok-e sal-jjak syae-ding jom hae-ya doel-kka?)
B: 응. 살짝만 하면 더 갸름해 보일 것 같아.
(eung. sal-jjak-man ha-myeon deo gya-reum-hae bo-il geot gat-a)

Translation
A: Should I add a little contour on my jawline?
B: Yeah, just a bit will make your face look slimmer.


💛 Story Note
In Korea, 섀딩 (syae-ding) means contouring with powder or a stick. In English, the correct word is contour, not “shading.” So if you hear a Korean say “섀딩하다,” they mean “to contour the face.”

  • Shading (섀딩, syae-ding) = contour


💜 Cultural Note

Two more beauty words you’ll hear all the time in Korea. They exist in English too, but Koreans use them much more often:

  • Fixer (픽서): In English, people usually say setting spray. In Korea, people almost always call it “픽서.”
    👉 For example, a friend might say: 픽서 뿌려야지 (pik-seo ppu-ryeo-ya-ji) = “I should use my setting spray.”

  • Tint (틴트): The word “tint” also exists in English (like lip tint or cheek tint), but outside Korea you’ll more often hear lip stain or just lip color. In K-beauty, “틴트” is the go-to word, especially for lip products.
    👉 Example: 이 틴트 발라볼래? (i tin-teu bal-la-bol-lae?) = “Do you want to try this lip tint?”


💜 Quick Recap


K-Beauty Makeup Konglish words: tone-up cream, cushion pact, blusher, viewler, eye hole, pearl, shading

  • 톤업크림 (tone-up cream) = brightening cream
  • 쿠션팩트 (cushion pact) = cushion foundation
  • 블러셔 (blusher) = blush
  • 뷰러 (viewler) = eyelash curler
  • 아이홀 (eye hole) = eyelid crease
  • 펄 (pearl) = shimmer/glitter
  • 섀딩 (shading) = contour

Bonus: Koreans also say 픽서 (pik-seo) for setting spray, and 틴트 (tin-teu) for lip tint.



💜 Final Thoughts

That’s our color makeup Konglish set! Now you know what Koreans mean when they say “blusher,” “eye hole,” or “shading.” With this guide, you’ll be able to shop K-beauty and follow Korean makeup tutorials without confusion ^^


With love,
한글리아 😊

Part 4 of the Konglish series — ← Previous: Part 3. 7 Konglish K-Beauty Skincare Terms — From Skin (스킨) to Sun Cream (썬크림) | Next: Part 5. 8 Korean English Words for K-Beauty Hair Styling — From Magic Perm (매직펌) to Hippie Perm (히피펌)


Now you know the key Konglish words for makeup ^-^ But what about the signature Korean babyface style that everyone talks about?
Find out here 💄dongan (동안) makeup secrets



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