8 Korean Babyface Makeup (동안 메이크업) Tips: What to Know for a Fresh & Youthful Look

💄 Master the Korean Babyface Makeup Style with These 8 Essential Tips


안녕하세요, I’m Hangeulia ^-^
In Korea, there’s a special makeup trend called “동안 메이크업” (dongan makeup), literally meaning “babyface makeup.” It’s all about looking fresh, natural, and youthful — a glow that makes people guess you’re younger than you really are. Foreign travelers are often surprised at how subtle yet effective it is compared to heavy Western makeup styles. ^^



1. Less is More 💧

Instead of heavy foundation, Koreans prefer lightweight base makeup (BB cream, cushion foundation) that lets your natural skin show through. The goal is a healthy glow, not full coverage.


💛 K-Beauty Term: 쌩얼 메이크업 (ssaeng-eol makeup)
Meaning: “bare face makeup” — a natural look that seems makeup-free but polished.


2. Dewy, Not Matte ✨

The glass skin effect is key — using moisturizers, serums, and dewy primers. This makes the skin look hydrated, youthful, and radiant.


💛 K-Beauty Term: 광채피부 메이크업 (gwang-chae pibu makeup)
Meaning: “glow skin makeup” — achieving luminous, dewy skin, also called “glass skin.”


3. Natural Brows 🌿

Forget sharp angles — brows are drawn straight and soft for a gentle, innocent vibe.


💛 K-Beauty Term:
일자눈썹 (il-ja nun-sseop) — “straight brows,” soft and flat, a K-beauty signature.


4. Soft Gradient Lips 👄

One of the most famous K-beauty looks: gradient lips! Applying lipstick in the center and blending outward creates a cute, youthful effect.


💛 K-Beauty Term: 립그라데이션 (lip geu-rae-de-i-syeon)
Meaning: “gradient lips” — darker inside, fading outward for a youthful effect.


5. Blush for a Healthy Flush 🍑

Soft pink or peach blush placed high on the cheeks makes the face look naturally lively, like you just came in from the cold.


💛 K-Beauty Term: 생기발랄 메이크업 (saeng-gi bal-lal makeup)
Meaning: “lively/fresh makeup” — blush and tones that add vitality and brightness.


6. Eye Makeup: Minimal but Bright 👀

Eyeliner is subtle, lashes are lightly curled, and a touch of shimmer on the lids or aegyo-sal (애교살, the cute under-eye area) makes the eyes look bigger and friendlier.


💛 K-Beauty Term: 애교살 메이크업 (ae-gyo-sal makeup)
Meaning: “cute under-eye makeup” — highlighting the puffy line under eyes for a friendly, youthful vibe.


7. A Shorter-Looking Nose Tip 👃

Blush isn’t just for cheeks! In Korea, some use blush more widely — across the center of the cheeks, above the nose tip, and toward the temples. This lifts attention upward, makes the mid-face look shorter, and gives a slim, youthful impression.


💛 K-Beauty Term: 중안부 축소 메이크업 (jung-an-bu chuk-so makeup)
Meaning: “mid-face shortening makeup” — shading/blush techniques that visually shorten the mid-face.


8. Forehead Line Makeup: The Finishing Touch 💇

In Korean babyface makeup, a rounded forehead is seen as more youthful than an “M-shaped” hairline. If your hairline has empty spots, you can lightly fill them in with eyeshadow or powder matching your hair color. Finally, style a few 애교머리 (ae-gyo meo-ri) — soft baby hairs — and fix them in place. This simple trick frames the face and completes the 동안 vibe perfectly. ^^


💛 K-Beauty Term: 애교머리 (ae-gyo meo-ri)
Meaning: “baby hair styling” — leaving or styling soft baby hairs around the forehead/temples for a cute, youthful finish.


💜 Why It Wows Foreign Travelers

Foreign visitors often find it fascinating that in Korea, looking “younger” is considered a compliment, and entire makeup styles are built around that idea. ^^ While Western makeup sometimes emphasizes bold glamour, Korean babyface makeup is about effortlessness — making you look like the best version of your natural self.



💜 Quick Recap: 8 Babyface Makeup Tips


Infographic: 8 Korean babyface makeup tips—dewy base, soft brows, gradient lips, bright eyes, blush, slim nose effect, and round hairline with baby hairs

  • Less is more — lightweight base, natural glow
  • Dewy, not matte — “glass skin” hydration
  • Natural brows — soft & straight shape
  • Gradient lips — cute, youthful fade
  • Blush — fresh, lively cheeks (peach/pink)
  • Bright eyes — subtle liner + aegyo-sal shimmer
  • Shading trick — shorter-looking nose effect
  • Forehead line makeup — round hairline + baby hairs


💜 Final Thoughts

Trying 동안 메이크업 can be a fun part of your Korea trip — whether at a K-beauty road shop in Myeongdong, or during a makeover experience at a beauty studio. It’s more than just makeup — it’s a cultural expression of beauty that values freshness, subtlety, and a youthful glow.💕


With love,
한글리아 😊



✨ Explore More K-Beauty

If you enjoyed this guide to 동안 메이크업 (babyface makeup), you’ll love my Konglish beauty explainers too:

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