Header image source: Jenny House Instagram (left) and Seo Ok Instagram (right)
As someone who really likes experimenting with makeup, finding inspiration is so important to me – which I do mostly via social media and digital platforms. In this list, I’ll be sharing some of my favourite Korean makeup artists and creators. Some of them are known for working with K-pop artists, some on set of Korean Dramas and others are popular on YouTube as content creators. Either way, every artist has their own unique take on makeup and beauty, so there is much to learn.
Read on for six of my personal favourites – and make sure to check out their platforms as well!
Seo Ok
Most well known as the makeup artist for Girls’ Generation (and also the girls individually), Seo Ok has a strong grip on the Korean entertainment industry. She is most known for creating Taeyeon’s signature glittery eye look – pictured above. Her artistry style is diverse, able to adapt from the clean no-make up look to more experimental make up for magazine editorial and music videos. She also has her own YouTube channel where she shows how she creates her most popular K-Artist looks.
Suzie K
One of my favourite artists right now, and definitely someone to keep an eye on, Suzie K is a makeup artist most recently known for doing Tiffany Young’s make up – from music videos and live performances to magazine editorials.. she did it! Suzie’s approach is bold, experimental and colourful, but she can pull it back to a more traditional glam too, as she did for Yuh Jung Youn at the Oscars. I love following for her more trendy looks, as well as just watching an Asian artist take the Western beauty industry by storm.
Jenny House
When it comes to the K-Beauty style, it’s hard to pass up on Jenny House. One of the most famous beauty salons in Seoul, they are frequently by so many Korean celebrities and have an entire team of brilliant artists. If you’re wanting more of the traditional dewy skin, clean make up look, then Jenny House has you covered. Their recent editorial with Lee Daehwi is great inspiration on how to approach a ‘male’ make up style that is just a little bit feminine too.
Min Saerom
Moving on from celebrity make up artists, there is Min Saerom. Whilst maybe not one of the biggest names out there, she has cemented herself as a beauty expert with the establishment of her own makeup brand – Rom&nd. Whether you’re a fan of her make up looks, her products or both, her videos are a wonderful insight into makeup trends, application techniques and styles. I personally love watching her more informative videos where she discusses Rom&nd releases, production and analyses sales trends.
SINN
One of my personal favourite YouTube content creators out there is SSIN – or YeoSSIN as I sometimes call her. She is most well known for her make up transformation videos as well as her refreshingly honest personality. I draw so much inspiration from watching how she transforms to different styles, whilst also explaining the techniques and make up theory. I also love to binge watch her ‘One Brand Tutorials,’ which go in-depth into popular brands to discuss different formulas and product ranges.
Pony Park
And finally, this list just would not be complete without Pony Park. Perhaps one of the biggest names in k-beauty, her big break out came when she was hired as CL’s make up artist. Pony has a unique approach of blending both Korean and Western sensibilities into her artistry, which was quickly noticed. Soon enough, her YouTube channel was booming and she became a celebrity in her own right – she had brand deals, make up collaborations and an entire brand by her name.
To be very honest, I have been highly critical of Pony Park in the past. Some of her make up looks are somewhat repetitive and feel uninspired, but when she gets it right – it is magic. I like watching her more creative, editorial looks and often use them for inspiration. I also had the pleasure of attending her Masterclass with Shiseido and can confirm that she is very sweet in person, with a genuine desire to teach and share.
Have you heard of these artists before? Or perhaps you have some other favourites?
Feel free to leave them in the comments or on Instagram for me because, really, inspiration is everywhere and I’m sure there will be more lists for me to share soon!