Korean makeup 💄
マホ
2 days ago
One of the things I absolutely wanted to do on my trip to Korea was experience authentic Korean makeup♡
Glowy, dewy skin and big, defined eyes like Korean idols and actresses. I’d always wondered, “How do they get that cute?”, so for this trip I decided I definitely wanted a pro to do it for me!
There are so many hair and makeup salons in Korea that, honestly, I had a hard time deciding where to go.
I checked Instagram, read blogs, and looked up reviews… After spending a lot of time searching, the place I chose was hosu dosan.
What sealed the deal was the sheer number of reviews and how highly it was rated. It made me think, “This place feels safe to book!”, so I reserved this salon for our trip.
The time we booked was, believe it or not, 7:30 a.m.
You might be thinking, “Wait, that early?”, but there’s a good reason👀
Hair and makeup inevitably takes some time, and when you’re traveling in Korea, every single day is precious.
If you finish as early as possible, you can spend the rest of the day sightseeing, cafe hopping, and shopping.
Plus, if a pro is going to make you look cute, you want to spend as much time as possible looking that way♡
That’s why we booked the earliest slot.
And honestly, I think it was the perfect choice.
Walking to the salon through the quiet morning streets felt special, it made the excitement of the trip even stronger.
When we arrived at the salon, since it was the first appointment of the day, there was only one makeup artist at first.
But she welcomed us with such a kind smile that my nerves instantly melted away.
I could barely speak Korean, but she took great care of us using gestures and simple English, so I never felt anxious. She also spoke Japanese🙆♀️
As time passed, more staff gradually came in.
Watching, I kept thinking, “Huh, there are more people than before!”, and it was fun seeing the whole salon come to life little by little.
I felt truly grateful that they were getting everything ready from so early in the morning.
One quick thing to note⚠️
There were two of us booked for 7:30 a.m., but because there was only one staff member at first, while one person was being done, the other had some waiting time.
So if you’re booking the very first slot with two or more people, it might be good to keep that in mind.
If you know in advance there might be some waiting, it probably won’t bother you too much♪
Once we were shown to our seats, they first offered us a drink.
From what I remember, there were a few options like coffee, tea, and juice.
And it wasn’t just served in a paper cup, it came in such a cute cup that it instantly lifted my mood♡
It also ended up being a great photo prop when taking pictures after the makeup✨
These little touches of hospitality really make you happy, don’t they?
They even had some small snacks out, and as someone who loves sweets, I was like, thank you so much🙏 lol
They were thoughtful down to the details, and I feel like I understood a bit more why they’re so popular.
Before starting, they asked what kind of look I wanted, so I showed a few reference photos like, “This is the vibe I want!”
Photos of Korean idols or actresses are fine, and I think saved images from Instagram or Pinterest would work too♪
I also prepared a few photos beforehand that made me think, “I love this feel!”, and the makeup artist carefully checked them and moved forward like, “Got it, this is the look you mean!”, which made me feel really reassured.
Of course everyone’s features are different, so it won’t turn out exactly the same, but I could tell she was really trying to get me as close as possible to my ideal vibe, and that made me so happy.
If you’re going, I recommend saving a few reference photos of the look you want♡
Once the session started, I was curious the whole time.
I kept watching because I wanted to know what cosmetics they were using, and what stood out was how many of the products were pink.
So many cute, very Korean-style designs were lined up, and even just looking at them got me excited♪
There were so many items that made me think, “I want to try that!”, it was heaven for makeup lovers.
And when it comes to Korean makeup, you can’t skip aegyo-sal (under-eye puff)!
I do my makeup a little in daily life too, but the aegyo-sal a pro creates is on another level.
It looked natural but had real dimension, and she finished it with glitter for a sparkly touch, I couldn’t help but feel happy every time I looked in the mirror♡
It wasn’t overly dramatic, but my eyes looked instantly brighter, and I felt like I’d gotten much closer to that Korean idol vibe.
Also, the famous Korean makeup eyelashes!!💕 I’d seen it all over social media and wanted to experience it at least once.
Yes, that step where they use fire to set the lashes!
It can make you flinch a bit the first time you see it, but the professional did it smoothly and confidently, so I felt safe.
I was honestly a little moved thinking, “So this is that technique you always see in Korea!”
My lashes looked so much more defined, and my eye area instantly became more glamorous.
But personally, what impressed me the most was the eyebrows.
I’m not very good at drawing brows, so I was a bit worried like, “What shape will they end up?”, but I didn’t need to worry at all.
She looked at the balance of my whole face and shaped them into a really natural, flattering shape, and I was genuinely amazed thinking, “Pros are incredible…” while looking in the mirror.
She trimmed my brows, and I could tell she wasn’t just following trends, she was designing something that suited me personally.
Even now that I’m back home, my brow makeup has become so much easier thanks to that💗
The whole makeup application was so careful, but what surprised me was how fast it was.
She was so efficient that I kept thinking, “Wait, we’re already this far?” There were zero wasted movements.
Watching her switch between brushes and sponges one after another, finishing the look without hesitation, was so impressive I couldn’t stop watching.
I found myself thinking over and over again, pros really are amazing.
When you’re traveling, a lot of people want to use their time efficiently, and with this speed, it was easy to plan the rest of the day, I really appreciated that.
It was also fun watching the look come together, it was such an exciting time that made me think, “I’m so glad I got my makeup done in Korea!”
I was curious about what products they were using, so I asked if it was okay to take photos of the makeup items, and they kindly said yes.
I was so happy to be able to see popular Korean items in real life.
If you love cosmetics, I think you can enjoy this time a lot just from that alone♡
The session wasn’t even finished yet, but I was already so satisfied that I thought, “I’m really glad I chose hosu dosan.”
If you want to try professional hair and makeup in Korea, or if you want to take lots of cute photos during your trip, this is a salon I’d truly recommend.
Going early in the morning so you can make the most of your day is a huge plus, and being able to head straight out to cafe hop and shop while still looking freshly done by a pro was genuinely such a happy time♡
If you’re planning a trip to Korea, be sure to add a hair and makeup experience to your itinerary.
I’m sure it’ll make your travel memories feel even more special.
