Blurred lips are poised to be the standout makeup trend of 2026 — and you can thank Nina Park for bringing the look from Korean beauty circles to the red carpet. The Korean-American makeup artist has quietly become one of the most influential forces in Hollywood glam, sending clients like Emma Stone, Greta Lee, and Zoë Kravitz out with with airy skin, soft-stained lips, and a low-contrast elegance that feels worlds away from typical red carpet looks.
But blurred lips are really just the beginning. Scroll through K-beauty makeup tutorials on social media, and you’ll quickly realize there’s an entire playbook of subtle techniques designed to shift proportions and soften features. For instance, blush drifts across the nose instead of staying put on the cheeks. Brows get lifted a shade or two lighter. Inner-corner highlight sits in precise little V-shapes that make the eyes appear closer together and more lifted.
What ties all these features together? Everything is diffused, low-contrast, and tailored to your face. Keep scrolling for your guide to 2026’s must-know Korean makeup trends.
1“Peanut Butter” Lips
Also known as meolmeol (or “toasty”) makeup, this lip trend leans into soft color rather than bold saturation. The shade is a muted beige-brown with a subtle gray cast, bringing it into the cool-toned instead of caramel family. Think of it like a lighter evolution of last year’s mocha mousse moment, with the same understated, monochromatic effect — especially when paired with a matching beige blush. For an easy entry point, try Peripera’s Ink Glasting Lip Gloss in the shade Edge Nude.
2Nose Blush
If your blush never leaves your cheeks, Korean makeup artists would say you’re missing half the fun. Nose blush connects the color from one cheek across the bridge of the nose, creating a soft W-shape that looks sun-flushed and playful. Another bonus? It visually shortens the mid-face.
Pro tip: texture matters as much as placement. Pick formulas that melt into the skin rather than sit on top of it. For that watercolor effect, try Fwee’s Lip & Cheek Blurry Pudding Pot, which has a mousse-y texture that blends into a diffused wash of color.
3Lightened Eyebrows
Soft, low-contrast brows are key to the airy K-beauty look. The goal isn’t necessarily bleached-blonde arches, but lifting your natural shade by one or two levels so the whole look feels a little softer. The result is more harmonious and effortlessly polished.
4Inner-Corner Highlight
If you’ve ever watched a K-pop makeup tutorial, you know the one step almost no one skips: inner-corner highlight. The key is choosing cool-toned satin shadows, usually in silver or icy pink, that catch the light without looking like chunky glitter. Instead of pressing pigment directly onto the tear duct, it sits in a small V-shape just beside the inner corner, leaving a slight gap. It’s a subtle trick that brings the eyes closer together, and when the shimmer is blended onto the lid, the whole eye looks more lifted.
5Aeygo Sal Eyes
Forget concealing your under-eye bags — what about contouring them? Aegyo sal, which translates to “cute fat,” highlights the small pocket of fullness that appears under your eyes when you smile. The technique has been a Korean makeup staple for years, but lately it’s been catching on with American audiences, too, given the “tired girl” makeup trend. Subtlety is key here: A soft brown shadow goes just underneath the natural puff, then a touch of highlighter sits above it and blends up into the lower lash line. The result is rounder-looking eyes that look youthful — and yes, a little sleep-deprived.
6Spiky Lashes
“Ghost lash” girls are going to want to sit down for this. While American beauty trends have leaned into barely-there mascara, Korean makeup is going in the opposite direction. Spiky lashes separate strands into individual clusters that fan across the eye for that signature anime effect. Thin, piece-y, and perfectly separated, they can even be achieved with pre-made V-shaped clusters — like Ccam Bbak’s Original Eyelashes, which are glued under the lash line to look slightly more natural.
