I’m Copying This K-Pop Goth Fishtail Liner As Soon As Fall Hits

Like many beauty lovers, South Korean makeup artist Eunwoo Jung gravitates toward red and brown shades “like maple leaves” for the fall makeup looks she puts together for her K-pop star clients, she tells TZR. Those cozy, warm colors are staples no matter what year it is. However, what you do with these shades and what you pair with them is getting bolder and more experimental this year, especially for K-pop star makeup looks. Just recently Jung paired a fall-ready warm pink lipstick with a dreamy lavender lashes and rhinestone liner — a seriously pretty combination you might not think to try right away.

And she’s not the only makeup artist based in Seoul getting a jump start on fall makeup hues. Several others, like Nuni who works with the likes of Yuju and KARD’s Jiwoo, and Blackpink’s go-to makeup artist, Maeng, are already started showing off the looks I’ll be copying once sweater weather comes around. Think dynamic ways to deck out your lids and brows with rhinestones, play up your cheeks with fun blush placements, and gorgeous combinations for custom-curated fall lip colors.

TZR asked makeup artists based in Seoul to share how they created some of my favorite K-pop makeup moments for fall, as well as their favorite products to perfect the looks.

Chungha’s Lilac Lashes

For one of Chungha’s performances of her latest single, “Sparkling,” Jung says she brought bubbly vibes to the singer’s makeup with sparkles, fresh skin, and fun lavender accents. Of course, I love the spaced-out trio of silver rhinestones along Chungha’s lower lash lines as a simple way to elevate winged eyeliner for fall. (The Half Magic Beauty Face Gems are perfect for this.) However, the true highlight of the lilac look is so subtle but so impactful: purple lashes.

Right after swiping mascara, Jung pressed lavender loose pigment, like the MAC Pigment in Rich Purple, only onto the center section of Chungha’s lashes to give them a dreamy, velvety effect. This unexpected addition helped soften up the look and amplify the glitziness, Jung adds.

Then, the makeup artist topped Chungha’s lips with the Dolce&Gabbana The Only One Luminous Colour Lipstick in #140 Lovely Tan followed by a coat of the Hince Mood Enhancer Water Liquid Glow in Influence to create that soft coral hue.

Yuju’s Bronzey Smokey Eyes

For a live version of Yuju’s new song, “The Killa,” Nuni combined classic warm-toned fall makeup elements with 2022 twists, such as flushed cheeks and dewy skin, for this luxurious yet low-key look, as she describes it. Plus, she avoided nude lips to help maintain Yuju’s youthfulness, Nuni notes.

For Yuju’s twinkling bronzey smokey eyes, Nuni reached for her go-to Nars Duo Eyeshadow in Cordura. “It just screams fall,” she adds. During this season, she also prefers brown liner over black or any other hue. “Basic is always the best,” she tells TZR. “During fall, I don't use brightly colored liner. Instead, I tend to do more looks using only shadows.”

Lip-wise, “I love to use a pink nude-toned base, like Giorgio Armani’s Lip Maestro Liquid Lipstick in 500, and top it off with a brick-colored [gloss],” Nuni says. Her brick-colored product of choice for Yuju’s fall-ready makeup has sadly been discontinued, but the Rom&nd Glasting Water Tint in Brick River is an amazing alternative.

Jiwoo’s Studded Liner

Jiwoo stunned viewers with her graphic liner in KARD’s music video for “Ring the Alarm.” The look reminds me of the chicest game of Connect the Dots. Nuni drew black liquid liner just above the creases of Jiwoo’s eyes before gluing black gems on top of each line. “I like doing a sharply raised line, like a cat-eye to make it sexier,” Nuni says. “Isn't autumn the season to be sexy?”

To make the lines as crisp as possible, Nuni jokes that she holds her breath and draws, but for beginners, she recommends making a guideline with a dark eye shadow before going in with eyeliner.

Sunmi’s Coral Flush

If pumpkin spice was a fall 2022 makeup look, it would be Sunmi’s for her “Heart Burn” performances. She matched her sunburnt blush to her long Ariel-like ginger waves and even added some faux freckles with an eyebrow pencil to the mix.

Makeup artist Sunmi Park built up the singer’s flush with three different products. The first layer was the AMC Face Blush in 95, a dusty rose-colored liquid formula, on the apples of her cheeks. Next came a dusting of pastel peach on top, particularly the Naming Fluffy Powder Blush in Cuddly. Finally, Park brushed a tangerine powder, like Melt Cosmetics’ Blush in Cali Dream, over the bridge of Sunmi’s nose to complete the W shape of her blush.

To emphasize how fluttery Sunmi’s lashes are, Park also brought down the taupe liner along her lower lash lines into almost upside-down, fishtail flicks — a technique I will definitely be trying out this fall.

Jennie’s Brow Glitter

For an easy way to take your everyday makeup to internationally beloved K-pop star proportions, take inspiration from Blackpink’s Jennie and her makeup artist Maeng. Start off with a glowy base. Nuni typically accomplishes this with plenty of moisturizer, sunscreen blotted on with a makeup sponge, and the tiniest amount of sheer foundation, such as Milk Makeup’s Sunshine Skin Tint, she reveals. Then, only conceal the spots that truly need fuller coverage with a stick formula. My personal favorite is Merit Beauty’s The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick.

From there, do your eye makeup in whatever your signature style is and top your lips with a peachy pink with gold shimmer like Jennie. The Charlotte Tilbury Jewel Lip Gloss in Rose Jewel is a pretty close match. The real fun comes in with the brow, though. You can mimic Jennie’s arch adornments with either a cluster of rhinestones or a bit of glitter gel, like the Danessa Myricks Beauty Infinite Chrome Flakes in Strobe Light, right where your brows start to taper off into tails.

Seohyun’s Teal Flicks

In the case that you do love colored liner for fall — unlike Nuni — add Seohyun’s eye makeup to your mood board. Makeup artist Won Jungyo etched dashes of teal and buttery yellow onto the outer corner of the Girls’ Generation member’s eyes like free-floating wings. Extra teal was also added to the inner corners. You can recreate this look at home with the Colourpop Crème Gel Liner in Crystal Crush and Toucan Do It.

Soyeon’s Undereye Blush

Typically, the most popular blush placement in the K-beauty world is on the center of the apples toward the front of the face rather than diagonally along the sides of the face on the tops of the cheekbones, Jung shares. However, K-pop stars, like (G)I-DLE’s Sohyun, NewJeans’ Danielle, and the girls of ITZY are taking blush to a higher level.

Makeup artists based in Seoul, like Haemin and Lee Nakyeum, are concentrating bright pink and red blush right under their eyes and blending it downward. This undereye blush look not only pays homage to traditional Korean makeup often seen in historical K-dramas but also to the douyin makeup trend taking over TikTok right now.

To make your undereye blush look more like a natural flush and less like, well, a rash, Nuni suggests applying a nude-toned blush, like Makeup By Mario’s Soft Pop Powder Blush in Desert Rose, first and lightly layering a red one on top. You can also try mixing the nude blush with a gold highlighter, she adds.

HyunA’s Pearly Wings

If you’re feeling particularly adventurous and have lots of patience to spare, I dare you to try HyunA’s purple pearled liner look. Seek out flat-backed pearls with stickers on the back, like these from E.L.F., to speed up the application process. You won’t have to worry about getting lash glue all over your fingers — just peel and stick in the shape of graphic winged liner.

Giselle’s Goth Fishtail Liner

Want a K-pop reference for the epitome of a fall, Halloween-ready look? Perhaps Giselle from the girl group Aespa can provide. Makeup artists Seonyeong Kwon, Seowon Lee, and Songyi Baek teamed up on Giselle’s goth take on fishtail liner. It has the same shape as Sunmi’s look — just sootier and heavy on the graphite tones. They laid down a winged base of matte gray shadow, such as About-Face’s Matte Fluid Eye Paint in Hidden Garden on the upper and lower lash lines before painting on black cat eyes and gluing on spikey falsies, like these from Ardell.