Korean beauty YouTubers
Korean beauty YouTubers to keep up with
Image adapted from (left to right): @joanday, @risabae_art, and @liahyoo
The internet is one of the best inventions to date, even more so now that we’re confined at home with nowhere to go. You can order a 20-piece McNugget meal if you’re hankering for a late night snack; scroll through an endless list of online retailers for a virtual shopping experience; and even book an online consultation with a dermatologist if your skin condition is spiralling out of control during quarantine.
And for all you beauty enthusiasts out there, staying home with unlimited Wi-Fi isn’t all that bad because you can make use of this time to hone your makeup skills and up your skincare game by tuning into these 10 Korean beauty YouTubers.
1. 유깻잎 (Yucatnip) – concise product reviews and makeup tutorials
Image credit: @est_lyu
Besides bringing you makeup tutorials on the trendiest looks in Korea, Yucatnip also has an interesting segment on her YouTube channel, called the 5 Minute Product Review.
Image adapted from: 유깻잎
In this segment, she’ll review five products in 5 minutes, providing a quick introduction to each product and swatching it on herself. The products in the video tend to have overlapping characteristics, such as the same colour scheme or product type, and includes a range of products from both affordable and luxury brands.
These quick yet informative videos are just what you need to learn more about a product, especially when you can’t physically test it out in stores and have shop online instead.
Image adapted from: 유깻잎
But if you do have more time to spare, her channel offers a wide range of makeup tutorials that are easy to follow. While you can expect everyday makeup looks for different seasons, she also does bolder looks if you’re looking to dress up for special events, such as classy dinner date nights, Christmas, and Halloween parties.
YouTube channel
Subscriber count: 301K
2. Liah Yoo – informative skincare vlogs in English
Image credit: @liahyoo
Liah Yoo is a South Korean beauty vlogger who produces videos that are largely targeted at helping those with troubled skin. Be it acne, ageing, sun damage, dehydration, or clogged pores, you can count on her for the best advice. The videos are in English with Korean subtitles, so you can wave goodbye to YouTube’s inaccurate auto-translation.
Image adapted from: Liah Yoo
Although there’s a whole lot of skincare information available on the web, Liah does a great job at breaking it down into easily digestible nuggets for viewers and that’s a godsend for those who aren’t the biggest fan of reading.
Image adapted from: Liah Yoo
She’s honest about her recommendations and would not hesitate to tell you which items are necessary and what’s not worth your money.
Image credit: @liahyoo
With an extensive knowledge of skincare accumulated over the years, she has curated her own K-beauty line called KraveBeauty, which was launched in both the US and South Korea in 2017.
Image credit: @liahyoo
To check out her products, you can head to her brand’s website. And for detailed information on the products, you can hear it from the founder herself through her YouTube videos.
YouTube channel
Subscriber count: 960K
3. Risabae – Sunmi–lookalike beauty guru
Image adapted from (left to right): @risabae_art and @risabae_art
Risabae is known as Sunmi’s lookalike and has established her status in the beauty industry with her impeccable makeup skills. Her YouTube channel, which has an astounding 2.25M subscribers, is famous for her makeup tutorials, but she occasionally vlogs about her life and puts together outfit lookbooks too.
Image credit: @risabae_art
With both looks and skills, major brands such as Chanel and Lancôme have approached Risabae for collaborations.
Image adapted from (clockwise from top-right): Risabae, Risabae, Risabae, and Risabae
Her cover makeup tutorials, where she challenges herself to recreate idol makeup looks down to the last detail, are especially popular.
Image adapted from: Risabae
She has even successfully transformed herself into Dua Lipa, an international star with distinctive facial features.
Image adapted from (clockwise from top-right): Risabae, Risabae, Risabae, and Risabae
Risabae shows a comical side to her by transforming into characters such as Maleficent, Princess Jasmine, Grinch, and Moana. Give it a try the next time you have to attend a Halloween party.
Image adapted from: @risabae_art
And with all of that, it’s no wonder Risabae was able to snag a photo with Chris Hemsworth.
YouTube channel
Subscriber count: 2.25M
4. 조효진 HYOJIN – glow up makeup tutorials
Image credit: @hyojinc_
The personalities of YouTubers play a huge role in their successes, and this rings true for Hyojin, who comes across as a funny and relatable friend in her videos.
Image adapted from: 조효진 HYOJIN
Thanks to quarantine, many YouTubers have started doing glow-up transformation videos while stuck at home. But even before this, Hyojin was consistently uploading such videos. Not only is she naturally candid on screen, her before and after makeup transformation is drastic, often leaving viewers in awe of her makeup skills.
YouTube channel
Subscriber count: 1.27M
5. Ruieeé루이비 – bold insta-worthy makeup looks
Image adapted from (left to right): Ruieeé루이비 and Ruieeé루이비
Korean makeup looks are known for being on the softer side as compared to Western makeup. However, Ruieeé루이비 is a master at fusing K-beauty with a Western aesthetic. Compared to other Korean beauty YouTubers, her eye makeup leans towards bold and dramatic – no sheer washes of colours and barely-there eyeliner here.
Before and after
Image adapted from: Ruieeé루이비
If you’ve been trying to master the art of eye makeup, you’re on the right channel as her videos are easy to follow. Plus, a lot of her tutorials are suitable for Instagram selfies – perfect for those who are at home playing with their makeup stash and want to take a few selfies for the record.
YouTube channel
Subscriber count: 61.8K
6. 로즈하ROSEHA – feminine Korean makeup looks
Image credit: @xoxohaji
ROSEHA channel revolves around a feminine makeup style, with bold colour choices to further accentuate her fair skin.
Image adapted from: 로즈하ROSEHA
Apart from the usual GRWM and everyday makeup tutorials, she also creates cover makeup tutorials. She has attempted to recreate looks from idols such as IU, Red Velvet’s Irene, and Blackpink’s Jisoo.
Despite having a large following of 687,000 subscribers, this K-beauty junkie continues to expand her content to include vlogs about her adventures across the world as well as fashion hauls to stay relevant to her viewers. Whether it’s her epic trip to LA Disneyland with her friends or a look into her collection of designer bags, she’s all ready to share it with you.
YouTube channel
Subscriber count: 687K
7. SOHYEON 소현 – simple everyday makeup looks
Image credit: @ohyxxn
Head over to SOHYEON 소현’s channel if you need some inspiration for simple everyday makeup looks. A no-makeup makeup look is probably one of the hardest things to achieve, yet she’s able to do so in many different styles.
Looking for a spring or winter-inspired look for an upcoming season? Check. Bought too many makeup products in different shades of purple but don’t know how to use it all without looking like a real plum? Well, she has a way around that.
Image adapted from: SOHYEON 소현
Ladies who have been relying on extensions and mascara after many failed attempts at putting on falsies will definitely benefit from her How to put fake lashes naturally video. As the title suggests, you’ll pick up tricks on how to make falsies look like your lashes, but better. She’ll also teach you how to apply lashes so that it’ll last all day without coming off accidentally.
YouTube channel
Subscriber count: 545K
8. Kyung Sun – makeup tutorials from a Korean mummy
Image adapted from (left to right): @kyungsun.xoxo and @kyungsun.xoxo
This channel is run by a young Korean mother who just had a baby not too long ago. Despite being a new mum, Kyung Sun is still able to keep up with the rigour of motherhood and regularly uploading beauty content for her viewers.
Image adapted from: Kyung Sun
Her videos are packed with information of every product she’s using, so you can know exactly which brand it’s from, the shade she’s using, and even the price of it. She also goes into details like which brush she’s using to achieve the best application result and how to prime and moisturise before putting on makeup.
YouTube channel
Subscriber count: 330K
9. Joan Kim – monthly favourites and product empties
Image credit: @joankeem
Joan Kim is a Korean-American YouTuber who returned to South Korea after she was done with her undergraduate degree in UC Berkeley.
Image adapted from: Joan Kim
She’s passionate about everything beauty and fashion-related. Most viewers are drawn to her monthly favourites videos, where she talks about her favourite items that month. These items range from skincare and makeup to lifestyle products such as books and the latest gadgets.
Image adapted from: Joan Kim
Her “product empties” videos are also popular and oddly satisfying. You know that a product is good when you hit the pan – even more so when it’s coming from a YouTuber who likely gets tons of free products. That being said, everyone’s skin condition is different and it’s always a good idea to find out why the product worked for her before making the decision to get your hands on it.
Image adapted from: Joan Kim
Plus, if you’ve always been interested in non-invasive cosmetic procedures such as botox and skincare laser treatments, Joan has shared her experiences and included some footage of these treatments.
Image credit: @letsfaceitaus
She has also collaborated with NEOGEN, an established Korean skincare brand, to create a moisturiser called NEOGEN x JOAN Day & Night cream.
Note: Joan runs another channel called Joanday, where she produces daily vlogs about her life in South Korea.
YouTube channel
Subscriber count: 577K
10. Soo Beauty 수뷰티 – in-depth acne-related content
Image credit: @_soobeauty
Soo is a K-beauty YouTuber who produces skincare-related content in English in the hopes of sharing Korean skincare with the international community.
Image adapted from: Soo Beauty 수뷰티
She started her channel in 2017 with a series called Honest Reviews and slowly expanded her content to include videos such as GRWM and specific brand product reviews.
Image adapted from: Soo Beauty 수뷰티
As she became more confident on screen and comfortable in her own skin, she started opening up about her long-term battle with acne and shared her healing experiences and ways to manage flare–ups.
If you’ve been battling with a similar skin condition, check out her channel for useful advice. Apparently, she managed to get her acne under control without the help of a dermatologist.
YouTube channel
Subscriber count: 206K
Keep up with Korean beauty trends
Since we can’t jet off to K-beauty land anytime soon, watching these 10 Korean beauty YouTubers is the best way to keep up with the newest makeup and skincare trends in Korea. And even though we can’t physically be there, getting your hands on these products is easy – just buy it online. A pandemic can’t stop our pursuit for beauty and retail therapy, right?
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