What’s Hot in Korean Makeup Right Now: 2025 K-Beauty Trend Guide

Top Korean Makeup Trends in 2025 You’ll Want to Try

Stella's Meta Description: Dive into the top Korean makeup trends of 2025 including glass skin, watercolor blush, glossy gradient lips, and aegyo-sal shimmer. Discover the latest in K-beauty and upgrade your routine today.

South Korea has long been a powerhouse in the global beauty industry, consistently setting trends that quickly go viral around the world. In 2025, Korean makeup is all about enhancing natural beauty with subtle techniques, dewy finishes, and youthful details that make a big impact. Whether you're a longtime fan of K-beauty or just getting started, these are the Korean makeup trends dominating 2025 that are definitely worth trying.

Radiant “Glass Skin” with a Healthy Glow

One of the signature Korean beauty looks that continues to thrive in 2025 is the glass skin trend. This look prioritizes a clear, smooth, and luminous complexion that reflects light like a pane of glass. Rather than heavy foundations, Koreans are opting for lightweight BB creams, cushion compacts, and skin-enhancing primers that let their natural skin shine through.

Achieving glass skin isn’t just about makeup—it starts with skincare. Hydrating toners, essence layers, and nourishing serums are essential in preparing the base for this glowing look. Then, dewy-finish makeup products help lock in that youthful radiance.

Watercolor Blush for a Soft, Romantic Look

Blush is having a major moment in Korea this year, especially in the form of watercolor blush. This trend involves applying soft, translucent layers of pink, peach, or coral shades and blending them seamlessly across the cheeks, sometimes extending toward the temples or even the nose bridge for a sun-kissed vibe.

This technique mimics the natural flush of skin and adds a dreamy, almost fairy-tale-like softness to the face. Cream or cushion blushes are often used, as they melt into the skin and create a subtle, skin-like finish. It’s perfect for everyday wear and complements the fresh, youthful aesthetic K-beauty is known for.

Glossy, Gradient Lips for a Plump and Playful Effect

One of the most iconic looks in Korean makeup—gradient lips—is making a stylish comeback in 2025, but with a glossy twist. Instead of matte finishes, this year's trend focuses on shiny, moist lips that appear fuller and more vibrant. The gradient technique involves applying a darker color to the inner part of the lips and fading it out toward the edges, creating a youthful, bitten-lip effect.

Glossy lip tints, lip oils, and tinted balms are widely used to achieve this fresh, just-applied finish. This style is low-maintenance and flattering on all face shapes, making it one of the easiest trends to incorporate into your routine.

The Clean Girl Aesthetic, Korean Style

Inspired by global minimalist trends, the clean girl makeup look has found its own unique expression in Korea. This trend emphasizes effortless beauty with minimal products and a focus on healthy skin. In the Korean version, you’ll find softly filled brows, light taupe or brown eyeshadow, tightlining with brown eyeliner, and subtle mascara.

Complexion products are light and breathable, often with a sheer finish to showcase natural skin texture. Instead of heavy contouring, subtle bronzing and cream highlights are used to sculpt the face gently. This look is perfect for daily wear, giving off a “woke up like this” energy—only better.

Aegyo-Sal and Under-Eye Sparkle for Youthful Eyes

No discussion of Korean makeup trends would be complete without mentioning aegyo-sal—the small pocket of fat under the eyes that Koreans enhance to create a youthful, bright-eyed effect. In 2025, aegyo-sal makeup has evolved with the addition of under-eye shimmer, glitter liners, and pearl accents, adding a touch of glam to an already adorable look.

To achieve this effect, makeup lovers use light-colored shadows or pencil highlighters just below the lower lash line, followed by a touch of shimmer in the center. This trend is heavily inspired by K-pop idols and is perfect for photos, video calls, or nights out with friends.

Final Thoughts: Why You Should Try Korean Makeup Trends

Korean makeup in 2025 is about more than just looking pretty—it’s about embracing your features, keeping things natural, and having fun with beauty. Whether you’re drawn to the glowing glass skin trend, want to experiment with gradient lips, or love the idea of under-eye sparkle, there’s a K-beauty trend for everyone.

What makes Korean makeup so appealing is its balance between simplicity and innovation. These looks are wearable, customizable, and perfect for anyone looking to refresh their beauty routine with something modern, youthful, and stylish.

Ready to try a Korean makeup trend? Start small or go full K-beauty—it’s your look, your rules.