The 5 Hottest K-pop Makeup Trends Set To Return In 2021

The pandemic continues to impact our lives, including the way we get dressed and what we grab from our makeup bags on a daily basis.

While our lips continue to be cloaked under our masks while out and about, eye makeup and our hairstyles have never been more appreciated. Here, we take cues from some of our favorite K-pop stars to look forward to some of the major beauty trends that are set to stay in 2021.

Blackpink member - Jennie - was a genuine trendsetter for this style when the MV How You Like That was  first released. The highlight-dyed bangs with red ombre makeup left a lasting impression on her style as well as bringing the balayage hair dyeing technique back to the beauty spotlight. 

Immediately after Jennie's success, a series of Korean and international stars responded to this trend with their own unique take. such as mixing & matching dyes with fancy combos (like black-pink, blue-yellow) or changing to highlighting individual hairs (like Joy of Red Velvet).

The benefit of this hair trend is that it can make you stand out instantly, without having to go through the damaging process of bleaching your entire head. In the new year, with forseeable social distancing, we certainly expect new renditions of the Curtain Highlight - matter fact, Bella Hadid posted a fresh take with red and orange curtain highlights on Instagram a few days back. 

Using bright studs to highlight undereye puffiness is not a new trend for beauty lovers, especially those who love Korean makeup. However, in the past year, this style has been brought to new heights where makeup artists used even larger studs with stronger sheen, even with studded diamond beads, which were spotted on both male and female idols. Going forward, we can expect fresher renditions of this trend with the use of more unique materials.

Hair accessories had a major comeback in 2020. If 2019 was the year for vintage hair clamps, the trend for 2020 and 2021 are crowns and headpieces studded with stones. Including the undereye bling trend, it seems that the general attraction for gems are certainly increasing! 

K-pop is still the home ground for blush-related trends. In the coming new year, the style of blush spreads from the cheeks to the back of the eyes, topped with freckles or a light touch on the tip of the nose. More specifically, the burnt orange colour has been and is the "darling" of Korean makeup artists to mimic warm yellow cheeks like a kiss from the sun: still feminine but certainly an eye catcher.

Now, K-pop is no longer inclined towards gentle pink-orange tones. On the contrary, K-pop's makeup and shaping trends in recent years are not lacking in personality and style concepts. Besides eye makeup, lip colour also witnessed many changes in the aesthetic taste of Korean women. In 2020, call the names of bold lipsticks that show power such as deep pink, earth red or chestnut brown in gothic or rock-chic shapes.