How to get glass skin like K-drama stars, according to Korean make-up artist Jung Saem Mool

Poreless, translucent, fresh skin that looks as clear as glass—you've seen it on K-dramas, but how do you achieve it? Before glass skin became a buzzy beauty term, there was one make-up artist who was at the forefront of the Korean beauty, or K-beauty, revolution. We’re talking about OG Korean make-up artist Jung Saem Mool, who started her career in 1991 and worked on creating the looks of several K-drama stars, including actress Jun Ji-Hyun’s iconic fresh-faced appearance in My Sassy Girl (2001), which is widely touted as the precursor of today’s glass skin aesthetic.

Jung went on to found her eponymous K-beauty brand in 2015, focusing on clean beauty and glass skin looks while continuing to work with Korean celebs such as Song Hye-Kyo. This month, JSM Beauty landed in Hong Kong and Jung was in town to mark the occasion. She gave Tatler a step-by-step make-up tutorial on how to create the coveted K-beauty look.

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Jung Saem Mool recreates the glass skin look seen on K-dramas

Jung Saem Mool explains colour correction theory to us (Photo: courtesy of JSM Beauty)

Jung says, “The glass skin, or transparent skin look has to be built layer by layer.” Demonstrating this, she starts by applying the Jung Saem Mool Beauty Essential Mool Toner, gently wiping away any lingering impurities with cotton and then reapplying it using her fingers, allowing the essence to deeply hydrate the skin.

She then used the Jung Saem Mool Masterclass Glow Base on my skin, a sunblock that not only offers SPF30 protection, but also acts as a primer. Then came the colour corrector—a crucial step to achieve that coveted glass skin effect, according to Jung. Unlike concealers that merely disguise uneven skin tones, colour correctors work their magic by visibly neutralising unwanted hues.

The Jung Saem Mool Essential Skin Nuder Cushion Foundation has been a cult favourite of the brand (Photo: courtesy of JSM Beauty)

A pro tip from Jung: The areas where you apply the colour corrector may vary from person to person, and even from day to day. To combat redness, dab a bit of green colour corrector on the affected area and blend until the redness subsides. Want to brighten dull-looking skin? A few dots of purple colour corrector on your chin and forehead can do the trick. Because my skin tone is brown, Jung used a mix of red and green hues, which she says works best for my under-eye circles.

Moving on, Jung applied the Jung Saem Mool Essential Skin Nuder Cushion Foundation. Why choose a cushion foundation, you might wonder? I asked, and Jung’s answer was, “It’s portable and easy to use. Just slip it in your bag and touch up the glass skin effect all day long.” For my complexion, she opted for a luminous bronze shade—which will officially launch in Hong Kong this September.

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Jung Saem Mool at the JSM Beauty shop at Lane Crawford, Times Square (Photo: courtesy of JSM Beauty)

For the eyes, she delicately applied eyeshadow near the waterline that beautifully complemented my “dark chocolate” eye colour (in Jung’s words). Finally, a touch of her signature bright red lipstick was applied to add a vibrant pop of colour. To achieve a softer effect, she skilfully faded the edges using a cotton bud.

Finally, Jung used a personalised blush which she made by mixing a light pink Jung Saem Mool Colourpiece blush with a hint of the same lipstick colour used on my lips, creating a harmonious and natural look. And ta-da! My skin looked brighter and more translucent than ever before.

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