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Style & Beauty

Celebrity beauty files: South Korean YouTuber Pony Park's fave Singapore skincare label and makeup hacks

Beauty tips from the celebrity makeup artist who is known for popularising K-beauty trends – and tutorials showing how to look like Taylor Swift and Kylie Jenner. 

Celebrity beauty files: South Korean YouTuber Pony Park's fave Singapore skincare label and makeup hacks

Celebrity K-beauty makeup artist Pony Park. (Photo: Sigi Skin)

Pony Syndrome isn’t just the name of South Korean beauty guru Pony Park’s YouTube channel, it also sums up the phenomenon of beauty enthusiasts all over the world flocking to Park’s channel to glean makeup tips and tricks from her succinct beauty tutorials.

Credited with popularising K-beauty trends, the celebrity makeup artist pulls off yeppeun (Korean for pretty) "Natural Goddess", "Aurora Cotton Candy" and "Clear Glassy" looks effortlessly in her beauty tutorials.

When CNA Lifestyle asked her what was the most common makeup faux pas people tend to make, Park was quick to point out: “Applying too much at once.”

The correct way? "The key is to blend thin layers and only apply more if needed," the 33-year-old suggested.

Her makeup tutorials that detailed how she transformed herself to look like Taylor Swift and Kylie Jenner have left over 30.5 million viewers utterly gobsmacked. So we tapped the the K-beauty guru, who has collaborated with makeup labels Morphe and MAC, for some makeup and skincare dos and don'ts.

YOUR SKIN ALWAYS LOOKS FLAWLESS. WHAT’S YOUR BEAUTY SECRET?

I swear by consistent skincare habits. Even when I’m exhausted, I would never skip my double cleansing routine. Double cleansing is also my hack on travels, so I don’t have to bring a separate makeup cleanser.  

As my skin is sensitive, I prefer mild cleansers like Sigi Skin’s Kaleanser that doesn’t sting or irritate my skin. Also I’m obsessed with sun care. I apply sunscreen regardless of whether I am indoors or outdoors.

THE 13-STEP K-BEAUTY ROUTINE IS FAMOUS THE WORLD OVER, IS THAT YOUR ROUTINE?

My skincare routine is quite complicated as I have different products targeted for different skin woes so I subscribe to a case-by-case attitude. I usually assess my skin for the day then decide what to use. Though what is consistent in my daytime routine is the use of products with antioxidants to protect my skin and my nighttime routine consists of products targeted at anti-ageing.

I exfoliate and deep-cleanse with a clay mask weekly. With so much fine dust in the air, I find it really important to deep cleanse to draw out the impurities from the skin which isn’t possible with just daily cleansing. I found that the lifting effect of clay masks also helps to firm my skin. Recently, I started using Sigi Skin’s Garden Party Deep Cleansing Clay Mask and I noticed that I had have fewer breakouts.

YOU MENTIONED SIGI SKIN. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE SINGAPOREAN SKINCARE LABEL THAT YOU LOVE?

I feel responsible for the products I showcase to my followers so I make sure to test each and every product before showing them. Sigi Skin passed my test and has become one of my favourite brands. I love the formulations and the packaging is not only pretty but also functional.

Pony lists Sigi Skin's Morning Glow Physical Sunscreen as a personal fave. (Photo: Sigi Skin)

My ultimate favourites are the Morning Glow Physical sunscreen which I use in place of a primer and their newest launch, the Daylight Oasis Vitamin C brightening serum. I have been using it for a month now, I noticed that my blemishes have lightened considerably.

HOW DO YOU PREP YOUR SKIN BEFORE MAKEUP?

It starts the day before actually. The day before an important event, I would exfoliate, then deep cleanse with a clay mask, followed by a sheet mask to ensure that my skin is ready for makeup application.

(Photo: Pony Park)

WHAT’S IN YOUR BEAUTY BAG?

It depends on the occasion. Most of the time, it consists of a cushion foundation, a concealer, face powder, a lip liner, a lip colour, Sigi Skin’s Dew Potion Essence Mist and Morning Glow Physical Sunscreen. The Dew Potion is a life saver that adds hydration and glow instantly.

I also bring along eye drops, a small bottle of perfume, and nail cuticle oil pens.

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO MAKEUP LOOK?

Often, my looks are inspired by landscapes or songs. In particular, I like to highlight the lashes without overdoing it and applying glitter to the lower lash line as a highlighter.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE MAKEUP HACKS?

For blemishes or pimples, I’d use a pot concealer for coverage. Using a concealer brush, I’d apply it wider than the area I want to conceal, blending it out before setting the concealer with transparent powder.

To create bigger eyes, voluminous lashes can fake the appearance of bigger eyes but be warned that the look can sometimes look a bit heavy. So what I do is to use a light brown eye shadow or eyeliner to "open up" the eye, lining the lash line with a brown brush pen eyeliner.

And an easy way to make the face appear V-shaped is by contouring (or shading), emphasising the shadow of the chin. You can further accentuate the V shape by using a light-coloured concealer to highlight the tip of the chin.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAILSAFE TRICKS TO CORRECT MAKEUP BLUNDERS?

For the eyes, go monochrome. Choose an eye shadow that is of the same colour as the eyeliner. As a guide, use a thin brush to draw your eyeliner. Then, go over your actual eyeliner. This reduces the chance of making mistakes. It's also important to prep the area you're going to draw with powder before applying eyeliner because even if you draw a pretty eyeline, it can easily smudge if the skin is oily.

If the eyeliner is somehow ruined, wipe it off with a cotton swab and re-do it.

For the skin, don't put too much foundation at once, instead apply thin layers several times to ensure that foundation lasts. To fix a smudge, spritz an oil-based mist on your face to moisten it. If necessary, wipe down with a sponge and reapply the foundation. Alternatively, try a cushion foundation to fix the problem.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE MAKEUP TOOLS? WHICH ONES CAN’T YOU LIVE WITHOUT?

Brushes and beauty blender sponges are tools that help to delicately fill the gaps between the pores and smoothen the contours of the face.

There are some makeup artists who prefer to do makeup with their hands, without the help of brushes or sponges, but personally, I love using tools because it shortens the time needed to get the job done. Plus, via the use of tools, I can create more delicate colours and achieve more elaborate lines.

If I had to pick out a tool that I can’t live without, it would be the foundation sponge.

THERE’S SO MUCH MAKEUP AVAILABLE OUT THERE. HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT WORKS BEST?

The brand and price of products are immaterial but how well they cater to my skin. In my case, my skin tends to be dry so I pick foundations that are oil-based to soothe my dry skin.

HOW CAN BEGINNERS BENEFIT FROM YOUR ONLINE BEAUTY TUTORIALS?

Through the videos, beginners can pick up tips on how to sharpen their makeup skills, as well as learn to create the looks that work for them. I pay a lot of attention to the balance of everything from the mood, the hair colour, the nails and even the contact lens to create a harmonious overall look.

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE PEOPLE TEND TO MAKE WHEN APPLYING MAKEUP?

Applying too much at once is the most common mistake people make. The key is to blend thin layers and only apply more if needed.

WHAT’S THE ONE THING YOUR FANS ALWAYS ASK YOU ABOUT?

Many ask about my beauty lenses, lip colours, and glitter products under the eyes. And when I meet the fans in person, there are a lot of questions about the perfumes I wear.

WHAT’S YOUR TRICK TO COORDINATE YOUR LENSES WITH YOUR MAKEUP?

My favourite contact lens colours are brown and grey. My rule of thumb is that if you're wearing makeup that has warm tones, or if your hair colour is warm-toned, or if you want a natural look, wear brown lenses. Conversely, if you want to focus on makeup that has cool tone, or if the tone of your hair colour is cool, or if you want a mysterious look, wear grey lenses.

YOU OFTEN WEAR GLASSES. HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT MAKEUP DOESN’T BECOME OBSCURED BY THESE?

It really depends on the design of the glasses. If the frame is bold, it may cover the eyelids or lashes. To balance, I’d highlight the lower lashes or create a tear-like effect on the lower lash line.

When it comes to transparent frame, I’d reduce the emphasis on the eyes and give colour to the cheeks or lips to create a pretty look that pops.

YOUR FANCY NAILS ARE NEARLY AS FAMOUS AS YOU ARE. DO YOU DO THEM YOURSELF?

Yes, I do my manicures myself. In particular, I really like almond-shaped and ballerina-shaped nails. Generally, I like wearing nail colours that are similar to my natural skin tone. These days, I’ve been veering towards Y2K-styled nails and chrome effects.

To keep my hands in pristine condition, I always bring along a nail cuticle oil pen and I’m always applying hand cream.

Source: CNA/yy
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