How to Pull Off the Ulzzang Look

Learn how to achieve the trendy Korean aesthetic

Co-authored by Jamie Bushman and Dev Murphy

Last Updated: January 6, 2023 References Approved

Makeup

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Clothes

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Hair

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Internet Presence

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Q&A

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Warnings

You might have seen people on Instagram or TikTok with large, doll-like eyes, glossy, gradated pink lips, and soft, dewy skin. This popular aesthetic has roots in Korean skincare and fashion and is known as "ulzzang," which is Korean for "best face"—and no wonder! If you're wondering how you can achieve this look yourself, look no further: we’ve created a guide to adopting this trendy aesthetic to help you achieve your own perfectly Instagrammable ulzzang look.

Things You Should Know

Take classic ulzzang traits and apply them to your own unique style: the ulzzang aesthetic has its roots in Korean skincare and fashion, but this look is for anybody and everybody.
Emphasize your eyes to make them look large, and wear natural-looking makeup to conceal blemishes and make your skin look smooth.
Deck yourself out in cozy or oversized clothes that make you look adorable.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Makeup

1
Moisturize and hydrate your face for a fresh, dewy appearance. The ulzzang look is all about accentuating your natural beauty, and that means keeping your skin adequately moisturized and hydrated. Start and end your day by using a quality moisturizer, and apply a quick spritz of facial mist as needed throughout the day to keep your face looking dewy and clean.^{[1]
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- If you have dry skin, try sleeping in a leave-on night mask cream.
- Consider buying a facial mist to carry in your bag or leave at your desk to use throughout the day. Not only will regular facial misting make your skin look fresh, it will help you feel fresh and energized as well.
2
Use primer to even out your skin texture before applying makeup. Primer is a Korean skincare staple. Rub a pea-sized amount of primer into your face prior to applying any other products; this will make your face a more even "canvas" on which to apply the rest of your makeup.^{[2]
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- It doesn't take much primer to be effective. In fact, applying too much primer can cause the primer to stick to itself rather than your face and leave your skin looking a bit cakey.
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3
Apply natural-looking foundation, concealer, or BB cream to cover blemishes. Ulzzang makeup should make your skin look soft and smooth, but stick with nude or other natural-colored makeup. Use concealer, foundation, or BB cream to cover up blemishes, including acne or blackheads, but feel free to take a minimalist approach to your coverup if you don't want to conceal freckles or beauty marks.^{[3]
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- Accentuate your cheekbones with highlighter, and add a bit of blush to your cheeks and the tip of your nose. Opt for natural shades, like peach or light rose.
4
Use natural-colored eyeshadow. Try white or beige eye shadow to ensure your makeup will go with most outfits. Opt for skin tones rather than more colorful or flashy hues.^{[4]
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- While the ulzzang aesthetic is about looking effortlessly natural, if you do want to add a bit of pizzazz to your look, glam up with some shimmery eyeshadow—just keep the color in the champagne or pink family!^{[5]
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5
Apply eyeliner to accentuate your eyes. A little makeup can go a long way in making your eyes appear bigger. Apply a thin line of black or dark-colored eyeliner to your top lid to make your eyes seem larger. Avoid applying black to your lower lid, though, as this may end up making your eyes appear smaller.^{[6]
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- While black eyeliner will make your eyes look bigger, you can also apply white eyeliner to your eyes to make them pop.^{[7]
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- Applying a nude- or white-colored eyeliner along the inside of your lower lashes can make your eyes look wider and bigger than they actually are.
6
Apply mascara to the tip of your eyelashes. You may also apply false eyelashes if you want to, but make sure your eyelashes aren't thick. Ulzzang is notable for its use of natural-looking skin tones in the makeup, so you don't want the fake lashes to look heavy or clumpy.^{[8]
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- If you have straight lashes, try using an eyelash curler to give them a curve.
7
Achieve gradient lips using 2 shades of the same neutral lipstick. For ulzzang lips, select natural color tones that will highlight and plump your lips without changing their color dramatically. Pick 2 shades from the same color family, and apply the darker lipstick first, making sure to totally color your lips. Then apply a lighter, brighter shade of lipstick only to the middle of your lips. Use your finger to blend the lighter shade outward to give your lips a gradient appearance.^{[9]
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- Glossy skin tones are perfect for cultivating the ulzzang look. The goal of ulzzang is to highlight and emphasize your own natural beauty, making it look effortless and simple.
8
Consider getting circle contact lenses for a more dramatic ulzzang look. You don't have to have naturally large eyes to give the illusion of ulzzang beauty. Circle lenses give off the illusion of large eyes, even if you have smaller eyes.
- See an ophthalmologist and ask your parents before wearing cosmetic lenses. They're not right for all eye-types, especially if you have astigmatism or other shape-issues with your eyes.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Clothes

1
Wear skinny jeans or slacks. Generally, ulzzang style is notable for the use of skinny jeans of all colors, worn by both boys and girls. Pastels and natural-looking colors are common, as with ulzzang makeup, but you can also try flashier colors if you want.^{[10]
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- Find the right fit and then get a variety of colors of a style that you like and that looks good on your body.
2
Get some vintage print t-shirts. T-shirts featuring unusual artistic prints, often off-center on the shirt, are quite popular. These types of shirts are widely available at clothing stores like Macy's, Kohl's, Walmart, and even Target.^{[11]
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- Avoid overt brand stamps on shirts and choose shirts that feature cartoon characters or other artistic designs. Many popular shirt styles look as if they've been hand-made, screen printed and one-of-a-kind, with clever jokes or visual puns.
- Mixing proportions is essential to ulzzang couture: pair an oversized T with your skinny jeans or a mini skirt, or match a crop top with a maxi skirt.^{[12]
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3
Wear oversized sweaters. The combination of tight-fitting jeans with loose sweaters is a marker of the ulzzang style. V-necks are popular, as well as regular-fit sweaters in bright colors or featuring prints of the same variety as ulzzang-style t-shirts.^{[13]
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- Oversized clothing is a staple of ulzzang! Being flashy or trendy is less important to the ulzzang aesthetic than being comfy and looking adorable and cozy.
4
Complete your ulzzang look with minimalist accessories. Ulzzang fashion demands adorable, chic jewelry and other accessories—but nothing too flashy. Opt for modern, angular designs, and stick to neutrals and natural colors, like gold, white, or beige.^{[14]
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- Ulzzang accessories range from jewelry to watches to scarves and hats. There are a number of ways to accessorize to match your personal style and still be ulzzang!
5
Match clothes and accessories with your partner. One unique aspect of online ulzzang culture is that it often revolves around photographs that feature the style of a cute-looking couple, usually wearing some kind of couple's outfit that matches in some kind of theme.
- Wear matching colors or complimentary colors, rather than wearing identical outfits. Often ulzzang style clothes are sold in couple packs. Wearing "I love my partner" t-shirts together, or wearing corresponding heart necklaces is common among ulzzang photos.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Hair

1
Get the straight or side-swept bangs. Generally, the ulzzang haircut is similar for boys or girls, featuring layers of hair and bangs. Some highlights are also common, but they shouldn't be severe or particularly dramatic. Natural hair color is more desirable than, say, blue anime-style highlights.^{[15]
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- Boys typically have a medium-length cut with side-swept bangs, longer somewhat in the front than in the back.
- Girls often have straight bangs or side-swept bangs with either straight or loosely curled hair. Generally, the hair is dark brown or chestnut-colored, as opposed to blonde.
2
Get your hair cut to flatter your face. Beyond getting the ulzzang bangs, the “right” haircut isn’t universal. Talk to your hairstylist and pick a style that will flatter your unique beauty and features, emphasizing your jawline and the shape of your face. It's less important to get a particular haircut than to get one that looks good on you.
3
Take good care of your hair. Ulzzang styled hair is generally very healthy-looking and shimmering, highlighting the natural beauty of your coloring. Use fortifying shampoo and conditioner, as well as regular brushing to keep your hair healthy.
- Be careful of using too much heat on your hair, which can fry it some and leave it frazzled looking and damaged. Let the natural oils in your hair do their work.
- Do your hair in cute styles. Ulzzang hair is all about looking natural and adorable. Curl your hair for a bit of a wave and dress it up with small bows or clips, but don’t go overboard.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Internet Presence

1
Cultivate your online presence using social media. Instagram and TikTok are huge social media sites for ulzzangs. Regularly posting ulzzang selfies to these apps, utilizing ulzzang hashtags, and following social media trends will boost your popularity in no time.^{[16]
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- Gain more traction on the internet by using ulzzang hashtags like #ulzzang, #ulzzangstyle, #ulzzanggirl, and more.
- Follow other ulzzangs to develop your online community.
- Many ulzzangs gain internet fame by posting regularly and becoming social media influencers, but this is totally optional. You can be ulzzang and never use social media at all if you prefer not to!
2
Curate photo shoots and post your pics to social media. Cultivating an online presence that includes lots of cute-looking self portraits is an important part of ulzzang culture. Snap pictures of yourself out doing fun things, or shake up a dull evening at home by getting dressed up and having a photo shoot.
- Plan cute photo shoots with your partner when you're out on a date. Use clothing catalogs and fashion magazines for inspiration. The social networking presence of the ulzzang looks like it was pulled straight from an Eddie Bauer catalog.
3
Download photo editing apps to perfect your selfies. Though ulzzang means "best face" in Korean, ulzzangs don't actually look "perfect": they just know how to dress well and utilize technology to make their pictures look as attractive as possible. Get a good-quality cellphone with a camera and the right apps to make your pictures as sharp as you can.^{[17]
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- PicLab HD only costs $1.99 and allows you to customize your filters and add text. It's a professional-looking way of taking ulzzang photos. HandyPhoto is also a good cheap option offering similar features.
- Facetune is a mobile photo-editing app that allows you to fix up blemishes and adjust coloring in your photos. Many ulzzang photos are heavily edited, so you might consider getting this if you don't have Photoshop.
4
Enter an ulzzang photo contest to gain popularity. Soompi, a K-Pop and South Korean culture site, has a regular Ulzzang contest featuring a prestigious package for the winners, including an audition and interview with major South Korean fashion magazines. Many more informal contests are also available on Facebook and other social networking sites.
- Many K-Pop stars got started by cultivating an online ulzzang presence and entering these kinds of contests. Give it a shot!

Community Q&A

Question

My mom doesn't let me wear makeup. What should I do? Can I look ulzzang without makeup?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

An important aspect of the ulzzang aesthetic is looking natural, meaning it's totally OK to do it without makeup! Use quality face wash and moisturizer in place of makeup, and try to get plenty of sleep so that your face looks fresh and clean.
Question

What if I am single and cannot match anything with my boyfriend?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

You can be single and still be ulzzang! Matching with your partner is totally optional (and not all partners want to look ulzzang, anyway!).
Question

Where can I get the cheapest ulzzang makeup products?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

You don't have to shell out lots of money for good makeup. Drugstore makeup is often just as effective!

Warnings

Don't wear circle lenses for more than 3 hours to begin with, or it might cause irritation. Then everyday onward, increase by 2 hours.

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