“Oftentimes, my Korean brides will ask me to do a more Western beauty look for their Western ceremony, then when it’s time for the paebaek later in the day, we will change up the beauty look entirely,” Ahn says. “We’ll adjust the makeup into something more traditional.”
That starts with creating even, bright skin. Anybody who has even a passing interest in K-beauty is unlikely to be surprised that it all starts with a sheet mask. “Koreans are obsessed with skin care,” she says, with a laugh. “Having porcelain-like skin is something that has been valued since the Joseon era.”
From there, a small amount of blush is applied across the cheeks before the most striking part of the beauty look is added: the red spots. “Traditionally, the red spots are meant to ward off evil spirits,” Ahn says, cheekily adding that she uses Avery stickers applied directly to the cheeks on her brides. “But for us modern Korean women, having the red dots on the cheeks more represents a youthfulness and playfulness. It embodies the excitement of the moment, seen through our beauty.”