Editor’s Note
I’m Minkyung Cha of the HERA BX Team, working as a global makeup trainer and makeup artist. I’ll be sharing the trends I’ve analyzed from makeup looks I gathered firsthand across numerous designer collections. Each product’s ‘how-to’s in this column come from a makeup artist’s hands-on demonstrations, so do give them a try!
Scrolling through short-form videos, you sometimes hit a moment when one idol’s stage catches your eye like nothing else. Lately, that’s been ATEEZ’s San to me, who kept showing up in my recommendations. Realistically, it’s rare for one person’s popularity to rest solely on hair, makeup, and styling — what Korean fans call ‘hemeko.’ Even so, San’s sunburn makeup stood out as a key element completing the mood of the stage. It was a moment that clearly showed the K-Beauty sensibility that has the world’s attention.
The blush in particular was striking. The natural flush along the bridge of the nose maximized a charm that felt at once healthy and masculine. Has blush ever mattered this much in men’s makeup? The blush trend that began in the 26 S/S season has carried steadily into F/W. Blush has now become a core element, alongside contour, for building dimension and natural color, and makeup trends are likewise shifting toward pink-infused red tones and a natural sheen. In this column, I’d like to walk you through how 26 F/W men’s makeup trends have changed.
1. Sunburn Cheeks, Even in Fall
DSquared2, Milan
Pronounce, Milan
Nahmias, Paris
Cheek-accent makeup typically gives off a boyish, endearing air. In this season’s collections, however, makeup, expression, and fashion came together in a single mood, creating an atmosphere at once macho and refined. As though skin lightly tanned by the summer sun had lingered into fall, the blush color blooms outward from the nose, adding natural warmth to the skin. What’s fascinating is that when blush meets bronzed skin, the masculine image is further heightened.
The makeup trend of this collection shows clearly that ‘blush can be worn in a masculine way, too.’ It would be a shame, then, to think of sunburn makeup as a trend suited only to summer.
[How-To] with HERA Reflection Liquid Blush
<Makeup artist demonstration video. Source: original footage>
● Creating Sunburn Cheeks with HERA Blush
Here’s how to create ‘sunburn cheeks’ with HERA Reflection Liquid Blush.
① Take just a small amount of the liquid blush on a sponge or your fingertips and dab it onto the center of the cheekbones first.
② Then blend lightly with what remains, as if connecting the color up to the bridge of the nose, for a natural look.
③ For a more masculine effect, place the color along the upper part of the cheekbones rather than below them, and subtly extend it into the triangle zone under the eyes. This lets the redness settle naturally into the skin, delivering healthy color and dimension at once.
Brick tones in particular create a more mature, masculine atmosphere. Depending on how you use them, they can be a tool for expressing healthy energy, or at times a powerful accent color that underscores a masculine mood. When it comes to formula, semi-glow is ideal for healthy, sun-kissed vitality, while semi-matte lends itself to the calmer makeup of the fall season.
Why not try a blush accent that spreads as naturally as leaves change color this autumn?
<Example of the finished look. Source: AI-generated video>
2. Skincare, Where Makeup Begins
White Mountaineering, Paris
Wooyoungmi, Paris
Paul Smith, Milan
What is the crucial step for keeping men’s skin looking clean? Is it sunscreen, or foundation? Paradoxically, the answer lies in skincare.
When the skin isn’t holding enough moisture, flaking around the beard area mixes with oil, the skin’s texture roughens, and in the end, no makeup product can deliver a clean finish. In practice, the skin looks good right after grooming, but as the hours pass, unconscious touching of the face and the constant play of facial expressions cause the makeup to break down, and a vicious cycle of dryness and oiliness sets in.
In summer especially, shuttling between hot weather outside and strong air-conditioning indoors leaves the skin under constant stress. And as the seasonal transition draws near and cold winds begin to blow, our skin grows confused about when to hold moisture and when to release oil. That is why, before the season changes, tending to the skin’s basic resilience matters more than anything.
[How-To] with Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum Mist & Perfecting Powder
<Makeup artist demonstration video. Source: original footage>
● Replenishing Moisture
Let’s replenish moisture with Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum Mist. Whenever the skin feels dry, before or after makeup, a light spray is all it takes. It’s useful when you want an efficient prep routine that keeps skincare steps to a minimum. The fine, mist-like spray and subtle scent offer a sense of satisfaction that goes beyond simple hydration, refreshing your mood for a moment in the middle of a busy day.
● Controlling Oil
Sulwhasoo Perfecting Powder is made with fine powder particles that adhere lightly to the skin without heaviness or a stuffy feel, helping a clean finish last long.
① First, take a small amount of powder on a puff.
② Press it gently onto areas where oil surfaces easily, such as the forehead, nose, and the sides of the nostrils.
③ Rather than covering the whole face, think of it as tidying only the spots where shine bothers you.
A beautiful skin finish comes only when oil is tamed to just the right degree on healthy, well-hydrated skin. Which is why keeping skin in healthy balance matters, for men and women alike.
<Example of the finished look. Source: AI-generated video>
3. Beyond Lip Balm, All the Way to Shine
Ami Paris, Paris
Doublet, Paris
Études, Paris
There is still a perception that men’s makeup must stick to matte, sheen-free textures. However, a healthy, polished impression doesn’t come from natural expression alone. The lips, in particular, are the thinnest skin on the face, and the first place dryness and dullness show up when fatigue builds or condition dips. It’s why, when the lips’ red grows paler than usual and their vitality drains, people hear they look tired regardless of how they actually feel.
Proper hydration and a subtle sheen make the lips look healthier, and this works beyond any cosmetic effect as a key element in conveying a good impression. If dry, cracked lips make you look tired, lips with just enough moisture and subtle shine convey energy and life.
[How-To] with HERA Sensual Nude Gloss & ETUDE Sebum Soak Jelly Powder
<Makeup artist demonstration video. Source: original footage>
● Creating a Subtle Glossy Lip
The Marbelous Collection edition of HERA Sensual Nude Gloss naturally enlivens the lips’ own color while creating a sheen that never feels like too much. Its minimal stickiness makes it easy to use, even for those new to gloss. I recommend layering the two tones to create an even more natural sense of moisture.
● Setting the Skin Soft and Smooth
For the skin, by contrast, a clean, refined texture matters more than excess shine. ETUDE Sebum Soak Jelly Powder has an unusual jelly formula, like condensed cream, yet in actual use it works like blotting paper, selectively catching only oil while leaving skin texture smooth and soft.
① After skincare or sunscreen, take a small amount on a puff.
② Pat it lightly over the face.
③ If shine bothers you after base makeup, apply once more, focusing on the bridge of the nose and the cheeks where sebum runs high.
④ Don’t rub; tap lightly, as if absorbing only the oil.
Moist lips with a subtle touch of vitality, and a clean, refined skin texture. These two things alone are enough for a far more vibrant, polished image.
<Example of the finished look. Source: AI-generated video>
4. Creating Good Proportions, Effectively
Domenico Orefice, Milan
Dries Van Noten, Paris
Giorgio Armani, Milan
What makes a face look truly balanced and harmonious? Personally, I’d say good proportions give an impression of overall harmony. Isn’t that also why, in East Asia, calling a face small passes as a compliment — because it ties directly to good proportions? Good proportions create a more polished impression in clothes regardless of height, and make the facial structure look refined. Achieving that look depends on adding natural shading along the face’s contours to express dimension, and the right product here is a contour product.
[How-To] with espoir Tone Pairing Contour Palette
<Makeup artist demonstration video. Source: original footage>
● Defining the Contours with the espoir Palette
The espoir Tone Pairing Contour Palette also includes a matte highlighter, ideal for 3D shading that never goes too far, and because it can be layered again and again without caking or leaving hard edges, even beginners can use it with confidence. If a brush feels difficult, try a sponge, as below.
① Take a small amount of product on a sponge.
② Place shading with light downward sweeps, in the order jawline → bridge of the nose → hairline.
③ Blend the edges softly, working from the top of the face downward; no lines remain, and the facial contours look naturally defined.
The matte highlighter can likewise compensate for the hollowing cheeks that become a concern with age, adding natural-looking volume. This fall, let’s bring out the bone structure and proportions we each already have, refine the face naturally, and upgrade both polish and overall presence.
<Example of the finished look. Source: AI-generated video>
Reference
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Minkyung Cha |
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Amorepacific
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