Korean Makeup Vocabulary: 35 Words with Romanization and Audio

Korean Makeup Vocabulary at a Glance

Makeup is applied in layers, and the list follows the order of the layers. You start with the base on the face, add the eyes, add the lips, finish with cheek colour and shade words, and then reach for the tools and the remover. That is why the groups run from base and face, to eye makeup, to lip makeup, to cheeks and shades, and last to tools and removal. The page is a child of Korean Beauty Vocabulary, and it pairs with Korean Skincare Vocabulary, since makeup goes on top of skin that has been cared for.

Most of the words are loanwords, and almost all of them are nouns. The exceptions are the native words 눈썹, 속눈썹, 입술 and 거울, the Sino-Korean words 화장, 화장대, 색상 and 발색, and 눈화장, which mixes a native and a Sino-Korean part. The next section ranks the words by how soon you will need them.

Which Makeup Words Should You Learn First?

Learn 화장 (makeup), 쿠션 (cushion compact), 립스틱 (lipstick), 아이라인 (eyeliner) and 색상 (colour shade) first. With those five you can say that you are doing makeup, name the products people ask about most and talk about colour. Add 파운데이션 and 컨실러 when you start to follow tutorials.

• Words to say. 화장, 쿠션, 립스틱, 마스카라, 브러시. These are what you ask for at a counter.
• Words to recognise. 발색, 톤, 색상. You read these on shade charts and product pages.
• Words to understand when spoken. 파운데이션, 컨실러 and 하이라이터. Beauty staff and video hosts use these to describe products.

Many learners study this vocabulary to follow Korean beauty videos. Tutorials tend to apply base products in the same order, which is why the first group is arranged to match: sunscreen first (from the skincare lesson), then a base such as 쿠션 or 비비크림, then 컨실러 to cover marks, and 파우더 to set the finish. The section on the order of a base routine, below, gives the full sequence.

At five new words a day, the whole list of 35 takes seven days plus review. The scene below puts eight of the 35 words on one dressing table.

Word · 8

1. 1

   쿠션

   Play

   kusyeon

   cushion compact

2. 2

   아이섀도

   Play

   aisyaedo

   eyeshadow

3. 3

   아이라인

   Play

   airain

   eyeliner

4. 4

   립스틱

   Play

   ripseutik

   lipstick

5. 5

   블러셔

   Play

   beulleosyeo

   blusher

6. 6

   브러시

   Play

   beureosi

   brush

7. 7

   거울

   Play

   geoul

   mirror

8. 8

   리무버

   Play

   rimubeo

   remover

What Is the Difference between 화장 and 메이크업?

Both words mean makeup, and Korean uses them side by side. 화장 (hwajang) is the older, everyday word. It is the one in 화장을 해요 (I put on makeup), 화장품 (cosmetics) and 화장대 (dressing table). 메이크업 (meikeueop) is the English loanword, and it tends to appear in product names, on shop signs and when people talk about a finished look, as in 메이크업 아티스트 (makeup artist).

You can use either word to say that you wear makeup. In casual speech, 화장 is more common, and a friend who says 오늘 화장했어요 is telling you that she has put on makeup today. The word 화장 also forms the negative expression 화장 안 했어요 (I am not wearing makeup).

A small caution: the spelling 화장 is shared by an unrelated word meaning cremation. In a beauty context, there is no ambiguity. The restroom word 화장실 is built from 화장 plus 실 (room), a room for tidying up.

Base and Face

The base products make the skin even before colour goes on. 화장 and 메이크업 name the activity, 파운데이션, 쿠션 and 비비크림 are three base products that look similar but behave differently, 컨실러 covers marks, and 파우더 sets the result.

Three base words are easy to confuse. A 파운데이션 is a base that comes as a liquid or cream in a bottle or tube. A 쿠션 is a compact that holds a liquid base in a sponge, so it is applied by pressing. A 비비크림 is lighter and sits between skincare and foundation. A shop assistant who hears 쿠션 will show you the compacts, and one who hears 파운데이션 will show you bottles.

Each product also has a typical verb. 바르다 (spread) works for 파운데이션 and 비비크림. 가리다 (to cover) goes with 컨실러, and 마무리하다 (to finish) goes with 파우더. The verb for pressing a compact is 두드리다, which appears in the tools group.

With the base done, the next group covers the eyes.

Eye Makeup

Eye makeup has its own vocabulary because many of the words are features of the face as well as products. 눈썹 is the eyebrow and 속눈썹 is the eyelash. 아이섀도, 아이라인 and 마스카라 are the three classic eye products, and 렌즈 is the word for contact lenses.

The word 눈썹 has a tense ㅆ in the middle, which is already marked in the spelling. Say it with a tight throat: nun-sseop. For 속눈썹, the final ㄱ of 속 becomes a nasal ㅇ before the ㄴ of 눈, so the word is said [송눈썹], not [속눈썹]. The page on nasalization explains why.

The related verb 칠하다 means to apply as a coat, so it suits eyeshadow and lipstick. The verb 그리다 means to draw, so it suits eyeliner and eyebrows. Choosing the right verb is the first sign that you know the vocabulary.

Next come the lips, which have the longest product list.

Lip Makeup

Lip products are the most varied in Korean beauty, and the words show it. 입술 is the lip itself, and 립스틱, 립틴트, 립글로스 and 립밤 name four textures. The group closes with two colour words, 색상 and 발색, that you meet on every shade chart.

Lip words are a good place to see the Korean habit of shortening loanwords. 립틴트 becomes 틴트 in speech, and 립스틱 stays whole. Learn the loanwords as they are, since shops use them.

The word 발색 is worth learning early because reviews use it all the time. Read 발색이 좋아요 as the colour shows up well, and 발색이 약해요 as the colour is weak. Both patterns use a feature noun with 이/가, followed by a describing word, as in 색상이 다양해요.

For the single words, see lipstick in Korean and makeup in Korean.

Colour is the topic of the next group.

Cheeks and Shades

This group has two kinds of word. 블러셔 and 하이라이터 are cheek products. 핑크, 코랄, 레드, 베이지 and 톤 are colour words that you will use when you talk about shades. Most of them are loanwords written in Hangul, so a shade chart reads easily once you know the sounds.

Shade names come in two layers. The loanwords 핑크, 코랄 and 레드 appear on product names. The everyday colour words 분홍색, 빨간색 and 갈색 are used for ordinary objects. A shop assistant may say either, so learn both.

The word 톤 is the most useful when you shop for a base. A shop will ask about your skin tone, or you may choose between a light tone and a deeper one. The adjective 밝다 (to be bright) describes a light tone: 톤이 밝아요.

The last group covers tools, storage and removal.

Tools and Removal

The final group names what you use to apply makeup and what you use to take it off. 브러시, 퍼프 and 스펀지 are three applicators. 거울 and 화장대 are the mirror and dressing table, 파우치 is the pouch you carry, and 리무버 is the remover.

The verb 두드리다 (to pat or tap) is the one learners miss. A cushion compact and a base are pressed on with taps, not wiped, and tutorials say 톡톡 두드려요 (pat gently). The sound word 톡톡 imitates the light tapping.

Removing makeup is part of the same routine. The verb pair 화장을 지우다 (remove makeup) uses 지우다, and a cleansing step comes next. The Korean Skincare Vocabulary lesson picks up from there with 클렌징, 세안 and the products used to clean the face.

What Is the Order of a Base Routine?

Korean tutorials apply the base in a regular order, and the order explains the word list. The table puts the base products in sequence with the verb that goes with each.

Sunscreen is the only step that belongs to the skincare lesson, so it is taught in the skincare lesson. Not everyone uses every step, and the number of steps varies from person to person, so treat the table as a vocabulary order and not as a rule.

Reading the order aloud is good practice: 선크림을 발라요. 쿠션을 두드려요. 컨실러로 가려요. 파우더로 마무리해요. Each sentence uses one word from this page and one verb from the table, and every verb ending is the polite present.

How Do You Pronounce These Words?

Makeup words contain several sound changes, because many end in a consonant that changes before the next sound. Standard pronunciation follows the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) rules. The romanization follows the Revised Romanization of Korean, which writes tense letters such as kk and tt but does not show tensing caused by a neighbouring sound.

Make the tense sounds in 입술, 립밤 and 색상 with a tight throat and no puff of breath. The page on tensification explains why a stop sound makes the next consonant tense. The vowels ㅓ and ㅡ in 컨실러, 브러시 and 립스틱 are said with unrounded lips.

Audio and Slow Playback

Every word and every example sentence has its own clip. The five clips below replay the trickiest words slowly. Play one, repeat it aloud, then play it again and compare.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with Makeup Words?

These five mistakes cause most of the confusion at a counter.

1. Mixing up 쿠션 and 파운데이션. A 쿠션 is a compact with a sponge, and a 파운데이션 comes in a bottle. Name the one you want.
2. Using one verb for everything. 바르다 spreads, 칠하다 coats, 그리다 draws and 두드리다 pats. Learn each noun with its verb.
3. Saying 속눈썹 as [속눈썹]. The final ㄱ becomes a nasal sound before ㄴ, so the word is said [송눈썹].
4. Using 레드 for ordinary objects. 레드 is a product word, and 빨간색 is the everyday colour word. A shade name uses 레드; a red apple is a 빨간 사과.
5. Dropping the long l in 컨실러 and 블러셔. The two ㄹ sounds join into a long l. Hold it a little.

Learning each product with its verb removes most of the risk.

Practice: Flashcards and Worksheet

Study in three steps. First, run the flashcard deck in recognition mode until you recognise each of the 35 words. Second, switch to listening mode. Third, take the quiz. The deck covers all 35 words with audio, and your progress stays in your browser. The vocabulary flashcard decks page lists the other decks.

A printable worksheet for these words (word list, matching, writing practice, fill-in-the-blank exercises and answer key) is available in A4 and US Letter from the download card on this page. For practice, copy the 35 words by hand and write the meaning beside each one. Then write two sentences of your own, such as 쿠션을 바르고 립스틱을 칠해요 (I apply the cushion compact and put on lipstick).

Where to Go Next

After this page, continue with Korean Skincare Vocabulary, the lesson on what goes on the skin before makeup, or Korean Hair Salon Vocabulary. For the hub of all three, return to Korean Beauty Vocabulary. For the single words, see makeup in Korean and lipstick in Korean.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Say Makeup in Korean?

Makeup is 화장 (hwajang), the everyday word, and 메이크업 (meikeueop) is the English loanword used for products and looks. Say 화장을 해요 for I put on makeup. For the single-word lookup with a pronunciation guide, see the page on makeup in Korean.

How Do You Say Cushion Compact in Korean?

A cushion compact is 쿠션 (kusyeon). It is a compact with a sponge soaked in liquid foundation, so it is pressed on rather than wiped. A bottle foundation is a 파운데이션 (paundeisyeon), and a lighter tinted cream is a 비비크림 (bibikeurim).

How Do You Say Lipstick in Korean?

Lipstick is 립스틱 (ripseutik), pronounced [립쓰틱]. Other lip products are 립틴트 (lip tint), 립글로스 (lip gloss) and 립밤 (lip balm). Use 칠하다 or 바르다 for putting it on, as in 립스틱을 칠해요.

How Do You Pronounce 속눈썹 (songnunsseop)?

Say song-nun-sseop, as in [송눈썹]. The final ㄱ of 속 is said as ㅇ before the ㄴ of 눈, and the ㅆ in 썹 is a tense sound with no puff of breath. The Revised Romanization writes songnunsseop. Press the audio button on this page for the normal and slow versions.

Is the Romanization on This Page Official?

It follows the Revised Romanization of Korean, which South Korea adopted on 7 July 2000 and whose rules the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) publishes. It is a learning aid and does not show every sound change, so rely on the Hangul and the audio.

Is There a Printable Worksheet for Makeup Words?

A printable worksheet for these words (word list, matching, writing practice, fill-in-the-blank exercises and answer key) is available in A4 and US Letter from the download card on this page. For practice, copy the tables on this page by hand or use the flashcard deck, which carries the same 35 words.

Save This to Pinterest