Lifestyle

Trying to look good under a mask: South Korean fashion evolves in the time of coronavirus

21 Mar 2020

Park Youn-hee, designer of Greedilous, poses for photographs.

From tutorials on how to wear makeup with a face mask, to hats that incorporate a protective plastic face shield, South Koreans are seeking to make sure the coronavirus outbreak doesn't damage their reputation for style.

In one video that has gathered tens of thousands of views, 29-year-old beauty YouTuber SSUNZY gives tips for applying makeup in a way that looks good under a mask.

"It's very, very unfortunate that a mask hides your face," she says in the video. "You can't show off your charm. I'm going to do makeup that makes your face look good even when you're wearing a mask."

SSUNZY recommends that viewers use more moisturizer, and stick to more natural shades rather than heavy colouring.

SSUNZY, a beauty content YouTuber, records YouTube video clips on makeup tutorials.

A hydrating foundation, for example, makes it easier to touch up makeup after removing a mask, she said.

Those practices seem to be popular, with sales of more colourful cosmetics falling while sales of skincare products have increased.

"We saw an increase in skincare product sales during the month of March compared to the previous month," said Amorepacific Group, South Korea's largest cosmetics powerhouse.

The ubiquitousness of face masks has made them an everyday fashion item for South Koreans, with K-pop music stars helping spread their popularity.

"The public has become more comfortable with them as a countermeasure (to coronavirus) because G-Dragon wears them, BTS wears them, everybody wears them, so why can't I wear them?"

Park Youn-hee, designer of Greedilous, speaks during an interview at her showroom in Seoul.

Korean fashion designer Park Youn-hee, who often works with K-pop idols including BTS and Girls' Generation, said at her showroom in Seoul while suggesting a fashion style that fits for a face mask.

Like many countries, South Korea has faced shortages of face masks.

The government has imposed a rationing system to limit the number of masks each person can buy each week and placed export restrictions on masks.

In response, some South Koreans have turned to other ways of combining protection and fashion.

One item seen for sale in shops and online are hats with a clear plastic face shield.

SSUNZY, a beauty content YouTuber, records YouTube video clips on makeup tutorials catered to those wearing masks.