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The K Beauty trends set to influence London Fashion Week SS27
Skin Cupid Founder, Melody Yuan reveals the Korean beauty techniques already appearing on the London runway and predicts the three set to cross over next
K-Beauty techniques have already appeared across the London Fashion Week runway, with blurred lips, glass like skin and diffused blush featuring in recent seasons.
With London Fashion Week SS27 taking place from 17 to 21 September, Melody Yuan, K-Beauty expert and Founder of Skin Cupid has looked back over the past five London seasons to identify the techniques already making their way into the Western runway before predicting the three Korean beauty trends that could be next.
The K Beauty techniques already appearing on the London runway
BLURRED LIPS
Blurred lips, where colour is concentrated towards the centre of the lips and softened around the edges, have appeared repeatedly across recent London Fashion Week seasons.
At Harris Reed AW24, Sofia Tilbury created a diffused crimson lipstick across the lips and cheeks, while Lisa Eldridge created a worn-in, blurred red lip at Molly Goddard.
At Roksanda SS25, Dominic Skinner created a pillowy blackened plum lip with brushed out edges. Erdem SS26 saw Fara Homidi alternate between blurry matte red and berry tones, applied with a fluffy brush, while Bora Aksu SS26 featured a dark lip concentrated towards the centre, closely resembling the traditional Korean gradient lip.
Melody Yuan, Founder of Skin Cupid, says:
“The blurred lip is a great example of a Korean makeup technique that translates incredibly well to Western beauty. It creates definition without looking overly precise, which gives it a much more effortless feel. What’s striking is that it hasn’t been a one season moment in London. It has appeared at a major show every season for two years.”
“The blurred lip is a great example of a Korean makeup technique that translates incredibly well to Western beauty. It creates definition without looking overly precise, which gives it a much more effortless feel. What’s striking is that it hasn’t been a one season moment in London. It has appeared at a major show every season for two years.”
BRING THE TREND TO LIFE
Apply colour to the centre of the lips and tap around the edges rather than creating a precise outline.
Use Judydoll Cushion Matte Lock Lip Cream - a long-wearing matte lip ccream that holds up to 24 hours without transferring, cracking or fading. The bouncy cushion builds full, opaque colour in one pass and blurs the look of lip lines for a smoother finish.
Apply colour to the centre of the lips and tap around the edges rather than creating a precise outline.
Use Judydoll Cushion Matte Lock Lip Cream - a long-wearing matte lip ccream that holds up to 24 hours without transferring, cracking or fading. The bouncy cushion builds full, opaque colour in one pass and blurs the look of lip lines for a smoother finish.
DEWY, GLASS SKIN
The K Beauty focus on skin preparation and luminous, hydrated complexions has cemented itself across social media and daily routines but it has also become increasingly visible backstage.
At Erdem AW24, backstage experts delivered multi masking facials and lymphatic massage to models to create a glass like, dewy complexion before makeup was applied. At 16Arlington, Lauren Parsons took a similarly pared-back, skin first approach.
At Emilia Wickstead SS26, backstage facials were used to create a glass skin finish, while Tove SS26 saw models receive facial treatments before makeup was applied.
Erdem AW26 went further, with models receiving backstage facials designed specifically to create a glass skin finish.
Melody says:
“K Beauty has always been about creating beautiful skin rather than simply covering it. Hydration, preparation and a healthy glow are treated as part of the makeup itself. Seeing full facial treatments happening backstage before a single product is applied is that philosophy in its purest form.”
“K Beauty has always been about creating beautiful skin rather than simply covering it. Hydration, preparation and a healthy glow are treated as part of the makeup itself. Seeing full facial treatments happening backstage before a single product is applied is that philosophy in its purest form.”
BRING THE TREND TO LIFE
Focus on skincare and hydration before applying a lightweight base, adding a small amount of cream highlighter to the high points of the face.
Use TirTir Milk Skin Toner - a brightening, hydrating toner that promises a smooth, luminous "glass skin" finish. Rice bran extract and niacinamide work on radiance while hyaluronic acid and chamonmile devilver deep hydration and calm any irritation.
Focus on skincare and hydration before applying a lightweight base, adding a small amount of cream highlighter to the high points of the face.
Use TirTir Milk Skin Toner - a brightening, hydrating toner that promises a smooth, luminous "glass skin" finish. Rice bran extract and niacinamide work on radiance while hyaluronic acid and chamonmile devilver deep hydration and calm any irritation.
DIFFUSED BLUSH
Blush is also moving away from traditional sculpting, with colour increasingly applied higher on the face and blended out towards the temples and nose.
At Yuhan Wang SS25, Amalie Russell created sun blush across the cheeks and nose. Burberry AW25 featured a mauve, watercolor like wash across the cheeks, while Aadnevik SS26 saw hot pink blush swept from the cheekbones towards the temples.
At Apujan SS26, coral blush was blended from the temples towards the mouth, while Erdem AW26 featured a light cranberry flush from Fara Homidi.
Melody says:
“Blush is becoming much less about sculpting and much more about creating an overall feeling on the face. The softer, higher placement we’ve seen at previous London Fashion Weeks has similarities with the way colour is used in Korean makeup to create a youthful, naturally flushed appearance.”
“Blush is becoming much less about sculpting and much more about creating an overall feeling on the face. The softer, higher placement we’ve seen at previous London Fashion Weeks has similarities with the way colour is used in Korean makeup to create a youthful, naturally flushed appearance.”
BRING THE TREND TO LIFE
Apply cream of liquid blush high on the cheeks and blend towards the temples, building gradually.
Use JOOCCYEE's Multi-Purpose Lip and Cheek Cream - the velvet mist texture glides on and diffuses into a refind matte look, with a high defnition silicon elastic system that blends seamlessly, stays comfortable, and blurs pores and lip lines. The built-in brush head has soft, high density bristles for precise, streak-free application, and the formula is highly pigmented but still lightweight.
Apply cream of liquid blush high on the cheeks and blend towards the temples, building gradually.
Use JOOCCYEE's Multi-Purpose Lip and Cheek Cream - the velvet mist texture glides on and diffuses into a refind matte look, with a high defnition silicon elastic system that blends seamlessly, stays comfortable, and blurs pores and lip lines. The built-in brush head has soft, high density bristles for precise, streak-free application, and the formula is highly pigmented but still lightweight.
So, what could be next?
With these techniques now established on the London runway, Melody Yuan predicts three K-Beauty influences could be set to make a bigger appearance at SS27.
AEGYO SAL: MAKING THE UNDER EYE A FEATURE
Aegyo sal, which translates roughly as "charm fat", is a Korean makeup technique that subtly enhances the natural volume beneath the eyes rather than concealing it.
There aree already signs of this shift on the London runway. At Simone Rocha AW26, under eyes were left natural and softly shadowed, while Harris Reed AW26 featured graphic black liner both above and benath the eye.
Inner corner highlighting has also appeared repeatedly, including at Erdem SS25, Dilara Findikoglu AW25 and Richard Quinn AW25.
Melody says:
"The London under eye is already being treated as a feature rather than a flaw. Aegyo sal is the technique that makes it deliberate, it's perfect for an editorial look."
"The London under eye is already being treated as a feature rather than a flaw. Aegyo sal is the technique that makes it deliberate, it's perfect for an editorial look."
BRING THE LOOK TO LIFE
Add a subtle highlight to the natural puff beneath the eye, with a very soft shadown underneath to enchance the effecct without drawing an obvious line.
Use Peach C Dual Beam Highlighter - a dual-shade highlighter, with one pearlescent side for shimmer and one for glitter so you can customise how much light you want. The buildable formula works across the cheeks, nose and cupid's blow, and on the eyes too.
CLOUDGLOW SKIN: THE SOFTER EVOLUTION OF GLASS SKIN
As glass skin becomes more established, another prediction is a move towards a softer, more diffused finish.
Cloudglow skin focuses on a filter like complexion that still looks hydrated and radiant, but without the wet or highly reflective finish associated with glass skin. The result is softer, velvety radiance that appears to come from beneath the skin.
There are already early signs of the shift. At Erdem SS26, Fara Homidi created a soft focus minimalist base with a velvety finish, while Emilia Wickstead AW25 favoured a softer, blurred complexion rather than overt dewy sheen.
BRING THE LOOK TO LIFE
Layer hydration underneath a lightweight base and opt for satin rather than wet looking highlighter to create softer radiance.
Use Erborian CC Cream - A bestselling makeup-skincare hybrid, with more active ingredients and a recyclable tube. Encapsulated pigments adapt to your natural skin tone on contact, blurring pores, scarring and acne for lightweight coverage with a luminous finish. The skincare side brings 2 per cent centella asiaticca to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier, plus sodium hyaluronate for plumping hydration and tocopherol to soften texture.
NOSE BLUSH: TAKING THE FLUSH FURTHER
Nose blush could be the next evolution of the diffused blush trend.
The technique involves sweeping colour from the cheeks across the bridge of the nose, creating a soft W shape that gives the face a naturally flushed, sun kissed appearance.
London has already touched on the look. At Yuhan Wang SS25, Amalie Russell incorporated the nose into a sun blush effect, but the technique has not yet developed into a major runway trend.
As blush continues to move upwards and outwards across the London runway, the nose could be the next area to receive more attention.
Melody says:
“K Beauty is constantly evolving, but its influence is often about changing the way we approach familiar beauty techniques. Aegyo sal is the clearest example. It takes the part of the face Western makeup has spent decades trying to hide and treats it as something worth showing. I think we’re going to see more emphasis on enhancing natural features, softer finishes and makeup that feels individual rather than overly perfected.”
“K Beauty is constantly evolving, but its influence is often about changing the way we approach familiar beauty techniques. Aegyo sal is the clearest example. It takes the part of the face Western makeup has spent decades trying to hide and treats it as something worth showing. I think we’re going to see more emphasis on enhancing natural features, softer finishes and makeup that feels individual rather than overly perfected.”
BRING THE LOOK TO LIFE
Use a small amount of cream blush across the bridge of the nose, connecting it to the cheeks. Using leftover product on the brush helps keep the effect natural.
Use JOOCYEE's Glazed Mulit-Purpose Stick - a multi-purpose colour stick that works on lips, cheeks and eyes. It melts into skin with a swipe and a dab for a soft, radiant finish that lasts all day. Camellia oil and serum-like care give a luminous, non-greasy result while keeping skin nourished, and film-forming technology holds vibrant, dewy colour for up to eight hours. The two-part design pairs the colour sticck with a bounccy cushion applicator, so touch-ups are quick and well blended on the go.
Melody adds:
"The beauty looks we see on the runway don't have to stay on the runway. These techniques are actually very wearable because they're about softness and enhancing what you already have. The key is to start subtly and build the effect rather than trying to recreate a full runway look."
"The beauty looks we see on the runway don't have to stay on the runway. These techniques are actually very wearable because they're about softness and enhancing what you already have. The key is to start subtly and build the effect rather than trying to recreate a full runway look."
Find out more at skincupid.co.uk
