The “Lee Hyori Makeup” Trend Is a Throwback to the 2000s – Here’s How To Recreate Her Iconic Look

Love or hate the era, the 2000s were certainly a unique time for makeup!

From frosty eyeshadow to dramatic lip liner, the turn of the century brought a slew of fascinating makeup trends that are worlds apart from today’s styles.

Still, whether you love this look, or cringe at every 2000s makeup photo you see, you might want to check out its comeback!

While we haven’t fully re-entered the era of concealer lips (yet), beauty enthusiasts have been attempting to recreate 2000s makeup on TikTok, focusing specifically on 2000s K-beauty.

We’ve got all the tips you need on how to join the fun and try your hand at this unique look, so read on for our full guide.

Lee Hyori’s Iconic Makeup Look

@tomxinh_

2000s makeup #leehyori #y2k

♬ 10 Minutes – Lee Hyori

On TikTok, users enjoy this chance for a nostalgic throwback by mimicking the hair, makeup, and clothing of the early 2000s, even bringing out fun props like camcorders and big hoop earrings!

This trend focuses mainly on Korean beauty trends, which tend to be more toned-down and less extreme than Western makeup in the 2000s.

When looking back at this era, beauty enthusiasts have noticed the effortlessly chic look that Korean celebrities embodied in the early 2000s.

One star in particular has become the face of this makeup style – Lee Hyori, the “It girl” of 2000s K-pop!

Known for her stunning visuals and trendsetting fashion, Hyori has been making waves in the K-pop industry since her debut in 1998, so it’s no surprise that her makeup looks are the gold standard for 2000s makeup.

After two decades of makeup trends evolving, certain elements of early 2000s makeup, like light eyeshadow and lips, might seem foreign when compared to how we do our makeup now.

Still, TikTok users are having fun trying out makeup techniques that might be completely new to them, using this trend as a fun opportunity to transport themselves into a different era!

So, whether you remember these techniques from back in the day, or are discovering them for the first time, be sure to check out our tips on how to achieve this nostalgic look for yourself.

Base

To start off this look, create a smooth and even-toned base with your standard foundation and concealer to hide any blemishes or dark circles!

Go for a subtle contour and a dusting of shimmery highlight for a muted glow. Keep your base natural to avoid drawing attention away from the star of the show—your eyes!

Blush for this style of makeup tends to be a lighter shade to brighten up your complexion.

If you have more cool-toned skin, go for a pale, bubblegum-pink blush for an adorable pop of colour!

On the other hand, if your skin tone leans towards the warmer side, opt for a bright coral shade to accentuate the warmth of your skin.

Eyeshadow

Light and sparkly eye makeup is a key part of this makeup look, featuring bright colours and shimmers to make your eyes stand out!

Firstly, start off with a light eyeshadow, such as white or beige, to brighten up your lids and create an even-toned base for the eye-catching colours that you’ll be adding.

On TikTok, icy blue eyeshadow is the most popular shade among users who have tried this look. However, if you’d rather create the same effect with more natural colours, you can also go for a variety of brown shades!

After applying your main eyeshadow, add a generous amount of sparkle to your inner corners to make your eyes look bigger. Then, add more contrast and dimension by applying darker eyeshadow to the outer corner of your eyes!

For brown eye makeup, you can use a darker shade of brown for a seamless blend. A smoky grey eyeshadow will complement it perfectly if you’re going with icy blue eyeshadow.

Next, accentuate your eye makeup look with an eyeshadow in a shade slightly lighter than your skin tone to highlight your aegyo-sal (undereye fat).

Plus, remember to add shimmer to your aegyo-sal to draw more attention to your eyes!

Instead of following current K-beauty trends and focusing the sparkle just in the centre of your aegyo-sal, you can use this makeup look as an excuse to be a little more heavy-handed with your glitter.

After all, this makeup style features shimmers that extend across nearly the whole aegyo-sal area for an almost doll-like look!

Brows, Lashes, and Eyeliner

For eyeliner, tightline your upper eyelids and the outer corners of your lower lash line for a hint of definition without going overboard.

You can also draw a small sharp wing to elongate your eyes and use dark eyeshadow to blend it out and create a slightly smoky effect.

Then, complete your eye makeup look with mascara as a finishing touch! If you love the look of false lashes, you can add falsies and focus them in the outer corner of your eyes for a cat-eye look.

For your brows, fill them in lightly and shape them to create a thin arch, for a chic look that’s worthy of a runway model!

Lips

Lastly, makeup from this era tended to feature glossy lips in light tones.

To create a base for your lip makeup, add a bit of concealer to the lips to lighten their natural shade so that your lipstick’s pale colour will be more evident.

This trick has the added effect of making your lips look just a bit smaller to match the thinner lips of celebrities in the early 2000s, long before plump, Kylie Jenner-esque lips became more popular.

To complete your 2000s K-beauty look, apply lip gloss in a light shade, such as a peachy nude tone or a pale pink colour!

Featured image credits: @louiseiya/TikTok, @trieulinhhoa/TikTok, @tomxinh_/TikTok.