New York City–based wedding makeup artist Sarah Ahn has noticed a new trend with her brides: “Korean-American brides have been looking to embrace their culture on their wedding day,” she says. That’s where the paebaek ceremony comes in.
Dating back to the 1300s and the beginning of the Joseon dynasty, the paebaek is a moment during the wedding to focus entirely on family. During the 30-minute ceremony, the bride and groom pay deference to their elders through bowing and serving them tea. Versions of the Joseon-era garments—which include a hanbok for women—are worn. And then there’s the iconic beauty look.
“Oftentimes, my Korean brides will ask me to do a more Western beauty look for their Western ceremony, then when it s time for the paebaek later in the day, we will change up the beauty look entirely,” Ahn says. “We’ll adjust the makeup into something more traditional.”
That starts with creating even, bright skin. Anybody who has even a passing interest in K-beauty is unlikely to be surprised that it all starts with a sheet mask. “Koreans are obsessed with skin care,” she says, with a laugh. “Having porcelain-like skin is something that has been valued since the Joseon era.”
From there, a small amount of blush is applied across the cheeks before the most striking part of the beauty look is added: the red spots. “Traditionally, the red spots are meant to ward off evil spirits,” Ahn says, cheekily adding that she uses Avery stickers applied directly to the cheeks on her brides. “But for us modern Korean women, having the red dots on the cheeks more represents a youthfulness and playfulness. It embodies the excitement of the moment, seen through our beauty.”
The final addition is just a tiny bit of liner on the waterline and a touch of mascara. “The goal is to achieve a youthful, round, almost doll-like eye with separated lashes,” she says. “It looks a lot like a baby’s eyelashes after they cry—wet and just perfectly separated. It’s subtle, but a youthful touch.”
It all may be something old—as in, more than 700 years old—but makeup artists and modern brides putting their own spin on the paebaek is breathing new life into the tradition. Something old and something new, indeed.
