The Nina Park Makeup Technique, Explained (And How To Do It For Less)
Image by: @ninapark
Glowy skin, soft blush and blurred lips - the Nina Park makeup technique is everywhere. Here’s how to recreate the look yourself (for less than the celebs, obviously).
If you’ve looked at a celebrity red carpet recently and thought “how does their skin look that good?”, chances are Nina Park had something to do with it.
The Korean-American makeup artist has quietly become one of the most in-demand names in beauty, working with everyone from Margaret Qualley and Sydney Sweeney to Emma Stone and Hailey Bieber. Her signature style is instantly recognisable: luminous skin, softly flushed cheeks, barely-there doe eyes and lips that look naturally blurred rather than perfectly lined.
In other words, it’s the opposite of heavy glam. And right now, it’s exactly the kind of makeup people want.
The “Nina Park makeup technique” has been trending across TikTok and beauty forums because it feels both polished and effortless - the kind of look that makes people say you’re glowing rather than asking what foundation you’re wearing.
So what exactly is the Nina Park makeup technique, and how do you recreate it without a celebrity makeup artist on speed dial?
What Is the Nina Park Makeup Technique?
At its core, Nina Park’s makeup philosophy is all about skin-first beauty. Instead of layering heavy products, the focus is on lightweight formulas, strategic glow and subtle colour that enhances the face rather than covering it.
A typical Nina Park look starts with seriously hydrated skin, followed by a light, dewy base that lets natural texture show through. Cream blush adds warmth and dimension, highlighter is used sparingly, and eye makeup stays soft and diffused.
The result is polished but natural - the kind of makeup that looks just as good in daylight as it does on camera.
The Key Steps Behind the Look
Prep is everything. Nina Park often begins with hydrating skincare to create that smooth, glassy base before any makeup goes on. Toner pads or lightweight essences are commonly used to boost moisture and help foundation sit better on the skin.
Next comes the complexion. Instead of full-coverage foundation, she tends to use lightweight cushion foundations or skin tints that even out tone while still letting skin breathe. Blush plays a big role too. Cream formulas are usually placed slightly higher on the cheekbones to lift the face, giving that fresh, just-stepped-outside flush.
Eyes stay minimal. Soft brown shadow, a touch of mascara and brushed-up brows keep everything looking effortless rather than overly done.
Finally, the lips. Nina Park is known for creating softly blurred lips using lip pencils and glossy tints — a technique that gives colour without harsh lines.
Discover The Products To Recreate the Nina Park Look
If you’re recreating the look on a budget, the key is focusing on textures rather than specific brands. Cream blush, lightweight complexion products and glossy lip tints will get you surprisingly close.
Stylevana
CLIO - Kill Cover Mesh Glow Cushion SPF50+ PA++++ - 15g*2
£18.09
The CLIO Kill Cover Mesh Glow Cushion Foundation is one of the complexion products Nina Park has used on celebrity clients, and it delivers exactly the kind of radiant, breathable base her makeup style is known for.
Marks & Spencer
Biodance Collagen Gel Toner Pads
£16.00
For skin prep, Biodance Collagen Gel Toner Pads are often used to hydrate and smooth the complexion before makeup goes on. Pore perfecting, elasticity improving gel toner pads with collagen, elastin, fibroblas, hyaluronic acid and SYN-COLL.
Cult Beauty
Saie Slip Tint Dewy Tinted Moisturizer - Shade 9.5
£24.80
If the Nina Park technique is all about skin that still looks like skin, Saie’s Slip Tint fits the brief perfectly. It’s lightweight, glowy and gives that “I drink water and mind my business” level of complexion.
Space NK
Glossier Stretch Concealer - Medium 4
£22.00
Heavy concealer isn’t really part of the Nina Park playbook. Glossier’s Stretch Concealer keeps things light and dewy, brightening where you need it without looking cakey.
Sephora
Tower 28 Beachplease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush 4.5G Happy Hour
£20.00
If you love a slightly punchier blush moment, Tower 28’s cream formulas are ideal. They melt into the skin and give that lifted, flushed effect Nina Park often creates.
Sephora
Merit Day Glow Highlighting Balm 2.28g
£28.00
Highlighter in the Nina Park universe is subtle, not sparkly. Merit’s Highlight Balm adds a soft sheen that makes skin look healthy rather than glittery - exactly the vibe. The shade 'Bounce' is perfection.
Frasers
CHANEL LE CRAYON YEUX Eye Definer
£28.00
Her eye looks are rarely dramatic, but they’re always defined. A soft brown pencil like this adds subtle depth along the lash line without looking like obvious eyeliner.
Boots
e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil Money Mauve 7.6ml Money Mauve
£9.00
For the ultimate subtle, glossy, natural lip.
Frasers
DIOR Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Stick
£37.00
Cream blush is key to Nina Park’s “fresh skin” aesthetic. This one gives cheeks that lit-from-within colour that looks more like a natural flush than makeup.
Boots
Revlon Super Lustrous Crme Finish Lipstick - Porto Please porto please
£8.99
Instead of swiping it all over, we recommend applying it to the center of the lips before diffusing the pigment outward toward the contoured edge. It's easier to do this with a brush or a finger.
Lookfantastic.com
MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Color Pencil Extreme 1.2g (Various Shades) - 506 Endless Cacao
£20.00
Park’s signature lip is softly overlined and slightly blurred, and this pencil has been highlighted as a favourite tool for creating that plush, diffused lip shape.
Space NK
KOSAS Shiny Objects Highlighter - Haloed
£32.00
A dab of this on your defined cupid's bow is the ultimate finishing touch.