Another day, another CL look to die for. The woman knows how to work. Just when you think you've seen all you can see out of her, she pops up in your Instagram feed with a black and gold look invoking Egyptian royalty and killer instinct.
Want to try this look out on yourself? Here's a breakdown of how to get a similar look to CL, using some of the best products that Korea has to offer.
SKIN
This section can almost write itself: if it's a K-pop star's photo shoot, you can bet that the skin is going to be glowing and flawless. CL doesn't disappoint.
Beyond the flawlessness, CL doesn't play around with a lot of contouring, bronzing, or blushing here. Instead, she makes the smart move of letting the eyes and dramatic lighting of the shoot do the talking.
That means you really only need one product to get that glow: Sulwhasoo's Perfecting Cushion Foundation. Like many of Sulwhasoo's luxury products, it's on the pricier end, but for good reason. The coverage is natural looking but still luminescent - the kind of product that makes strangers compliment you on your incredible skin. In addition, this formula packs in anti-aging essence and SPF 50.
EYES
Now let's get to the fun stuff! There's a lot packed into this section, because obviously most of the focus in this photo is on CL's incredibly smoky eyes. She's got a lot more going on than just her signature cat eye - let's break it down:
First, let's get that deep, dark cat eye going here. You're going to want a true black gel liner, one with a pen fine enough to draw exact lines but pigmented enough that you can fill in those lines with rich color. If you're a Korean cosmetics fan, you probably already know which liner you're reaching for: the Clio Waterproof Pen Liner. It's consistently Korea's number one seller for its ease of use, ability to stay on even through sweating or a late-night swim, and most of all for its rich pigmentation.
You'll also notice a quick swipe of green liner on CL's bottom lids. The hint of color is subtle but makes all the difference, allowing her eyes to appear a little larger towards her nose and dance around a little more. Clio also makes the product you'll want for that rich color. CL's looks like the Gelpresso Liner in Jade Green, but snag this in all of the colors available, because it's a super easy way to add a ton of life to your lids on otherwise boring makeup days.
Now let's work on those top lids a little. Rounding out the cat eye perfectly is a thick gold swipe of shimmery shadow. It's a great reminder of how makeup can tie a whole look together: it brings in the gold from her outfit and jewelry, adds a royal glint to the cat eye that, while fabulous, is pretty routine for CL, and opens up her eyes even more, making them appear a little bigger and more powerful. Moonshot's Jelly Pot Glitter is your go-to for that gold pop. The product is a beauty blogger favorite and can be used to create anything from a tiny flicker of color to a nice, thick line like CL has.
Let's finish off with the lashes. In the angle and lighting of the photo CL shared, the lashes are so blended in with the dramatic cat eye that they almost get lose. But make no mistake: you've got to go big, black, and bold with your lashes for this look. Try Laneige's Infinite Volume Setting Mascara. It's the holy grail of dramatic mascara: big and lengthening without getting flaky. It's a little much for an every day look, but when combined with some glitz and cat eye, it's go big or go home.
BROWS
CL has a great shape going on with her brows, following the recent trend of bold, well-groomed brows. But she looks like she also filled these in a little to darken them up and add to the overall theatrical elements of this look. A great tool for extra spicy brows is the Dong Gong Minn Brow Maker from Chosungah. A lip gloss-like applicator helps naturally smooth color into brows, and a mascara-like brush helps comb strays into place.
Notice anything else going on with the brows? Those killer gold triangles add a fierce edge to the brows that takes this look to the next level. And yet, although it's not a style you see every day, they're not distracting or gaudy. They're tiny and, because of the color and shape, complement the rest of the look so well that they almost seem like they're always there, adding edge to CL's already edgy brows. You're probably not going to find these in the aisles of your regular makeup store, but check online or at the local craft store to get a similar style like these Triangle Gems. Application is easy. Simply peel off the back and stick right on to your face. If you're worried about the gems falling off, you could also use a little false lash glue to add some extra stick.
LIPS
No bold matte lip or glimmer on these babies - again, the eyes are doing the talking in this look. CL goes for a simple, light and dewy gloss that's completely attainable with the Correct Combo Lip Gloss from Mizon. The coral orange shade is the closest one to CL's look, but the other four available are also great every day colors that keep lips super hydrated.
