Picture this: you’re walking out on a cold winter morning and you run into your crush who gives you a compliment. This is exactly what the Igari make-up looks like. The vibe is soft, glowy, and naturally flushed. Originated in Japan and coined by make-up artist Shinobu Igari, this K-beauty make-up look is characterised by a radiant, minimal base, dewy skin, blush placed just under the eyes and on the nose, big, bright eyes, and soft blurred lips.
While there’s no concrete formula to knowing whether or not this look will work for you, and is something that can be figured out by trial-and-error, you can customize the look to make it work for you. Delhi-based make-up artist Karma Choezon points out that the look can be improvised based on your facial features. “India is a diverse country with people from many ethnic backgrounds. We have people with a wide range of facial structures and skin tones. It depends on how you execute the makeup on different faces. It may or may not work if you simply copy the exact same look. However, if you adapt based on the different facial structures and skin tones, then it should work,” she explains. For example, if you have a slightly bigger nose that you wouldn’t want to draw attention to, skip applying blush on the nose and only add it under the eyes. Or, keep your eyeliner thin if you have hooded eyes.
Minimal, youthful make-up forms the basis of the Igari look. Swap your heavy, matte, full coverage products with light, sheer, cream-based products.
Since the Igari make-up look is all about the your-skin-but-better finish, prepping the skin well is of utmost importance. A well-hydrated skin is the ideal base for this make-up look. We suggest going for moisturisers and serums with plumping ingredients like hyaluronic acid or snail mucin for a supple appearance. Next, you can follow this with an illuminating primer for seamless blending of the products and a dewy finish.
Since this makeup is all about flushed and fresh skin without too much obvious makeup, keep the base very minimal. Karma explains, “Apply a light weight foundation, or skip it and simply use concealer wherever needed, if your skin is clear.”
The blush is inarguably the most important part of the Igari make-up look. Besides the shade, the placement of the blush is also crucial. Say goodbye to blush contouring, because this look is about looking plump and not sculpted. “Before applying blush, don’t forget to brighten the under eye area so that the blush is more visible. After that, apply a liquid or cream blush right under the eyes and around the centre of the cheeks, then softly blend it outward. If you want, you can also apply a tiny bit across the nose bridge,” says Karma. “If needed, you can also apply powder blush to intensify the colour but make sure not to overdo it,” she adds.
The eyes too, need to appear big, and not elongated. Think: Doe-eyed makeup, puppy eyeliner, and curled lashes. “For this make-up look, it is necessary to keep the eye make-up soft and the brows natural,” states Choezom.
Our pro-tip is to wear lipstick in the same shade as the blush, for a more natural look. Additionally, you can go for a blurred lip for a softer effect. “For the lips, you can use pink, peach, or berry shades depending on your skin tone and the undertone of the blush you have applied,” says Karma. “Apply the colour first at the centre of the lips and then blend it outward to give a gradient effect,” she adds.