ETUDE Korean makeup: the brand behind Dear Darling and Fixing Tint

If you search for “ETUDE Korean makeup”, you land on a Seoul brand with a world all its own: pink tubes, fruit-scented tints and palettes in soft colors. For years it was known as ETUDE HOUSE, with its pink stores worthy of a dollhouse. Today, it simply signs as ETUDE.

In this guide, we tell you where the brand comes from, what sets its tints apart, how to find your way through its lines and, above all, what to choose for your complexion, eyes, lips and cheeks. We finish with a complete routine and our tips for using it well.

ETUDE Korean makeup: the story of the brand

ETUDE was born in December 1985 in South Korea. Its name is a French word, “étude”, and the brand explains that it's inspired by Chopin's Études: piano pieces composed for practice, having fun with the notes. That's exactly the ETUDE idea: makeup as a playground where you try, make mistakes and start again.

In 1990, the brand joined the Pacific Chemical group, the former name of Amorepacific, the Korean beauty giant. The company took the name Etude Corporation in 1997. Even today, ETUDE belongs to the same family as INNISFREE, LANEIGE, ESPOIR and MAMONDE.

The big turning point came in 2005, with the opening of the first ETUDE HOUSE stores: pink shops decorated like a princess's house. The store network grew fast: the brand opened its 100th store in 2007 and its 200th in 2009. That same year it went abroad, to Taiwan, Singapore and the Philippines, then to Japan in 2011, with a store in Shinjuku.

The “princess” concept was its signature for a long time. In 2016, ETUDE changed its tone and adopted a more “sweet” universe, closer to everyday life. Today, its official website describes a Korean brand that wants to make beauty playful and memorable, with a slogan that sums up its style well: “Unique Pink on Your Vanity”.

The ETUDE philosophy: beauty as play

ETUDE says it believes that beauty is a journey of self-discovery, made of play. The brand talks about a “Beauty Play Culture”: a beauty culture where you have fun with color rather than following strict rules. In practice, that means three things:

• Easy-to-wear colors: pinks, corals, beiges and fruity tones, with lots of shades per product so you can find yours.
• Cute packaging: pastel tubes, limited editions and collaborations, like the cherry-shaped bottles of the Binggrae edition.
• Gentle prices: ETUDE remains a brand you can afford to try a new shade without breaking the bank, ideal for getting started with Korean makeup.

Key formulas of ETUDE

ETUDE is first and foremost a makeup brand: its “key ingredients” are mostly its textures and finishes. Here are the ones to know, plus its skincare line for sensitive skin.

Dear Darling: the original tint

The brand nicknames Dear Darling “The OG Tint”, the original tint. It presents it as a K-beauty classic, known for its light gel texture and its naturally tinted lips effect. Today it comes in several versions: as a marker with the Marker Tint, like the Dear Darling Tint 3.5g and its twelve shades, or as an oil with the Oil Tint, like the Dear Darling 4.2g in red berry tones.

Fixing Tint: the blurred finish that lasts

It's a tint the brand often puts in the spotlight. ETUDE describes it as a tint with a natural, blurred finish, comfortable on the lips and long-lasting. Perfect if you like the soft, matte “bitten lips” effect. You'll find it in the classic version with the Fixing Tint 3.8g, or as a special edition in the Binggrae set shown above.

Curl Fix: lashes that stay curled

Its name says it all: the Curl Fix mascara is made to keep your lashes curled all day. ETUDE counts it among its flagship products. The mini size, the Curl Fix Mascara Mini 4g, is handy for trying it or slipping into your makeup bag. To go further, the brand also offers a base to apply before mascara, the Dr. Mascara Fixer Long Lash.

Soon Jung: skincare for sensitive skin

On the skincare side, ETUDE's go-to line is called Soon Jung. It carries on the legacy of Amorepacific's first “Soon Jung”, launched in 1988. Its key ingredient, Panthensoside, combines panthenol and madecassoside, two actives known to soothe and help strengthen the skin barrier. The Soon Jung Soothing Toner shows a pH of 5.5 and a formula free from ten of the most irritating ingredients, including fragrance and parabens.

ETUDE lines to know

Which ETUDE for your look?

For makeup, we've sorted by step of the look: we give you our favorite product, plus two others to round it out.

A complete ETUDE routine, morning and evening

Morning: the everyday look

1. PrepA small amount of Nymph Dewy Base Prep on clean, moisturized skin, then wait a minute.
2. Even outThe Double Lasting foundation in a thin layer, from the center of the face outward.
3. DefineA veil of color from the Play Color Eyes palette, a fine line of Fix Brush Liner, then the Curl Fix mascara.
4. Add colorA touch of Lip & Cheek on the cheeks, and the Dear Darling Marker Tint in the center of the lips.
5. SetA few sprays of Fix Fixer held away from the face to keep your makeup in place.

Evening: the night-out look, then makeup removal

1. IntensifyThe darker shades of the palette along the lash line, and a layer of Over Glowy Tint for glossy lips.
2. Remove eye and lip makeupA cotton pad soaked in Lip & Eye Remover, held for a few seconds before gently sweeping, without rubbing.
3. Cleanse and sootheA gentle cleanser over the whole face, then the Soon Jung toner patted in with your fingertips.
4. Pamper your lipsA layer of Ginger Sugar Overnight Lip Mask before bed.

Our tips for using ETUDE

• Dab your tint in the center of your lips: with a Fixing Tint or a Dear Darling, a small touch in the center, blended with your fingertip, gives the gradient effect typical of Seoul.
• Use the same product on lips and cheeks: a blush like the Lip & Cheek creates a harmonious look in one step.
• Go in thin layers: for foundation as for eyeshadow, two light layers are better than one thick layer.
• Curl your lashes before mascara: Curl Fix holds the curl, but you have to create it first with an eyelash curler.
• Always remove your makeup at night: long-lasting tints come off better with a two-phase remover like the Lip & Eye Remover.

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Jihyun, team Ma Petite Corée