Your Makeup Artist’s Favorite Makeup Artist? Nina Park

Ever been stopped mid-scroll by a face you can’t quite explain? The skin glows. The lips look plush. You can tell makeup was used, but you’d be hard-pressed to name a single product or pinpoint a harsh line. If that sounds familiar, chances are you’re looking at Nina Park’s work.

The New York–based makeup artist has become a trusted go-to for Hollywood’s roster of modern cool girls such as Zoë Kravitz, Margaret Qualley, Carey Mulligan, and Mia Goth. But Park’s influence extends well beyond celebrity red carpets. Among makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts alike, her name has become shorthand for lived-in elegance.

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The Nina Park Effect

At its core, Park’s technique favors patience above all. She’s meticulous with her application since she consistently uses a light hand to build sheer layers. There are no bold swipes to be made. Everything is carefully dabbed then blended. And rather than using big tools, she frequently deploys smaller brushes for better control.

She’s notably uninterested in erasing the skin as skin texture and freckles remain visible. For the base, Park gravitates toward breathable foundations or skin tints, using concealer only where necessary and applied with pinpoint accuracy. Contour is cool-toned and shadow-like, and blush appears as a gentle wash of nude or rose, blended high on the cheeks. Soft highlight is also subtly placed on areas that often get dewy.

For brows, she never draws them on heavily. They’re brushed up and delicately filled with hair-like strokes to look believable. Eye makeup shifts depending on the client, but there’s a consistent theme of muted taupes and a tightlined upper lash.

Then there’s the lips. Arguably Park’s most coveted signature. A liner close to the natural lip tone contours the mouth before being blurred inward for that pillowy effect. Lip color is tapped on from the center and allowed to fade toward the edges. Never fully opaque. Never overworked.

The takeaway? Nina Park’s makeup trusts the face in front of her. So the next time you sit down at your vanity, consider this: your favorite makeup artist’s favorite makeup artist would probably tell you to ease up, switch to a smaller brush, and let what’s already there do most of the talking.

Photos: NINA PARK (via Instagram)