Here, Kim shares her story in her own words.
I am fromSeoul, South Korea, and studied makeup in Busan.
There is a lot of ambiance there.
Arnaud LaJeunie for Pop
There is a beach and it’s a very colorful city.
At the time, I lived with a friend and she was studying fashion styling.
The Paris style of makeup is very different than it is in the United States.
Elizaveta Porodina/Art + Commerce
In the U.S., it’scontouring, covering up.
We say it’s like “Kim Kardashianmakeup.”
I kind of live in my own bubble.
you’re free to find me in the Louvre and Musee d’Orsay contemplating their permanent collections.
I like going back to classics again and again to have a new interpretation of them.
Now I do editorials mostly.
In general, I have a very analytical approach to makeup.
Between what I want and what is right, the latter matters more.
A lot of my work relies on sense and instinct because it’s artistic.
I dipped the model in golden pigment and finalized the lips with an extra layer of thick gloss.
The wings created instant shadows that stood out much more than the makeup.
And I recently did a shoot in the desert.
The concept was about aliens landing on Earth.
It was steaming hot; the makeup melted heavily even though it was waterproof.
It takes a lot of time and passion to become who you want.
This year at Cannes, I worked with Margaret Qualley.
I love that girl.
She’s beautiful, natural, and joyful.
Margaret had jet lag, so I started with afacial massage.
My mom taught me the basics.
With the massage, in general, you’ve got the option to improve blood circulation.
It can also help with dark circles around the eyes.
After 20 minutes of massage, Margaret had a natural glow.
I did not even need to apply foundation… only a very mild blush.
People tell me I’m efficient because I work fast.
The key is to develop the idea and rehearse the entire operation in my mind.
I have a lot of passion for makeup, but confidence is different for me.
It’s a challenge.
you’re free to make it to the next step."
I say that meditation to myself all the time.
Once the talent sits in front of me it’s pure execution, like a surgeon.
I like makeup because it’s not boring.
Everyone is different, every color is different.
When I go to jobs I never think, I want to go home.
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