K-pop group Momoland captures the euphoria of going to an amusement park as a kid. With their fun dance moves and exuberant lyrics, watching them perform is like getting on your favorite ride without having to wait in line. Imagine hopping on the teacups and watching the other cars swirl by in a rainbow of colors (without getting dizzy) or being on a rollercoaster that's about to drop straight down and experiencing that extreme rush of adrenaline — that's Momoland in action.
While at KCON LA on August 11, the girl group only performed two songs, "Baam" and "Bboom Bboom", but I stood in the audience waiting for more. After being transported to Momoland's fantasy land, I never wanted to leave.
Luckily, I got early admission to the Momoland experience the day before the girl group took the stage at the Staples Center. Eight members sat down with me to chat about the weirdest parts of their beauty routines, trying out new looks, and who takes her skin-care routine the most seriously.
The Beauty of Momoland
Hair, makeup, and fashion, as JooE mentions, brings Momoland to life. "They all have to be connected as one," she says. "If one is off, then everything is off. They come as a package deal."
JooE, in particular, is Momoland's personification of cotton candy. Even when she's not in head-to-toe pink — as the 19-year-old often is — JooE radiates the bubblegum hue. For our interview, her hair was bright blonde, but she was clad in a neon pink cheerleader-meets-basketball-player-inspired dress. Honestly, I first found out about Momoland nearly a year ago after randomly seeing a picture of JooE on Instagram with watermelon-pink hair in two buns and matching rosy brows. Then, I saw JooE's viral Tropicana ad in all her pink glory and realized something about her energy is like a sugar rush — without the crash.
Needless to say, I'm shocked when JooE informs me that pink isn't her power color. "I don't like pink. I like black," she tells me in English. (Up until this point, she answered questions in Korean.) Jane agrees with her fellow blonde member, noting they feel incredibly strong when they wear black. (I swear I didn't suggest a goth concept at the mention of this like I did with Chung Ha.)
Since debuting in 2016, JooE has been constantly bleaching her hair to the point where it's falling out. That said, she's more than ready to have dark hair. I don't blame her.
Leader of the group, Hyebin, is ready to switch up her signature look, too. "I've had short hair ever since our debut, so I want to try out long hair now," she reveals.
Taeha, Momoland's main vocalist, added that she wants to color her hair gray. With K-pop stars constantly changing their hairstyles and dyeing their hair new colors, I have a feeling neither Hyebin nor Taeha will have to wait very long to achieve their dream hair.
The Experimental Sides of Momoland
Nancy, on the other hand, is definitely that kid who wants to go on every single ride at the amusement park. The group's youngest member is not scared of anything, especially when it comes to beauty. In June, Nancy even dyed her hair a deep-teal hue.
"I like to try new stuff every single day," Nancy says. "Small or big things, it doesn't matter, like changing my lip color or my eye shadow color or how I do my eyebrows. I like to change my makeup every single day — like you."
When I first arrived, Nancy was the first to point out the Picasso-inspired lashes I drew above and below my eyes with black liquid liner. I told her I do different eye-makeup designs every day, and she went on to ask what my concept for the day was.
Based on that conversation, I obviously had to ask the members what their favorite concepts have been so far. Another Momoland member threw me for a loop this time. "We believe there will be something better in the future," Daisy, one of the group's rappers, blurts out. Fair enough.
Based on what Daisy and Ahin tell me about their ideal makeup looks, I'm guessing red lipstick and lush lashes would be involved in their dream concepts. "Whenever I put red lipstick on I feel powerful," Ahin says. Today, she happens to have a punchy pink lip tint on.
"My eyelashes are really important," Daisy follows up. "When I have super long, bold lashes, I feel more confident." She doesn't wear false lashes on stage, though. In fact, Daisy laments that Momoland "unfortunately" doesn't wear them.
The Skin-Care Routines of Momoland
Seeing my bold makeup also helps the members open up about the weirdest part of their beauty routines. JooE starts off by demonstrating how she only applies her skin-care products with her ring fingers. Dermatologists recommend doing so with eye cream as the ring finger places the least amount of pressure on the most delicate part of your face. However, JooE is incredibly gentle with her entire face.
Several members announce that they don't rub their products on. Instead, they tap them onto their skin like it's a piano or slap them on like, well, they're slapping themselves.
The ladies of Momoland aren't the first K-pop stars to tell me they have this aggressive slapping approach to their skin-care products. Monsta X's Kihyun recently did, too. I have a feeling I'll hear about it from another group soon.
However, Yeonwoo is the first to break down why she does so. "From what I've heard, if you wipe products onto your face, they absorb into your hands," she explains. "But if you pat them on, they absorb into your skin and deeper." Patting also helps less blackheads and blemishes form, she adds. Dermatologists like Shari Marchbein, a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine, would beg to differ, but if it works for Yeonwoo and gives her crystal-clear skin, let's not question it.
Before any patting, slapping, or tapping is involved, Jane says she sprays on a face mist prior to taking off her makeup. "I’m going to try that out today," Nancy remarks. Ironically, Ahin later reveals that the members don't ask each other for beauty advice. "We have our own beauty tips," she adds.
Taeha has a pre-routine technique of her own: "Before you wash off your makeup, it's important to wash your hands thoroughly, or you're going to get bacteria on your face," she explains. Now that's something dermatologists definitely won't argue against.
A couple of the members joke that Hyebin's extensive skin-care routine isn't normal. After she runs though her six-step lineup, I agree to disagree.
First, Hyebin washes her face. Simple enough. Then, she uses a cotton pad instead of a towel to wipe away all the moisture. (Excuse me while I try this tip, too.) Next, Hyebin puts on a toner, lotion, then a serum. "If my skin is dry, like in the winter, I'll put on a moisturizing cream or a soothing aloe gel," she adds. From there, she puts on a cream. She finishes off the list by saying, "I think this is basic. Isn't this basic?"
For some Allure editors, 11-step routines are commonplace. However, compared to the two-to-three step regimes of other Momoland members, I guess Hyebin's skin-care regimen isn't so basic after all. In addition to cleanser and moisturizer, Daisy is a fan of toner. Nancy uses a mist. Yeonwoo adds a skin booster to the mix, while JooE swears by a sebum-control product that I wish she could share the name of because I'm an oily-skinned girl, too.
Once we covered all the beauty bases of makeup, skin, and hair, the time to say farewell to Momoland arrived. Hearing about the hairstyles and dye jobs the members want to try, as well as the makeup that makes them feel most confident proved that the group is set to bring even more Fun to The World.
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