Lisa's Style Evolution: What Did Lisa Used to Look Like?

The Pre-Debut Years: A Bare-Faced Prodigy

From a Thai dance prodigy to a global fashion icon, Lisa of BLACKPINK's transformation is nothing short of legendary. Long before she was the face of Celine and Bulgari, Lalisa Manobal was a young girl in Thailand with a powerful stage presence and a dream. Looking back at her pre-debut photos and videos, we see a completely different, yet instantly recognizable, version of the star we know today.

So, what did Lisa used to look like? In her trainee days, her look was defined by its natural simplicity. Photos from this era show her with a fresh, bare face, often with her hair pulled back, showcasing her natural features. Her eyebrows were fuller and less sculpted, and her makeup, if any, was minimal. This is standard for K-pop trainees, where the focus is on honing talent, not crafting a polished image. The goal is a clean canvas.

This 'less is more' approach highlighted her large, expressive eyes and full lips, features that would later become central to her signature looks. Her skin, even then, was clear and bright, likely thanks to a foundational Korean skincare routine focusing on hydration and protection. Think gentle cleansers, hydrating toners, and most importantly, sunscreen. While we don't know her exact routine back then, staples like the are cornerstones of K-beauty for creating a healthy skin barrier, which is the perfect base for any look, minimal or maximalist.

The 'BOOMBAYAH' Debut: Bold Lips and Fierce Liner

When BLACKPINK exploded onto the scene in 2016 with "BOOMBAYAH" and "WHISTLE," their concept was clear: fierce, bold, and unapologetically cool. Lisa’s debut styling perfectly embodied this energy, marking a dramatic departure from her understated trainee look. This era was all about making a powerful statement, and her makeup was a key weapon in her arsenal.

The most striking element was her eye makeup. Makeup artists used heavy, sharp, winged eyeliner to create an intense, cat-like gaze. The liner extended far beyond the outer corner of her eye, elongating and lifting its shape. This was often paired with dark, smoky eyeshadows and dramatic false lashes to add depth and dimension. This powerful eye look immediately established her as the group's charismatic performer.

Her lips were equally bold. The soft, natural lips of her trainee days were replaced with highly pigmented, often matte, lipsticks in vibrant shades of red, pink, and coral. Think of the iconic punch of a product like MAC's Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo. There was no subtle gradient here; it was a full, opaque application that screamed confidence. This combination of strong eyes and strong lips was a hallmark of mid-2010s K-pop, and Lisa wore it with an unmatched swagger that set the stage for her future as a style chameleon.

The Unwavering Signature: Decoding Lisa's Famous Bangs

Through all her transformations, one feature has remained remarkably consistent: her full, blunt bangs. Lisa's bangs are more than just a hairstyle, they are an iconic, immovable part of her brand identity. She has famously joked that she wouldn't move them for billions of won, and for good reason. They are a masterclass in strategic styling.

So, why do they work so well? Lisa's bangs serve several purposes. First, they create a perfect frame for her face, drawing all the attention directly to her large, captivating eyes. This is a classic technique used to emphasize a specific feature. Second, they help balance her facial proportions, creating the 'golden ratio' effect that is highly prized in Korean beauty standards. The horizontal line of the fringe visually shortens her forehead and creates a youthful, doll-like aesthetic that has become synonymous with her image. It’s a look that feels both powerful and playful, much like Lisa's own persona.

Maintaining this perfect fringe requires serious dedication. Her hairstylists use a combination of strong-hold hairspray and meticulous cutting to ensure not a single hair is out of place, even during energetic dance performances. For you to replicate this at home, the key is a sharp, straight cut right at the eyebrow level and a daily commitment to styling. A light spritz of hairspray on a fine-tooth comb, gently brushed through the bangs, can help lock them in place without making them stiff. It's a high-maintenance look, but as Lisa has proven, the payoff is a truly unforgettable signature style.

From Matte to Glass: The Evolution of Her Base Makeup

If you trace Lisa’s looks from debut to now, the evolution of her base makeup tells the story of K-beauty's biggest trends. In her early days, the prevailing style was a flawless, semi-matte finish. The goal was a perfect, poreless canvas that could withstand harsh stage lighting and intense choreography. This look provided high coverage to even out skin tone completely, a popular choice that you can achieve with long-wearing foundations like Estee Lauder's Double Wear.

However, as K-beauty trends shifted towards a more natural, luminous look, so did Lisa's base. Enter the era of 'glass skin'. This look prioritizes a dewy, translucent, and intensely hydrated finish that looks like it's glowing from within. Her makeup artists moved away from heavy matte formulas and embraced cushion foundations, which are the holy grail for achieving this effect. Cushions provide buildable coverage with a lightweight, skin-like finish.

Get The Glow: Cushion Foundations

To get Lisa's current radiant base, a high-quality cushion is non-negotiable. Here's our curation, interpretation, and execution for the look:

• Curation: The TIRTIR Mask Fit Red Cushion is a viral sensation for a reason. Another fantastic option, often seen in the kits of K-pop makeup artists, is the Hera Black Cushion.
• Interpretation: These products excel at providing impressive coverage that hides blemishes and redness while leaving a satin or dewy finish that looks like real skin. The TIRTIR cushion, in particular, is lauded for its 72-hour staying power without feeling heavy.
• Execution: The secret is in the application. Press the rubycell puff lightly into the cushion to pick up a small amount of product. Then, use a gentle tapping or pressing motion to apply it to your skin, starting from the center of your face and blending outwards. This technique builds coverage evenly and pushes the product into the skin for a seamless, long-lasting glow. Avoid swiping, as that can cause streaks and disrupt the dewy finish.

Mastering Aegyo Sal: The Secret to Her Doll-Like Eyes

One of the most defining features of Lisa's eye makeup is her expert use of the 'aegyo sal' technique. This is a quintessential K-beauty trend that can be confusing to a Western audience, who might mistake it for under-eye bags. However, 'aegyo sal' refers to the small, puffy pocket of fat directly under the waterline. In Korea, this feature is considered youthful and charming, as it mimics the look of a smiling or laughing eye.

Lisa's makeup artists are masters at accentuating this feature to enhance her doll-like appearance, making her eyes look bigger, rounder, and more expressive. It’s a subtle trick that makes a huge impact, contributing to her signature look just as much as her bangs or winged liner. This technique is also used by many other idols, including her bandmate Jisoo, who favors a more classic take on the style.

How to Create Aegyo Sal

You can easily recreate this eye-opening effect at home with just two products. It's all about creating a convincing illusion of light and shadow.

• Step 1: Highlight. Take a matte, light-colored eyeshadow or a subtle, champagne-toned shimmer stick. Smile to see where your natural 'aegyo sal' puffs out. Apply the highlighter directly onto that area, from the inner corner to about two-thirds of the way out. This brings the area forward and catches the light.
• Step 2: Contour. This is the crucial step. Using a small, precise brush, take a soft, light brown matte eyeshadow or a dedicated contour powder. Look straight ahead and lightly trace a faint line directly underneath the highlighted area you just created. This creates a shadow that makes the 'aegyo sal' look naturally plump.
• Step 3: Blend. Use a clean brush or your pinky finger to gently smudge and soften the contour line. The key is for the shadow to be a barely-there whisper, not a harsh line. The final effect should be a subtle plumpness that makes your eyes pop with youthful energy.

Lip Transformation: From Full Matte to Juicy Gradient Tints

Lisa's lip makeup has undergone a beautiful evolution, mirroring the broader shifts in K-beauty lip trends. As we saw in her debut, she started with bold, fully opaque matte lips. This style was powerful and graphic, perfectly matching the high-impact concepts of her early music videos. The application was precise, with sharp lines and a single, uniform color covering the entire lip.

Over time, her look softened and embraced more dimension and texture. She became a proponent of the 'blurred lip' or 'gradient lip,' a signature K-beauty technique. This style concentrates color on the inner part of the lips, fading outwards to a soft, diffused edge. It creates a 'just-bitten' effect that looks youthful and romantic. To achieve this, a matte product like the FWEE Lip & Cheek Blurry Pudding Pot is perfect, as its soft, blendable texture is ideal for creating that seamless gradient.

Most recently, Lisa has fully embraced the glossy lip trend. Her go-to look now often features a 'juicy' or 'glass' tint that combines vibrant, long-lasting color with a high-shine, watery finish. This style makes the lips look plump, healthy, and incredibly luscious. It provides the best of both worlds: the staying power of a stain and the beautiful finish of a gloss.

Get the Juicy Lip Look

• Curation: The K-beauty market is filled with incredible glossy tints. The absolute cult classic is the Romand Juicy Lasting Tint. Another fantastic option is the Amuse Dew Tint, known for its clean formula and beautiful, clear colors.
• Interpretation: These products work by leaving a stain on your lips while a separate layer of gloss sits on top. This means that even when the shine wears off after eating or drinking, you're still left with a lovely, even color.
• Execution: Use the applicator to apply the tint to the inner half of your top and bottom lips. Then, press your lips together a few times to gently blend the color outwards. For a more diffused look, you can use your fingertip to tap and blur the edges. Do not rub your lips together excessively, as this can break the gloss layer. The result is a plump, vibrant, and effortlessly modern lip.

Frequently Asked Questions