If you want to try cosmetics in Seoul, start with the experience you need. You could create base makeup matched to your skin tone or learn makeup techniques to use at home. You can also make a ginseng sachet by hand.
If this is you, go here
Pick your situation and jump to that place. 5 places.
- You want base makeup made to match your skin toneAMORE YONGSAN
- You want to try products from small and medium-sized brands in personBeauty Play (Myeongdong)
- You want to learn home skincare or makeup techniques for one facial areaOlive Young N Seongsu
- You want a written record of techniques after analysis and a touch-upOlive Young Beauty Mansion Seongsu
- You want to explore scents, make something, and hear a guided explanationThe House of Sulwhasoo Bukchon
At a glance
- Beauty experiences in Seoul range from creating custom products to lessons in how to apply them.
- Some venues offer general product testing through on-site registration, while custom consultations and classes follow separate booking procedures.
- You can revisit application techniques with a face chart after a touch-up, or make your own ginseng sachet and bath soak.
Sometimes you want to check a shade and learn how to apply it before buying cosmetics.
Testing products freely and taking a lesson with a consultation involve different ways to spend your visit.
Some venues let you start with on-site registration, without a reservation. For custom consultations or classes, you may need to plan around booking release dates. Choosing the experience you need first gives your beauty outing a clear purpose.
01Best when You want base makeup made to match your skin tone
AMORE YONGSAN (아모레용산)
- Five Score
- 4.5Skin tone measurement and custom foundation creation
- Location
- 2F, Amorepacific Headquarters, 100 Hangang-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
- Price
- Black Cushion 15g ₩52,000 · Silky Stay Foundation 20g ₩70,000 · Reflection Skin Glow Foundation 20g ₩72,000
- Keywords
- AMORE YONGSAN, Seoul beauty experiences, custom base makeup
- Tags
AMORE YONGSAN suits anyone looking to create custom base makeup. At HERA CUSTOM MATCH in Yongsan, an artist measures your skin tone. A consultation about your skincare routine helps shape the finished custom product.
If you missed advance booking, there is also an option to create a custom product after a self-assessment. Plan your visit around the distinction between a booked consultation and the self-service creation option. A notice stated that the Seongsu CUSTOM MATCH service would operate through October 31. It directs visitors to Yongsan for the same service afterward.
- Watch out
- The booked service requires choosing 1 of the three listed products
02Best when You want to try products from small and medium-sized brands in person
Beauty Play (Myeongdong) (뷰티플레이 명동)
- Five Score
- 4.5Try products from small and medium-sized Korean brands after registering on site
- Location
- 3F, 73 Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
- Phone
- 070-4114-5801
- Keywords
- Beauty Play (Myeongdong), Seoul beauty experiences, product testing
- Tags
At Beauty Play (Myeongdong), you register for general beauty experiences when you arrive.
This Myeongdong space displays products from small and medium-sized Korean cosmetics companies and lets visitors try them.
It is a good choice if you want to look beyond familiar brands. Alongside product displays, it lists makeup services, skin analysis, and personal color analysis. You can test products to answer your questions before buying.
- Watch out
- Closed Sundays
03Best when You want to learn home skincare or makeup techniques for one facial area
Olive Young N Seongsu (올리브영N 성수)
- Five Score
- 4.0Beauty experiences that teach skincare and makeup application
- Location
- Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
- Keywords
- Olive Young N Seongsu, Seoul beauty experiences, home skincare lessons
- Tags
Olive Young N Seongsu is a good choice for learning application techniques. It opened in Seongsu with separate spaces for learning home skincare and makeup.
At its 2024 opening, the Skin Fit Studio introduced home skincare lessons and skincare services. The Makeup Studio covered themed makeup, while the Touch-up Bar focused on techniques for specific facial areas. The same announcement also introduced a QR service booking system.
A March interview published in September 2026 also describes quick touch-ups for specific areas. Visitors choose from lips, eyes, base makeup, or brows. It suits anyone who wants to learn how to work on one area they usually find difficult.
04Best when You want a written record of techniques after analysis and a touch-up
Olive Young Beauty Mansion Seongsu (올리브영 뷰티 맨션 성수)
- Five Score
- 4.0From personal color analysis to touch-ups and a face chart
- Location
- 108 Seongsu-iro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
- Keywords
- Olive Young Beauty Mansion Seongsu, Seoul beauty experiences, personal color analysis
- Tags
Olive Young Beauty Mansion Seongsu gives you a face chart to keep. This could be useful if you want to recreate your makeup after a touch-up in Seongsu. The chart records the products used and how to apply them.
Based on a personal color analysis, an expert touches up your makeup and recommends suitable products. There is also a service that assesses your skin and scalp, followed by advice on how to care for them. It is a good choice if you want to turn analysis results into practical product choices.
05Best when You want to explore scents, make something, and hear a guided explanation
The House of Sulwhasoo Bukchon (북촌 설화수의 집)
Ginseng workshop & docent-led tour, 50 minutes
- Five Score
- 4.0A workshop to explore ginseng scents and make a sachet and bath soak
- Location
- 47 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- Phone
- 02-762-5743
- Keywords
- The House of Sulwhasoo Bukchon, Seoul beauty experiences, ginseng workshop
- Tags
At The House of Sulwhasoo Bukchon, you explore the scent of ginseng flowers and make your own ginseng sachet and bath soak.
It suits anyone who wants to add some hands-on making to product testing in Bukchon.
The ginseng workshop includes testing signature products, ginseng tea, and traditional refreshments. A docent-led tour explains the space connecting a 1930s hanok, a traditional Korean house, with a 1960s Western-style house. It is a good choice for a day when you want to hear the brand’s story while exploring scents and ingredients.
Five beauty experiences in Seoul at a glance
- 1AMORE YONGSANYou want base makeup made to match your skin toneDistinguish between booked consultations and self-service creation4.5
- 2Beauty Play (Myeongdong)You want to try products from small and medium-sized brands in personOn-site registration for general experiences; closed Sundays4.5
- 3Olive Young N SeongsuYou want to learn home skincare or makeup techniques for one facial areaQuick touch-ups cover your chosen area: lips, eyes, base makeup, or brows4.0
- 4Olive Young Beauty Mansion SeongsuYou want a written record of techniques after analysis and a touch-upA different store from N Seongsu, at 108 Seongsu-iro4.0
- 5The House of Sulwhasoo BukchonYou want to explore scents, make something, and hear a guided explanationWorkshop and tour take 50 minutes; bookings for the following month open in the middle of each month4.0
Choosing in more detail
- If you want a product tailored to you — AMORE YONGSAN. Skin tone measurement leads to custom base makeup creation.
- If you want to browse without choosing a brand first — Beauty Play (Myeongdong). Trying products from small and medium-sized brands can broaden your tastes.
- If you struggle with part of your makeup routine — Olive Young N Seongsu. Quick touch-ups focus on your chosen area: lips, eyes, base makeup, or brows.
- If you want to repeat the same techniques at home — Olive Young Beauty Mansion Seongsu. The face chart records both products and application methods.
- If you want to make something as well as shop — The House of Sulwhasoo Bukchon. Making a ginseng sachet and bath soak comes with a guided explanation of the space.
Ask before you go
- 1How late can I cancel a HERA CUSTOM MATCH booking in Yongsan?
You can cancel until the day before your appointment. Arriving 5 minutes or more after your booked time may be treated as a same-day cancellation or a no-show. A no-show results in a 14-day booking restriction.
- 2Are beauty experiences available throughout opening hours at Beauty Play (Myeongdong)?
The space and its beauty experiences have different closing times. The official website lists the space as open Monday through Saturday, 10:00–19:00, with beauty experiences available 10:00–18:00.
- 3Can I drive to The House of Sulwhasoo Bukchon?
There is no parking at the store. Official guidance directs visitors to nearby public parking lots.
Research notes
Research date November 3, 2026 · Sources Official information from AMORE STORE, Amore Mall, Beauty Play, CJ Olive Young, and Sulwhasoo · Subject to change Program content, booking schedules, and product prices Five Score A relative assessment based on the range of experiences and the specificity of visitor information. Separate from a direct assessment of service quality or visitor ratings.
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