Black market makeup in North Korea | NK News
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September 28, 2026Sep 28, 2026

Weapon Directory

Ask A North Korean

Black market makeup in North Korea

From smuggled South Korean products to tattooed-on eyeliner, North Korean women find a way

Every week we ask a North Korean your questions, giving you the chance to learn more about the country we know so little about.

This week Sarah from Los Angeles asks:

Do North Korean women wear makeup? Where do they shop their cosmetics?

 

Women in South Korea and some other countries make sure they have perfect makeup on before they step out of their houses. Many times it seems to me that having perfect makeup on is the top priority of many South Korean women.

North Korean women do not put on makeup to that extent, but they