Hongdae makeup salon for a license photo, lasts to 7 pm: Today Makeup

Today Makeup: location, hours and parking

Today Makeup is on the 2nd floor at 26-8 Woldeukeopbuk-ro 1-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, about a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Hongik Univ. Station. It is open Mon–Sat 08:00–17:00 and Sunday 08:00–15:00, and you can book through Naver Reservation. Free parking is available in the building, and when it's full they direct you to a nearby paid lot.

Why I looked for a Hongdae makeup salon before my driver's license photo

I had to renew my driver's license and had been putting off the photo. The reminder texts kept coming, and since I was taking a new photo anyway, I wanted it to look a little nicer.

I'm not really into makeup and don't know much about it, so this time I decided to find a makeup salon in Hongdae and have my hair and makeup done professionally. The one I went to was Today Makeup, near Hongik Univ. Station. I booked ahead through Naver Reservation.

What is the Natural Mood hair and makeup program at Today Makeup?

Today Makeup does hair and makeup together, and the program I chose was Natural Mood hair and makeup.

You can get styling for a purpose, like ID photos, interviews or wedding guest looks, and the price and time can change depending on add-on options. When I arrived, I could see an ONLE MAKEUP sign and a standing signboard outside, so it wasn't hard to find.

Inside Today Makeup

The inside of Today Makeup was bigger and tidier than I expected.

The makeup area and the hair styling area were separate, and the lighting was bright, so the whole place felt well organized.

Cosmetics, brushes and lip products from many brands were on display,

and on the hair side, styling tools like curling irons, hair dryers and sprays were ready.

Before your visit: basic skincare only, no sunscreen, bring your lenses

As instructed before booking, I only did light basic skincare before going.

I skipped sunscreen and brought my contact lenses. They said it's better to wear them before the makeup starts, so I put my lenses in first.

Can a consultation match the vibe even if you don't know makeup?

At Today Makeup, I first talked about the look I wanted while showing my usual selfies. I hardly wear makeup, so I had no idea what style would suit me.

They said my usual makeup is lighter than what I had described in the consultation. They also asked whether I wanted a pure, innocent feel or a sexy one, and I chose the pure side. They asked if I knew my personal color too, and honestly, I don't know mine.

They also asked whether I wanted the skin to look natural to my own tone or a bit brighter and more radiant, and I said I like a bright, glowing look. Being asked about each of these details one by one made it easy to tell them what I wanted.

Can you fix upturned winged eyeliner if it feels off?

They said I could have the eyeliner adjusted if I spoke up before the false lashes went on, so I had it redone right away. They also checked in during the makeup to see if it was the style I wanted. At first I liked the slightly upturned eyeliner I'd seen in someone else's photo and wanted to try something similar. But once it was drawn, it felt a little awkward to my eyes.

Since they said it could be fixed before the lashes, I told them right away. They explained that my eye shape is already defined, so heavy eyeliner could actually look too intense, and adjusted it accordingly.

Separated lashes and a pink coral over-lip

For lashes, I said I preferred each lash lifted and distinct, like when I wear mascara, rather than a smoky emphasis. I said I like pink coral lips with an over-lip effect, and they did it to my taste.

They also explained that in an ID photo, makeup can look a bit lighter than it does in real life, and I was impressed that they adjusted it to suit the purpose of the shoot.

Hair for an ID photo: neat C-curl and face-framing strands

After the makeup, I moved to another seat for hair styling. They said a neat style would suit me, so they gave me a natural C-curl.

They also told me how to arrange my hair when taking the photo. They said a few face-framing strands would look good, so they took care of that too.

They told me the bobby pin on one side could come out after the photo, and that the curl on the right side would look best tidied once with a tail comb while shooting. They didn't just finish the hair; they told me how to tidy it for the photo, which was really helpful.

Was it okay to ask for fixes several times?

I asked for a few adjustments along the way while figuring out what I wanted. It was my first professional hair and makeup, so it felt a bit awkward, and it was hard to explain the look I wanted. But every time I asked for a change, they responded kindly without any sign of annoyance, so I could speak up comfortably.

Thanks to that, we got closer to my desired vibe bit by bit, and I finished my first hair and makeup experience happily. They also asked where my next appointment was and what time I had to get there.

How long did it take?

The Natural Mood hair and makeup at Today Makeup started at 10 am, and with all the adjusting it took almost 2 hours overall. I was heading to a photo studio in Magok, and it felt thoughtful that they styled me with travel time in mind. I'd suggest leaving more room than the standard time listed.

The finished pure, radiant makeup and the lip touch-up kit

Seeing the finished look, the bright yet pure vibe I wanted came through well. Since I rarely wear makeup it felt a little strange at first, but the skin wasn't thick or heavy, just naturally polished, and I liked it.

At the end, they put the two lip colors they'd used into a small clear container and added cotton swabs. They explained how to use them too, so touch-ups after the photo would be easy.

Driver's license photo at a Magok studio, and a solo Life4Cuts

Afterwards I took my driver's license photo at a photo studio in Magok, and since I wasn't ready to stop, I also shot a Life4Cuts (four-cut photo booth strip) by myself. It was a day I'd gotten all dolled up, so it felt a waste to just head home. I almost never take Life4Cuts alone, but I wanted a keepsake of this day.

Did the hair and makeup last until evening?

The hair and makeup from Today Makeup, started at 10 am, didn't fall apart much until around 7 pm. It was quite warm that day and I sweated a little while getting around. Even after all that time, the look from the first styling held up well, and I was happy about it. I went straight to work after the photo, and I especially liked that the makeup was still there after a full day.

Thinking only about the price, it's not a service you'd casually get, but after trying it, I understood why people get professional hair and makeup for special days. Even I, who usually don't care much about makeup, felt properly dressed up that day.

If you have a driver's license or ID photo coming up, or want hair and makeup for an important occasion, Today Makeup in Hongdae is worth a look. Next time, I'd like to go again for a wedding I'm attending as a guest or a special date.