Raised in the East Bay of California, Kris Jung had always practiced many artistic passions as a child. However, when the opportunity to become a model at the age of 17 arose, Jung became instantly hooked by the fashion world. Little did she know her love of creativity and background in fashion would someday collide, leading her to her career today as a make-up artist.
In her early years modeling, Kris met make-up artist Diane Catorc. After reconnecting at a shoot in 2015, Jung began to assist Diane on jobs. In her first year doing hair and make-up, she found herself working with many of the creatives she had worked with as a model. Jung also found herself gaining much experience, working with large companies like Pottery Barn and Walmart. Today, Kris is her own boss babe creating fresh new looks for clients like Twitter, Instagram, and Levi’s. In her spare time you can find her at home in Oakland (probably eating ramen), writing for her beachy shoegaze solo project Koneko Neko, or kicking back with her precious rescue bunny, Oatmeal.
From her obsession with tiny things to her favorite beauty must-haves, let's get to know more about this super talented beauty babe now!
My style in 3 words...vintage/kawaii/tomboy
My nicknames are...Bunny! My boyfriend also calls me Monkey, not sure why!
My drugstore must-have is…Any product by e.l.f! Specifically their smudge pot in Cruisin Chic. This color looks good on everyone. I use so many e.l.f products it's out of control. Their formulas are mostly sulfate, paraben, and cruelty free, and don't make me break out. Such an affordable and accessible line. I am always recommending their brushes and lip products to clients.
My last purchase was…Yerba Mate SPF 30 Mist by 100% Pure. I was going to the beach and needed to buy $40 organic sunscreen.
My top 3 make-up bag essentials are…Milk Sunshine Skin Tint with SPF 30, K-Palette Kuma Cover Control Concealer, and Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer.
My beauty secret is…Having great skin. I use eye cream twice a day; before applying makeup and before going to bed. The skin around your eye is so thin, it really needs to be moisturized at all times to prevent fine lines. I take very serious care of my skin! I also apply a clay mask once a week, sometimes even twice a week, especially if I'm having a break out.
I smell like…Hair products! I'm an Oribe fiend. I also really love the smell of R+Co products, I swear by the dry shampoo paste. Kenra is also a favorite brand of mine, their products always smell yummy.
I keep in shape by…Shopping! I try to walk to the grocery store and to my other errands, if the weather permits. I just bought roller skates too, so I am hoping that I will have a '70s roller goddess tush before summer!
My de-stress trick is…Food delivery. Caviar or Eat24 cures my blues no matter what. I love ordering my favorite sushi, and eating it in bed while I Netflix. Yes, my laziness is on another level!
My secret talent is...I'm a pretty good cook! I love making my own ramen. I make everything from scratch except for the noodles!
My first celebrity crush was…Christian Bale in Newsies was everything for me and my sister!
The music artist who always gets me dancing is…Prince, of course!
My fashion icon is…Sally Fields as Gidget. I own all 3 seasons of Gidget on DVD. Every outfit she wears on that show was pure gold, and her bangs and mini '60s bouffant were always on point. Her character in the show is to be honest kind of bratty and annoying but everything she wears, I wish I owned.
My guilty pleasure is…Watching RRcherrypie videos on YouTube. It's not really a guilty pleasure, as much as just a bizarre fascination. If you don't know what any of this means, google it! I have a weird fascination with small things.
Right now, I’m obsessed with…Cookies! I like to make my own, but I recently discovered this amazing vegan birthday cake flavor dough called 'Just Cookie Dough.' It has little rainbow sprinkles and you can eat it raw since it's vegan.
My favorite website is…Kollection K. I could browse through their new product page forever. I find all the collaborations with characters in conjunction with the Korean brands like APPIEU and Tony Moly so clever and adorable. Cute packaging is a necessity for me, and I'm a fiend for products!
My favorite TV show is…It's Always Sunny.. but also Rupaul's Drag Race because, duh.
When I have some free time, I…Try to work on all my creative endeavors. I play guitar and sing in a shoegaze solo project called Koneko Neko. Making jewelry, tapestries, and really anything I can decorate my apartment or myself in.
For breakfast...I always have some kind of egg dish. I make some world class baked eggs. A little bit of seasoned arugula greens on the bottom layer, 2 cracked eggs baked on a low heat for 20 minutes, and cheese on top!
My favorite restaurant is…Right now Blind Tiger in Oakland.
My ultimate travel destination is…Korea! The land of beauty and skin care. I've been to Japan once and cherished every minute of it and definitely plan to go back. But, first I need to go to Seoul!
In my career, I am most proud of…Making things happen by my own volition. In 2015, I was struggling with a slow season of (going on 8 years of) modeling. I always wanted to do makeup but was waiting for my time with modeling to slow down. I tried to model and do makeup but I realized I was just kind of wasting my time and energy modeling. I started to assist my favorite makeup artists who became my mentors and building my website and portfolio with test shoots. I owe a lot of my learning experience as a MUA to them. Since breaking out of my role of talent, I have really enjoyed taking my experience in the industry in the truly rewarding and creative realm of it. I have accomplished a lot in a short amount of time and I am very proud of myself for becoming my own lady boss!
The best advice I’ve ever received is…Fake it till you make it babe! I used to feel very self conscious about being the youngest looking person in the crew on a set, and that no one would take me seriously. I have put a lot of dedication into my 9 years in the industry and I've just learned to carry myself and earn people's respect with professionalism.
As a make-up artist, I’ve learned…To appreciate the industry. I have the best job in the world. I used to be jaded on the ways of the industry as a model, but I feel like I've learned to practice freelance karma and it's worked to my advantage.
My goal in life is…To never stop having goals! To be the happiest person I can, and never feel complacent.
1 comment
This young lady is going to rock the industry. One to watch for sure. ❤️