Tā chuān de bǐ yǐqián piàoliang, érqiě shì nóngzhuāngyànmǒ.
She was dressed more beautifully than before, and on top of that wore heavy makeup.
Tips
history
First attested in 《水浒传》(Outlaws of the Marsh) by Shi Nai'an, describing 潘金莲 (Pan Jinlian): '每日只是浓妆艳抹，和西门庆做一处取乐' — 'every day she was dressed to the nines and made up to spend her time with Ximen Qing'. The idiom thus carries a faint judgmental shade in literary use.
usage
Structure: 浓妆 (heavy makeup) + 艳抹 (gaudy painting on). Often slightly negative — implying excessive or showy makeup. Contrast with 淡妆 (dànzhuāng, light makeup) and 素颜 (sùyán, bare face).
