7 Beauty Tips From Korea’s Sweetheart IU – From Skincare and Makeup to Fitness and Diet!

After five years, the beloved singer is finally returning to Singapore as part of her latest world tour. In preparation for her concert in April, we’ve rounded up some beauty tips that IU swears by.

She’s been captivating fans with her charming aura and incredible talent for over a decade, earning the affectionate nickname of “Nation’s Sweetheart”!

So, whether you want to emulate her sweet makeup looks, her flawless skin, or her toned physique, we’ve got all the advice you need.

Focus On Consistent Skincare

IU shares that if her skin is duller and more textured than usual, her makeup won’t sit well either, so she relies on a strong skincare routine for a naturally flawless complexion.

She focuses on a few basic skincare steps to hydrate and protect her skin. For example, she likes using sheet masks to moisturise dry skin and drinks plenty of water to keep her body hydrated and flush out toxins.

Plus, she never goes without proper sun protection! Regularly applying sunscreen reduces the risk of skin cancer, prevents visible signs of premature ageing, and improves your skin texture, making it a step that you should never miss.

Mix Toner With Facial Oil

IU’s unique skincare concoction helps her achieve the coveted “glass skin” look!

She revitalises her skin by combining nourishing facial oils and hydrating toners, mixing two drops of facial oil and toner on a cotton pad.

She then gently pats this mixture on her face and lets it sit for five minutes, ensuring that the products are absorbed fully.

Facial oils are usually formulated with natural extracts, such as rosehip oil, to give your skin organic nutrients. Toners are another essential step in your skincare routine, balancing your skin’s pH levels and boosting hydration.

So, this skincare hack not only saves time, but also leaves your skin refreshed and healthier than ever!

Hydrate With Serums

IU has revealed that one of her holy grail skincare products is the CNP Propolis Energy Ampule, a soothing and repairing ampoule that has been popular in Korea for years!

After being introduced to CNP’s products by her makeup artist, IU found that despite her sensitive skin, this product suits her perfectly and visibly brightens her complexion overnight.

The ampoule contains concentrated propolis extract, a natural ingredient with antioxidant and antibacterial properties. It’s also infused with hyaluronic acid, ensuring that your skin will be properly hydrated.

The CNP Propolis Energy Ampule retails for S$41.70 at Guardian.

Try Natural and Youthful Makeup

It’s no surprise that IU favours natural makeup looks as part of her lovable girl-next-door image.

IU has revealed that she creates her makeup base with a BB cushion, as she prefers sheer coverage for a no-makeup effect. She also loves to use pink in her makeup, from her eyeshadow and blush, to lipstick as well!

She has shared that pink makeup helps her create a youthful and bright image, perfect for stage performances. She also uses a hint of glitter to add dimension and draw attention to her eyes.

IU sticks with straight brows instead of strong or sharp eyebrows for a softer look. She also uses brown eyeliner to gently accentuate her eyes, avoiding harsh and dark lines to bring out her natural beauty.

Keep Fit With Cardio

As part of her regular exercise routine, IU does aerobic exercises for an hour, which include walking, jogging, and rope jumping.

She also loves using a stair stepper machine to burn calories and train endurance, as well as strengthen her leg and thigh muscles.

Of course, her numerous dance practices and rehearsals before a comeback also serve as effective workouts.

The singer is also a fan of yoga, as it helps to build flexibility and strength. In fact, she demonstrated her yoga skills on a variety show, where she showed off her core strength by balancing in a headstand position!

Build Physical Strength

Cardio aside, IU also makes sure to build up her muscles to get a toned physique.

Through exercises like weightlifting, bodyweight exercises, and resistance training, she improves her strength and overall health.

Building muscles through strength exercises prevents you from injuring yourself during workouts, and also helps you to burn calories more efficiently, making it an important part of any workout routine!

Eat Healthy and Regular Meals

In the early years of her career, IU used to lose weight for performances by dieting – eating one apple for breakfast, two sweet potatoes for lunch, and a protein shake for dinner.

She shared that when combining the extreme diet with her workouts, she could lose up to 4kg in just four days, giving rise to the viral “IU diet challenge”.

However, this crash diet isn’t sustainable in the long term and lacks many important nutrients. Hence, she has emphasised that she wouldn’t recommend these eating habits to anyone!

Fortunately, she eventually sought professional advice to improve her mental and physical health, in order to achieve her desired figure safely.

Now, she regularly enjoys healthy meals of good quality, making sure to chew her food slowly to aid with digestion. She also makes sure to eat after working out, in order to fuel her body after the physical exertion!

Featured image credits: @dlwlrma/Instagram.