King the Land and Girls’ Generation’s YoonA shares her top skincare tips for achieving a flawless complexion

YoonA, who currently stars in the new swoon-worthy K-drama, King The Land, has once again captivated us with her charm and acting talents.

Playing a hotel employee with a bright and bubbly personality, one can’t help but be in awe of YoonA’s beauty and angelic visuals that seem frozen in time from her debut days with popular girl group Girl’s Generation.

Despite having been in the industry for 16 years now, YoonA has continued to received praise for her angelic and goddess-like appearance, being referred to by fans as a “K-pop top visual”.

Juggling an acting and singing career as a solo artist can be tiring, but YoonA seems to be able to maintain her youthful and glowing skin outside of her busy schedule.

So, what’s YoonA’s secret to achieving her timeless beauty? We set out to unearth everything the doe-like beauty has done for her skin over the years.

She is diligent about sun protection

When we think of skincare, many of us think of using the right toners, serums, or cleansers to keep our skin looking smooth and supple.

While all those products are crucial, arguably the most important product to incorporate into your daily skincare routine is sunscreen. This is due to the insidiously harmful effects that the sun’s UV rays have on our skin.

In fact, a 92-year-old’s photo recently went viral on Twitter, as it illustrated the striking effects of only applying UV-protective moisturisers on one’s face but not their neck for over four decades.

Without sunscreen, you’ll be more prone to having unsightly sunspots and dry skin. Like us, YoonA spends a lot of time in the sun and applies sunscreen prior to her usual makeup routine.

If you anticipate spending extra long hours under the scorching heat on any given day, be sure to give yourself an added layer of protection by getting yourself a sunhat or beach hat, just like YoonA has done here.

She double-cleanses and follows up with a volcanic face mask

While the 33-year-old idol has previously mentioned in interviews that she doesn’t keep track of the exact steps of her skincare routine, she’s shared that proper and thorough cleansing is crucial to her.

Firstly, she uses the double-cleansing routine that was popularised in South Korea and has served as a mainstay in numerous K-beauty rituals.

To practise double-cleansing, you should typically start off with an oil-based product such as a cleansing oil or balm. This helps to slough away the first layer of dirt and impurities on your face.

Once done, give your skin a second cleanse by using a water-based foam, gel, or micellar water to remove any remnants of makeup, sunscreen, and other impurities.

Not only will this two-step routine ensure that your face is thoroughly cleaned, but it also helps to exfoliate, brighten and rehydrate your skin.

YoonA also occasionally puts on a volcanic mask whenever she feels that her pores need a deeper cleanse.

As volcanic masks are rich in minerals that can control sebum production while minimising the appearance of clogged pores, we’re a big fan of using them ourselves.

She uses a serum by Estée Lauder at night

What’s a key ingredient to achieving YoonA’s stunning complexion? The Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum by Estée Lauder.

She uses the serum right before going to sleep, massaging it into her skin to help it absorb deeply. She’s mentioned in prior interviews that it makes her feel as though she’s giving herself a professional care treatment from home.

With the brand’s Chronolux™ Power Signal Technology, this serum acts as an anti-ageing serum to increase skin’s natural repair ability for visible renewal and fewer fine lines. It also works on all skin types and could leave your skin looking younger, more radiant, and even-toned.

She “cocktails” her skincare products to achieve moisturised skin

Without adequate hydration, Korean celebrities like YoonA won’t be able to maintain their dewy looks that enable them to get away with just applying light BB cream on a daily basis.

This is why it’s unsurprising that YoonA has maintained her stance on moisturiser as being highly important for her throughout the years. As a brand ambassador of Innisfree, she favours one of their all-time bestsellers, the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum.

However, did you know that she also employs a “cocktail” technique by mixing different ratios of oil, serum, and cream to give her skin the appropriate moisture it needs?

When the weather is humid, such as in the case of our summers here, she uses more serum and less cream. For dryer seasons, opt for less serum, more cream, and a few extra drops of facial oil if your skin feels particularly dry, like what YoonA does.

She also likes to give her skin a little hydration boost by spritzing some face mist whenever it starts feeling dry throughout the day.

She doesn’t diet but prefers to eat cleaner foods

Fellow girl group member Yuri posted a video back in 2021 on her channel, featuring YoonA. The pair documented their entertaining cooking session, where they made chicken breast Pho and vegetable spring rolls.

As they caught up over their meal, YoonA admitted that she “really likes Pho rice noodles” and that whenever someone asks her what she likes to eat, her answer is always pho.

Calling herself a “Pho-fanatic,” the Prime Minister & I actress revealed that she “would always order Pho noodles whenever they were at the airport,” presumably referring to the days when SNSD went on tour.

Yuri concurred, saying, “Yes, I think you did,” as she recalled YoonA’s love for the Vietnamese noodle dish.

As pho is loaded with lean meats and vegetables that provide a ton of nutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin C, K, E and more, we can see how this tasty dish could have also played a contributing factor to the idol’s clear skin as well.

Yuri went on to add, “Now that I think about it, YoonA prefers to eat food that aren’t fattening, like chicken breasts,” to which YoonA nodded and replied, “A lot of people think I go for these types of foods because I’m on a diet, but I’m not. I really do like these foods.”

So while it’s good to prioritise a comprehensive skincare regimen when you’re looking to achieve idol-like skin like YoonA’s, it’s equally essential not to neglect your healthy eating habits as well!

Featured image credit: yoona__lim/Instagram