Cover Yoona Lim’s fresh-faced glow and soft, youthful features set the benchmark for K-beauty’s ‘dong-an’ aesthetic (Photo: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
Yoona Lim’s fresh-faced glow and soft, youthful features set the benchmark for K-beauty’s ‘dong-an’ aesthetic (Photo: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
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From luminous skin to carefully maintained features, explore the K-beauty habits behind Yoona Lim’s famously youthful appearance
Yoona Lim has spent more than a decade in the public eye, first as a member of Girls’ Generation and increasingly as an actress, moving between K-pop stages, television dramas and film without losing the fresh-faced quality that has become part of her image. In Korean beauty culture, that youthful appearance is often described as dong an—a look that makes someone seem younger than their actual age. For Yoona, the effect goes beyond dewy skin: softly defined brows, subtle eye make-up and carefully placed blush all work to keep the face looking fresh rather than overly sculpted.
It’s a beauty approach that suits a performer whose image has evolved over the years while retaining softness. Here’s how to break down the details behind Yoona’s signature youthful glow.
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The ‘aegyo-sal’ illusion: how a 3D under-eye puff shortens your mid-face
Above Yoona Lim’s radiant smile reveals her signature ‘aegyo-sal’ under-eye glow (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
Yoona Lim’s radiant smile reveals her signature ‘aegyo-sal’ under-eye glow (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
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Aegyo-sal—the soft crescent of muscle beneath the lower lash line—is one of Yoona Lim’s most recognisable features, and it is entirely achievable with the right shading. A micro-shadow traced just beneath the natural crescent creates depth, while a fine dusting of champagne shimmer across the centre of the puff catches light and projects forward. The optical effect shortens the mid-face and instantly reads as youthful, without a single needle involved.
Why straight, muted brows soften facial angles better than sharp arches
Above Yoona Lim’s soft, straight brows frame her face with quiet elegance (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
Yoona Lim’s soft, straight brows frame her face with quiet elegance (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
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Forget the high, sculpted arch. Yoona Lim features a straight, horizontal brow shaded in a muted brown that mimics natural fullness rather than announcing itself. The technique relaxes the entire upper face, removing the angry tension that a steep arch can create. Fill sparse patches with soft, feathery strokes and brush upward with a clear gel—precision matters less here than restraint.
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Above Yoona Lim’s luminous flush lights up her cheeks (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
Yoona Lim’s luminous flush lights up her cheeks (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
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Where contouring carves hollows, Yoona Lim’s blush technique does the opposite. Cream or mousse blush in peach or rose is diffused high on the apples of the cheeks and blended inward toward the nose, never below the cheekbone. The upward, centralised placement lifts the whole face optically, mimicking the natural flush of youth rather than the sculpted angles of a mature routine.
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Double-cleansing and the nightly moisture reset behind her glass skin
Above Yoona Lim’s clear, hydrated complexion reflects her skincare ritual (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
Yoona Lim’s clear, hydrated complexion reflects her skincare ritual (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
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None of the above works without the canvas underneath. Yoona Lim’s evening skincare routine reportedly begins with double-cleansing—an oil cleanser to remove make-up and SPF, followed by a gentle hydrating cleanser. She then applies an activating serum to jump-start hydration before finishing with a rich barrier cream, giving her skin a simple, hydration-focused reset overnight.
Juicy berry glaze over matte lipstick: why gloss reads younger
Above Yoona Lim’s glossy berry lip completes her fresh-faced beauty look (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
Yoona Lim’s glossy berry lip completes her fresh-faced beauty look (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
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Matte lipstick settles into fine lines; a glaze does not. Consider a lip formula that sits somewhere between balm and gloss—a berry-coral tint applied centrally and diffused outward, then topped with a high-shine oil. The plumping, wet-look finish is less about colour than texture, and it is the single easiest swap for anyone chasing a fresher, more youthful mouth.
Wispy air fringe: the bangs trick that instantly shrinks your forehead
Above Yoona Lim’s wispy bangs soften her face (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
Yoona Lim’s wispy bangs soften her face (@yoona__lim/Instagram)
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The final piece of the puzzle sits above the eyebrows. Yoona’s see-through air fringe—light, wispy bangs that graze the lash line—shortens the forehead and softens every angle beneath it, working in tandem with her brow shape rather than competing with it. Unlike a blunt, heavy fringe, the sparse cut lets skin peek through, keeping the overall effect airy rather than ageing. It is a single haircut decision doing the work of several make-up steps.
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After more than a decade in lifestyle media, Clifford has mastered the art of writing seriously about things that are fun—and writing fun things about people who take themselves very seriously. At Tatler Asia, he helped steer its flagship lists, Tatler’s Most Influential and Asia’s Most Stylish. And today, he leads T-Labs, Tatler Asia’s content innovation hub, where he continues the noble pursuit of lifestyle storytelling, spinning stories on wealth, entertainment, necessary style, Hallyu, Hollywood, beauty and more for audiences across Asia.
