by Alexandra Nicole Nuralam

Debunking K-beauty Myths with Alicia Yoon

Alicia Yoon, founder of retailer Peach & Lily with its own skincare collection, debunks some of the most common misconceptions about K-beauty on BEAUBIT.

For most people, K-beauty is synonymous with skincare. From the 10-step routine to products with a cult following, many of us turn to Korean beauty in our never-ending quest for glowing glass skin. But behind the whirlwind of lip tints, dewy skin, and sheet masks, there are a few misconceptions.

We got the founder of Peach & Lily and licensed esthetician, Alicia Yoon (@aliciayoon212), to guide us and debunk some of the most common misconceptions about K-beauty. Ahead, all your questions about K-beauty answered.

The 10-step K-Beauty skincare routine: Does using more products mean better skin?

Not necessarily. It’s not about how many products you have, but rather about having the right products that do the right things and using them in the right order. Our basic scaffolding is built on a 10-step guide to show multi-layers and to be sure to use all the needed elements in your skincare regime.

“The key to a good skincare routine is thinking about the basic principles needed in order to transform your skin and to begin seeing results.”

The first step to your skincare routine is proper double cleansing, gentle and thorough. An oil-based cleanser is crucial to remove oil-based impurities, and a water-based cleanser helps to remove sweat, dirt and other water-based impurities. I highly recommend the Peach & Lily Power Calm Hydrating Gel Cleanser (USD28); it’s our favourite cleanser, two powerful yet gentle sulfate-free cleansing agents do the heavy lifting in drawing out impurities, which leaves your skin feeling hydrated, pure, and clean. All without stripping skin dry or disrupting the skin barrier.

Next is an essence — hydration is key in order to improve skin’s radiance. Our Wild Dew Treatment Essence (USD39) is formulated to sink deep and fast into the skin. Also, your skin needs nutrients! Our Glass Skin Refining Serum (USD39) is chock full of vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids, which help keep skin firm, radiant and resilient. And for antioxidants and moisture — our Matcha Pudding Antioxidant Cream (USD40).

It’s also not the number of steps; even if it’s just a few steps, it’s important to not use too many harsh ingredients together — avoid mixing retinol, vitamin C, AHAs and BHAs (but take note that you can use AHA and BHA together).

Do affordable K-beauty products really work?

It depends on the formula, but just because a product is more expensive doesn’t mean it’s always better! This is one of the main reasons I created Peach Slices. Formulated by estheticians, Peach Slices re-thinks what real skincare solutions should mean: treatments that work, without the downside of expensive costs, created to offer holistic solutions that are clean, effective, and fun — so you get the benefits without the drawbacks. Some super expensive products are very similar to much more affordable ingredients. So it’s not about the price — it’s about the ingredients and quality of those ingredients. So yes, many of them can actually work. But regardless of the price point, many can also not work well — again, it’s about the formula.

Mask routine: Is using a sheet mask everyday beneficial for your skin?

I’m currently doing a 30-day #1day1mask challenge. As long as it’s gentle and hydrating, it can have huge benefits. In fact in Korea, there is this a-day, a-mask challenge and some swear by it and have been masking daily for years.

Our best-selling face masks Original Glow Sheet Mask (USD6) will blast your skin with antioxidants, hydrate, and help bring plumpness to your skin while smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles, brightening and providing super-gentle exfoliating benefits. Another favourite is our Peach Slices Sheet Mask Bundle (USD8), which offers a variety of sheet masks options depending on the “skin day” you’re having: clarifying, hydrating, firming and calming.

Whitening products: Does the excessive use of Korean skincare bleach your skin?

Many of the Korean skincare products that say “whitening” are not really bleaching, it’s just their term for “brightening“. These products focus on improving dark spots and hyperpigmentation — and will not bleach the skin. Having said that, there are some products that are specifically skin lighteners. Most are not.

Double cleansing: Does double cleansing “over-clean” your face?

No. You can “over-clean” and strip your skin dry with one cleanser if it’s not gentle. Double cleansing is meant to do the opposite. A big pillar of K-Beauty is double cleansing to set the base for clean pores. When you’re applying an oil-based cleanser, spend time really massaging into the skin to dissolve impurities. I would recommend cleansing with our Peach Pudding Makeup Cleanser (USD9.99), which gently dissolves layers of makeup without tugging at the skin or leaving any greasy residue. Rinse off with lukewarm water before applying your water-based cleanser.

Even if you have oily skin, you can still use an oil-based cleanser. If you only use a water-based cleanser, it can push the oils further into the skin as water repels oil. This step cleanses thoroughly but really gently.

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