In skincare, where trends come and go faster than you can say "hydration," one woman's personal struggle with severe eczema sparked a revolution. I recently chatted with Alicia Yoon, the founder and CEO of Peach & Lily. Our conversation unveiled not just the story of a brand but a passionate journey towards redefining skincare.
From Wall Street to Skincare Maven
Alicia's journey didn't start in a lab or a beauty school. It began in the unlikeliest of places: Wall Street. "I went to business school in 2008 when the financial crisis happened," Alicia recalls. "And before that, I was a banker and a consultant."
But beneath the surface of spreadsheets and market analyses, a passion was bubbling. Alicia had been a skincare enthusiast her entire life, driven by necessity as much as curiosity. "I have severe eczema and that's how I got into skincare in the first place," she shares.
While her classmates were brainstorming the next big tech startup, Alicia's home looked like an apothecary. She'd spend nights and weekends doing facials for friends, always bringing back the latest Korean beauty products from visits to her parents.
Then, one day, it clicked. "I realized, oh my goodness, there are these incredible skincare innovations coming out of Korea that are just not available in the U.S.," Alicia says, her voice filled with the excitement of that eureka moment.
The Birth of a Mission-Driven Brand
In 2012, Peach & Lily was born. But this wasn't just another beauty brand jumping on the K-beauty bandwagon. For Alicia, it was personal. "I am customer number one," she states matter-of-factly. "When you have visible rashes your whole life, you understand what it means to have sensitive skin."
This deep, personal understanding of skincare challenges became the cornerstone of Peach & Lily's philosophy. Alicia wasn't interested in quick fixes or trendy ingredients. She wanted to create products that truly worked, backed by science and fueled by empathy.
The Glass Skin Revolution
Fast forward to 2018, and Peach & Lily launched a product that would change the skincare game: the Glass Skin Refining Serum. But the story behind this bestseller is as fascinating as the product itself.
"When we first launched the serum, we didn't create the formula with a name in mind," Alicia reveals. The goal was simple yet ambitious: create a universal serum that makes it easy for consumers to achieve their healthiest skin yet.
The name "Glass Skin" came from a chance encounter with Korean beauty terminology. "I heard in passing someone mentioned 'uri-pi-bu,' which literally is glass skin in Korean," Alicia explains. "And I thought, oh my goodness, that's what healthy skin looks like."
But launching a product with an unfamiliar name wasn't without risks. "I was actually a little bit nervous," Alicia admits. "I thought, what if people think your face turns fragile like glass?"
Yet, true to her mission-driven approach, Alicia pressed on. "If we are a mission-driven company, you know what, that's okay. We can launch this with a lot of education about what glass skin means."
The risk paid off. Today, #GlassSkin has over 3 billion views on TikTok, and the serum has become an iconic product in the skincare world.
Beyond the Bottom Line
What sets Peach & Lily apart isn't just its innovative products, but its unwavering commitment to putting customers first – even when it doesn't make immediate business sense.
Take their "Ask Lily" service, for instance. Anyone can email Peach & Lily with skincare questions, and a licensed esthetician will respond – for free. "It is not scalable," Alicia acknowledges. "It is a big investment."
But for Alicia, it's not about the numbers. "When you stick to your mission statement in that way, it engenders trust with your community," she explains. "And trust and brand equity in that way is invaluable."
This customer-first mentality extends to every aspect of the business. Even though Peach & Lily has its own successful product lines, they still feature 17 other Korean beauty brands on their website. Why? Because some long-time customers still use products from those brands.
"Even if on the margin, somebody might pick that over one of our branded products, that's OK," Alicia says. "We put the consumer first and that's what matters the most to us."
The Future of Peach & Lily
As Peach & Lily continues to grow, Alicia remains focused on two key priorities: community and sustainability.
"Community always, always remains a top priority every year, no matter what," she emphasizes. This means constantly thinking about ways to surprise, delight, and help their customers.
On the sustainability front, Alicia acknowledges the challenges but remains committed to progress. "I think it's impossible for brands to be perfectly sustainable," she says candidly. "But you can do your part in really thinking about how do you stay on top of the best sustainability practices."
From using post-consumer recycled plastic to planting a tree for every order containing a Peach & Lily product, the brand is constantly looking for ways to reduce its environmental impact.
The Takeaway
Alicia Yoon's journey from eczema sufferer to skincare revolutionary is a testament to the power of mission-driven entrepreneurship. By staying true to her values and prioritizing customer needs over short-term profits, she's not only built a successful brand but also changed the conversation around skincare.
As Alicia puts it, "I always say that, you know, it's so important to never compromise on things that are mission related." In a world where business decisions are often driven by spreadsheets and profit margins, Peach & Lily stands as a shining example of what's possible when you lead with passion, empathy, and a genuine desire to make people's lives better.
The next time you hear someone talk about "glass skin," remember: it's not just a trend. It's a revolution, born from one woman's personal struggle and her unwavering commitment to helping others achieve their healthiest skin yet.
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