A minimalist skincare routine is the key to healthier skin, according to KraveBeauty's founder

Applying layers and layers of skincare may seem like the solution to all your skincare woes. Adding more products that focus on your different concerns makes it a lot more effective, no?

Well, that isn't the case for some skincare gurus including KraveBeauty founder and YouTube content creator, Liah Yoo. In a recent interview with Her World Singapore, Liah shares more about the struggles she endured growing up with sensitive, acne-prone skin. Like many of us, she dabbled with the ever-so-popular multi-step Korean skincare regime back in 2016. However, upon reflection, she found that not only did the routine fail to work for her, but it actually worsened her complexion. In response to her skin flaring up, she decided to take on a less-is-more approach and opted for a three-step routine, which not only helped her clear up her troubled skin but also left her with a glowy, radiant complexion.

From her non-negotiable skincare step to her daily skincare ritual for humid climates, ahead, Liah Yoo shares more about her skincare tips to achieve healthier skin.

The reason behind creating KraveBeauty

I used to have acne-prone skin in my twenties and that’s why I started YouTube because I wanted to try different things, documenting my acne skincare journey. At one point, I was using a 14-step skincare routine and I even had a four-step cleansing routine. So that was like an enormous amount that my skin had to go through and handle. And I think when I noticed my skin wasn’t really improving, that’s when I pressed reset on my own skincare routine and kind of dialled back into the basics. I only apply cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. Three steps and then within two weeks I would notice my skin just becoming a lot healthier and the redness being gone. So that’s when I noticed my skin is actually really smart and probably needs fewer products than I was told. So I preached that on YouTube and then I wanted to bring that kind of education of the less is more, especially if you do have sensitive skin or acne-prone skin. So that's why I wanted to start KraveBeauty to help people uncomplicate their skincare and press reset on their skincare routine.

Embracing skin minimalism

So the time was 2016 when my skin was really overwhelmed with so many products and I kind of subscribed to the traditional Korean 10-step skincare routine because the results that I was seeing on magazines and social media were like beautiful porcelain glass skin. But I had noticed that it was aggravating my skin more, inflaming my skin more and sensitising my skin more that I was left with a really damaged skin barrier and also just really sensitised skin that wouldn’t really handle any other products that were super gentle. So that’s when I pressed reset and I stripped it down to the basics of just a three-step skincare routine. And that really helped my skin.

How her Korean heritage has influenced her views on beauty

I was born and raised in Korea and I think definitely Korean beauty or the Korean skincare culture has influenced me to apply sunscreen from a very early age. So when I was a teenager, from middle school, I think that was the first time I applied sunscreen because my mum told me to. And I think a lot of the time, Korean skincare products tend to be more gentle, more hydrating and more soothing compared to the mainstream, especially in the US-based skincare. At the time when I was starting. So that really did influence our product development philosophy in trying to bring products that are working with your skin, not against it. Something that’s more hydration-focused, gentle and that’s focused on more soothing and calming properties. 

What’s next for K-beauty? 

I don’t know, to be honest, I don’t think I can predict the future but I do think a lot of Koreans are definitely awakening to a more sustainable lifestyle. So more and more we see a lot of zero-waste stores or sustainability-focused brands that are popping up in Korea. So I do think that will definitely influence how Korean beauty products are formulated and packaged. I think the next step for K-beauty is definitely becoming more sustainable and hopefully bringing more sustainably sourced ingredients in sustainable packaging.

KraveBeauty’s skincare essentials for beginners

I think the easiest product for anyone to try and experience the brand for the first time is going to be Matcha Heartleaf Hydrating Cleanser. It is pH-balanced and focused on just creating such a beautiful and hydrated canvas for your skincare to just absorb better. And it really does respect your skin barrier. And honestly, the texture is just so unique and so fun to experience that you look forward to actually cleansing your skin by the end of the day. 

Her skincare routine for humid climates

So I definitely simplified a lot more from a very simple routine already. So in America, in New York, especially right now, it’s pretty dry. So I would tend to layer a lot more. So in the nighttime, I would start with Makeup Re-Wined to remove my makeup, Matcha Heartleaf Hydrating Cleanser to just follow up with that cleaning and then I would apply Oil La la. So this is a product that is rich in linoleic acid-rich oils, and it does help with acne-prone skin, reducing breakouts or preventing breakouts in the first place. So I would use a generous amount of this and then I would follow up with a very thick moisturiser to occlude everything.

(Makeup Re-Wined Transforming Jelly Oil Cleanser, $41; Matcha Heartleaf Hydrating Cleanser, $26; Oil La La Linoleic Acid-Rich Oil Serum, $45)

(Oat So Simple Water Cream, $45, KraveBeauy from Sephora)

So, Oat SO simple Water Cream is something that I introduced back into my routine now that I’m in Singapore because it is really humid out here. And I know that sometimes layers and layers can be a little bit too suffocating in this weather. In the nighttime, I would definitely do a very simple routine like Matcha Heartleaf Hydrating Cleanser and then the Oat So Simple Cream together. And in the morning, I would just apply the Oat So Simple Water Cream and then sunscreen without even cleansing my skin. And this product is just very lightweight and super hydrating that just breaks or bursts into water, and then applies beautifully on your skin. 

Non-negotiable steps and holy grail products 

Non-negotiable steps is removing my makeup no matter what, even if I am drunk or even if I’m tired, if it’s like 4 am in the morning I would definitely remove my makeup so that the makeup doesn’t clog my pores overnight. And my holy grail product from our own line I would have to say it’s Great Barrier Relief because it really did help with my acne scare after I had acne and it really did help fade all the discolouration and hyperpigmentation. 

(Great Barrier Relief Reparative Skin Soothing Treatment, $45, KraveBeauty from Sephora)

Tips on streamlining your beauty routine

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On my YouTube Channel, there’s something called Skincare Diet Challenge. So if your skin is like really red, overwhelmed, and your skin is just hating at you so much, I highly recommend you to almost like go on a fasting of skincare. So just drop everything that you’re using and then opt for more gentle, just like a very basic cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen that doesn’t have a lot of active ingredients too. So that way your skin can really optimise or like try to heal on its own instead of relying too much on the products. So I would start from there and see how your skin responds. If it’s drier, I would add like a hyaluronic acid serum or a moisturising serum. And then if your skin has more hyperpigmentation, that’s when I would add something like a skin barrier treatment like Great Barrier Relief. So I think the biggest fundamental advice is to really learn how your skin reacts, how your skin is without the products, and then add intentionally. 

KraveBeauty is now available online and at all Sephora stores.

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