You could say that Alicia Yoon, founder of Peach & Lily, has a healing hand in two different businesses: skincare and people. A lifelong eczema sufferer, Yoon struggled (and watched others struggle) to find products that were gentle enough for dry, sensitive skin, yet also strong enough to treat stubborn issues like deep wrinkles, dark spots, breakouts, and uneven texture without being irritating. Frustrated, the then-investment banker delved into the world of skincare in her spare time—studying ingredients from her native Korea, reading clinical studies, and later obtaining her esthetician license to absorb as much knowledge as possible.
"I was hopping back and forth between clinically active formulas that would invariably irritate my skin, and then very soothing and gentle formulas that were great for my skin, but not formulated to help with signs of dark spots, for example," Yoon says. The only way to find a happy medium, she realized, would be to develop the formulas herself. Read on to find out how Yoon turned her curiosity into a business, and how TriNet, a full-scale human-resources solutions company, helped make it all possible.
Six years after after its brand launch, Peach & Lily is known for putting what seems like two opposite elements—potent actives and gentle ingredients—in one formula. "It's like a sigh of relief for a lot of people—they say, 'I can't believe I can now use a retinoid product and my skin isn't reacting to it the way it used to,'" Yoon says.
The brand leans on novel clinical research, from both the cosmetic space and the biotech industry. "Our innovation process can take a year or two or six years, and that's okay," Yoon says. "We only launch a product when it's ready." Through a multidisciplinary approach that involves working with dermatologists, cosmetic chemists, researchers, and scientists in Korea (where all Peach & Lily products are made), everything from the toners to the exfoliators to the serums are "formulated with powerful actives made gentle for all."
But while Yoon may be an expert in the skincare industry, she admits to needing a little backup when it comes to HR management. So to care for her 40-person team of superstars who she says make magic happen on a daily basis, Yoon turned to TriNet, a company that provides access to HR solutions like onboarding, benefits, training, compliance, and compensation packages.
"HR is complex. It's highly regulated, and you can't make mistakes. It's something for which we would need to have an entire functional area built out—and even then, a lot of companies get it wrong," Yoon says. "We've been working with TriNet since 2014—all the while growing tremendously—and it's been such a seamless process." The other beauty of working with TriNet, she adds, is the ability to give her employees a benefits package that rivals those of much larger companies. That's possible because TriNet pools the small- and medium-size companies they work with together so it can offer competitive rates for all.
And that allows Yoon to fulfill her mission of looking after everyone—from her employees to her customers to her community. A long-standing partner with Restore NYC, a nonprofit that helps stop sex trafficking and restore the lives of survivors, Peach & Lily has both raised awareness of the organization and contributed financially to it. It's a charitable endeavor Yoon can wholeheartedly pursue, thanks largely to her team, and the partners who support her.
Learn all the ways TriNet allows businesses to thrive through customized HR solutions—from payroll to benefits to risk mitigation and more.
