At this point in K-Beauty’s reign, glass skin is basically synonymous with Korean skin care. But way back when in 2018, it was a term with which most of us in the U.S. were unfamiliar. Peach & Lily founder Alicia Yoon brilliantly added it to our vernacular after hearing someone use the phrase glass skin in Korean “yuli pibu (유리 피부),” which she took to mean a healthy, luminous complexion. Launching with the brand’s Glass Skin Refining Serum, she soon created an entire regimen, and, subsequently, a movement of skincare lovers looking to improve their texture, clarity, and pore size in search of that glazed, pore-less, porcelain effect.
Granted, glass skin has many interpretations now that we’re almost a decade into it, and how you achieve it depends on what your skin type and concerns are. At 42, for instance, I’m not expecting to have a glazed donut complexion after layering a few essences and serums on my skin. Korean beauty is powerful, but I have decades of texture on my face and years of collagen loss and gravity to contend with. I am, however, always in favor of anything that infuses hydration and radiance into my complexion, especially when I’m fighting a losing battle against the harsh, dry Colorado winter—when you live at 5,280 feet and there’s no natural humidity in the air, it saps all of your moisture and leaves your skin feeling like a piece of sun-dried fruit leather.
I’ve been a beauty editor for almost 20 years and a fan of Peach & Lily since the brand first launched, so I’ve had the opportunity to try every product as it has debuted. My interpretation of glass skin is hydrated, healthy skin with an obvious glow to it, and these six products are my favorites to help you achieve that very attainable goal. From the serum that started it all to a resurfacing mask that will help keep your pores clear and a genius stick that helps create a luminous finish with just a simple swipe, these are the six best Peach & Lily skincare products to add to your routine.
The Best Peach & Lily Products
The very first product launched by the brand back in 2018, the Glass Skin Refining Serum is a multi-purpose treatment serum that calms inflammation, brightens, fades hyperpigmentation, hydrates, smooths, plumps, and softens fine lines. The combination of hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, a peptide complex, peach extract, and east Asian mountain yam extract work harmoniously to keep skin luminous, moisturized, and healthy.
What I Love: My skin is getting that glassy look in the original way it was intended—I’m in my 40s and I’m not looking for a reflective sheen to my skin. A clear, glowy, healthy appearance is something I can get on board with and that’s exactly what I’m headed for after a month of continuous use. If you want that shiny, mirror-like finish, this isn’t the serum for you. Grab yourself the viral Pat McGrath Skin Fetish: Glass 001 mask instead and have fun.
What I Don’t: It has a faint aroma that I can only describe as “oat-y.” It’s not unpleasant, per se, but unlike a handful of other products in the line that I was actively drawn to, this one had me wrinkling my nose every time I applied because it reminded me of sticking my face in a bowl of unflavored oatmeal (derogatory). It fades quickly and it doesn’t smack you in the face—I’ll fully cop to having an overly sensitive schnoz and many people might not even catch a whiff of it.
Review for MC: My biggest misconception with this serum was that it would have acids in it. You hear glass skin these days and your first thought is some kind of exfoliation. So I was hesitant to add this into my routine, especially in the winter when my main focus is hydration. But brightening here isn’t about exfoliation—the niacinamide and peach extract work together to target dark spots and dullness, which lead to an overall brighter and more glowy complexion. It’s gentle on the skin and feels hydrating, with no stinging or irritation. I see now why it’s a hero product for the brand and it’s one that’s made its way into my regular daily rotation.
Skincare for your mouth, this glossy balm is infused with vegan collagen, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides to drench lips with hydration as it smooths fine lines and subtly plumps. Available in clear and three sheer hues, it locks in moisture to create a cushiony bounce and reflective shine that keeps your barrier protected as it softens and instantly moisturizes.
What I Love: The minute this balm touches your lips you can feel the hydration. It has a light, almost glossy texture instead of a waxy feel that some balms can have that goops up on severely chapped lips. Best of all, it stays like that for hours instead of disappearing minutes after you apply.
What I Don’t: I’ve gotten spoiled by my trips to Korea and the innovation I’ve seen from the brands there. My lips are used to being coddled by squishy silicone applicators from balms like Unleashia’s Sunset Dazzle Gloss Balm or Knemo’s Lip Lock Jelly Serum. Going back to a plastic applicator felt like time-traveling to 1996 and not in a good way. When cushion is in your name, I expect my lips to be literally cushioned. They’ve already been traumatized by the actual air, they need as much pampering as they can get.
Review for MC: Colorado is the state where moisture goes to die. You won’t find that in any of our tourism campaigns. Come for the world-class skiing, stay for the perpetually cracked, flaky lips that won’t ever stay hydrated no matter how many layers of lip balm you swipe on, like some depraved chapstick ouroboros. So believe me when I say I truly appreciate a well done lip balm. The fact that this goes on so light and gloss-like, yet is such a heavy hitter of a hydrator is appreciated, and it stays on without feeling gooey or leaving behind the telltale white ring of build-up on the inside of my lips. I also love that there are tinted versions—all that dry air means I have basically given up on lipstick so this is one of the few ways I can wear color on my lips.
An AHA and BHA wash-off mask, this resurfacing formula exfoliates at two levels to get both dead skin off the surface while also clearing out debris from your pores. While it’s powerful enough to clear away breakouts and blackheads, the addition of calming aloe vera and soothing blue agave help keep your skin calm and the exfoliation from being too harsh. The end result is a brighter, smoother, clearer complexion without the irritation.
What I Love: How quickly this works. I’m used to everything being 20 minutes or more these days with my beauty treatments, but this is truly a five-minute mask. It dries lightning quick and gets down to business the minute it hits your skin, so when you wash it off a few minutes later, you can see the difference right then and there.
What I Don’t: Gentle extracts or no, it is still an acid resurfacing treatment, so there is a tingling sensation when you first apply. That goes away as it dries, but if your skin is compromised or super dry, be prepared for a bit of a burn.
Review for MC: In my quest for more moisturized skin, I’ve been neglecting my usual exfoliating routine and it definitely shows. As I’ve been layering on heavy creams to try and counteract the dryness in the air, it’s led to an influx of blackheads and the occasional pimple, meaning my pores need some serious purging. This resurfacing jelly uses salicylic acid and glycolic acid to exfoliate the surface and deep within my pores for multi-action sloughing in just five minutes. It does all that without irritating my already compromised skin barrier, thanks to the blue agave extract and aloe vera. I used this three times a week and saw a significant reduction in a spattering of pimples that had cropped up, plus it helped loosen a stubborn blackhead that had taken up residence in my cheek for almost a month—I was able to use my handy Ilso Deep Clean Master blackhead remover tool to gently dislodge it after just one use of the Super Resurfacing Reboot Mask.
A highlighting balm that’s infused with skincare actives, this portable stick helps blur pores and hydrate skin as it delivers a glossy glow wherever you swipe. Made with 40+ good-for-the-skin ingredients—like antioxidants, vitamins, peptides, vegan collagen, tremella mushroom, and hyaluronic acid—it visibly plumps, smooths, and hydrates as it delivers a reflective highlight to the skin.
What I Love: Makeup-skincare hybrids rarely live up to their hype but this is one of the few that does. Wherever I applied this glossy balm, my skin actually looked and felt better while I was wearing it, and after I washed it off. It was luminous and soft while on the skin and plush and supple once removed. I also have reached an age where shimmer is tough to wear so I appreciate that this lets me highlight without the sparkle.
What I Don’t: It is a bit sticky, especially if you layer on a few swipes to get the desired extra-glossy effect. I found myself catching strands of hair or the back of my hand on my cheeks after application. You can avoid this by blending it in but if you are going for that ultra glossy highlight, then you will lose that effect. It will still look luminous, just not as dramatic.
Review for MC: I’ve pretty much given up on highlighters at this point in my life. While I love a good shimmer eyeshadow, I’ve found that most sparkly highlighters are not compatible with my skin texture. I mean, who doesn’t love giant chunks of glitter settling into their crows feet when they’re trying to accentuate their cheekbones? I was intrigued by this skin stick, which promised a glossy, not glittery, finish for my skin and the added bonus of skincare benefits. So I swiped it on with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised by the glowy highlight it instantly imparted on my cheekbones. Even better, it hydrated and plumped my skin, smoothing out any uneven texture or fine lines I applied it over. The brand says it can be used both over or under makeup, but I prefer it on bare skin, blending it lightly with my fingertips to get a soft-lit glow that’s been missing from my daily makeup look.
Packed with superfoods like açai, black ginseng root extract, and jojoba seed oil, plus squalane, niacinamide, and a peptide complex, this rich overnight cream brightens, hydrates, and firms. Not quite a balm but not quite a cream, the hybrid whipped hydrator provides intense moisture as it melts into the skin, addressing dryness, dullness, redness, and signs of aging.
What I Love: Besides the periwinkle blue tint—which I want someone to recreate as a nail polish ASAP—the gorgeous glow this gives my skin after application feels like a waste at night when no one but my husband and elderly pup get to see it, neither of whom seem to have an appropriate appreciation for stellar skincare. My complexion is absolutely luminous once this sinks in and I want to show that glow off to everyone.
What I Don’t: It does go on a bit thick at first application, so it’s easy to over apply. Once it warms up on the skin, it blends easily, but at first it can feel a bit like a mask, which can be off-putting if you aren’t used to heavy creams. The first few times I used it, I applied too much, but once I got the hang of it, I was able to adjust and pare down to get the right amount for my skin.
Review for MC: Overnight creams have been a bust for me in the K-Beauty sector, mostly because I haven’t found one that’s thick enough to provide the moisture my skin craves. There have been plenty of lightweight hydrators I love and I’ve come across more than my fair share of sleeping masks, but I haven’t yet found a true overnight moisturizer that I can use as my nightly hydrator. This pretty blue whipped balm fills that gap for me by providing intense hydration without the greasy finish that I’ve come to associate with the majority of night creams marketed to my elder Millennial skin (I don’t feel middle-aged so I’m not calling my complexion that. It’s been through enough). I wake up with a soft, smooth complexion with a hint of that glow from the night before. I also am deeply obsessed with the lightly herbal aroma that the ginseng imparts to it.
A versatile mist to hydrate and refresh, the Glass Skin Veil Mist can be used on bare skin or over makeup. It features cucumber water, lotus extract, peach extract, and reishi mushroom to soothe, hydrate, and create an instant radiance for the skin.
What I Love: How incredibly dewy and plumped up this makes your skin look. It’s really glass skin in a mist form and I haven’t come across a spray before that makes my skin look this good on its own. A spritz of this and my skin looks just the right amount of glossy and refreshed.
What I Don’t: I wish the luminosity it creates would last longer. I spritzed it on and immediately loved the radiance my skin had, but it only lasted for about 20 minutes. The way my skin felt was definitely improved and that smooth and soft effect stuck around for awhile, but the glossiness was there and gone faster than a reality dating show couple’s supposed eternal and everlasting love. Which is to say, not very long.
Review for MC: You can’t throw a stone down the aisles of an Ulta or Sephora these days without hitting a face mist, so finding one that stands out from the pack is a tall order. I was expecting this to be another to add to my ever-growing collection of nice-to-have’s but the Glass Skin Veil Mist caught me by surprise with the dewiness it delivered directly to my skin. I’ve had plenty of face mists that hydrate, but not many have been able to create a visibly juicy (complimentary) hydration effect to my skin. My complexion was positively succulent, like I’d wandered into a humid hothouse and gotten that mid-summer sweaty glow (again, complimentary). With that came a surge of hydration and softness that primed my skin for the essence, serum, and moisturizer that followed. I used it throughout the day to re-hydrate and re-dew my skin as needed and it didn’t feel sticky or add any tackiness to my skin. Added bonus: The fresh cucumber scent had me dreaming of warmer weather, a definite plus as the first real snowstorm started dumping across Colorado and I bundled up to shovel snow.
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