Liah Yoo is a well-known name in the beauty industry. Her unique approach to skincare, which focuses on providing authentic and unfiltered advice has garnered her a loyal following on YouTube. With her background and experience at AmorePacific, Korea‘s largest beauty company, Liah is able to offer valuable big-sister-in-beauty advice, addressing common issues such as acne care, debunking skin trends, and providing solutions to her followers’ skin troubles. 

Building on her knowledge and reputation, Liah Yoo then decided to launch KraveBeauty, a brand that stands out from traditional brands by offering highly-effective products that are eco-friendly and free from harmful ingredients. With catchy names like Kale-Lalu-yAHA and Beet The Sun SPF 40 PA+++, Liah adds a touch of fun and playfulness to the brand. Her vision is clear; she aims to create a vibrant community where people can come together in their pursuit of personal growth.

And with KraveBeauty’s recent expansion to Malaysia, FirstClasse speaks to Liah Yoo to gain more insight into the brand and how it successfully managed to build a loyal community.

Hi, Liah! Congratulations on KraveBeauty’s launch in Sephora Malaysia! How do you feel about this achievement?

Thank you so much for your kind words! It’s truly an exciting milestone for us. Knowing that we have dedicated fans who have gone out of their way to access our products through various means is incredibly humbling and motivating. This expansion into Sephora Malaysia signifies not only growth for our brand but also a deeper connection with our international community.

It has been almost eight years for you in the beauty business. Besides being the founder & CEO of KraveBeauty, you’re one of the top beauty influencers with over a million subscribers on YouTube. How do you stay ahead in such a competitive industry?

I know there’s a million skincare experts out there now, but what I love is digging deeper. You can find ingredients explained anywhere, but I’m all about how the products themselves are made. Like, what’s the impact on the environment? Is the company treating their people well? I want my viewers to be totally informed before they hit “buy.” It’s about making conscious choices – good for your skin and good for the planet. 

Your presence in the social media realm is oblivious. But how did this all start? How do you manage to build a community around the brand?
Our journey into the social media landscape began with a commitment to transparency and authenticity. We realised the importance of showcasing the behind-the-scenes aspects of our brand, such as our decision-making processes regarding packaging materials and the sourcing of ingredients like tamanu oil. By opening up a dialogue and being candid about the challenges we face as a business, we’ve been able to foster a unique sense of community. Our belief in sharing the intricacies of our operations has allowed us to connect with our audience on a deeper level, building trust and loyalty along the way.

KraveBeauty stands out as a highly recommended brand on TikTok. Is it challenging to strike a balance between promoting products on social media and delivering valuable educational content to your audience?

Absolutely, maintaining a balance between product promotion and delivering educational content is crucial for us at KraveBeauty. While we recognize the power of social media platforms like TikTok in promoting our products, we place equal emphasis on providing valuable educational content to our audience.

Our focus extends beyond just promoting our products; we aim to empower our audience with knowledge about skincare, particularly concerning issues like acne-prone skin and the importance of incorporating linoleic acid-rich oils into their routine. 

We understand that not every viewer may choose to purchase our products, and we’re completely fine with that. Our priority is to ensure that individuals are equipped with the knowledge they need to make the best choices for their skin, even if it means shopping elsewhere. 

So how do you source and select the ingredients for your skincare products to ensure they are clean and environmentally friendly?
At KraveBeauty, we are committed to sourcing ingredients responsibly and ensuring that our products are as clean and environmentally friendly as possible. While we acknowledge that there may be gaps in our knowledge, we are constantly striving to improve and make more informed choices.

One initiative we’ve undertaken is our Seed to Shelf project, through which we aim to achieve 100% traceability of all key ingredients. This means that we track the sourcing of our ingredients from the very beginning to ensure they are obtained sustainably and ethically.

A prime example of this is our Tamanu Oil, a key ingredient in our Great Barrier Relief product. We’ve taken steps to ensure that the Tamanu Oil we use is sustainably sourced from Indonesia. Collaborating with organisations like the Women’s Earth Alliance, an environmental non-profit, we’ve worked to improve wages and working conditions for tamanu farm workers while promoting sustainable agroforestry practices.

Looking back at your career, what would you say is your biggest career achievement?
Reflecting on my career journey, I would consider my transition from a full-time job at a beauty conglomerate to becoming a full-time content creator on YouTube and ultimately evolving into a beauty entrepreneur as one of my biggest achievements.

Beyond the personal milestones, what truly stands out as my biggest career achievement is the impact I’ve been able to make in the lives of individuals who have used either my content or my products to achieve healthier skin. It brings me immense joy to hear success stories from people who have benefited from the information I’ve shared or the products I’ve created. 

I’m proud of the strides we’ve made in terms of sustainability within the beauty industry. Seeing our sustainability efforts inspire other brands to take action and make positive changes further solidifies the impact we’re making beyond just skincare. It’s incredibly gratifying to know that our actions are not only benefiting individuals but also influencing positive change on a larger scale within the industry.

For first-time users, which KraveBeauty products would you suggest?
For first-time users in Malaysia, especially considering the warm and humid climate, I would recommend starting with the Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser and the Oat So Simple Water Cream. 

What’s next for KraveBeauty?
Moving forward, KraveBeauty is committed to advancing our Seed to Shelf initiative, ensuring that we maintain full traceability and ethical sourcing of all key ingredients in our products. This journey aligns with our dedication to sustainability and transparency, allowing us to further solidify our commitment to environmentally conscious practices. 

Additionally, we are actively pursuing B Corp certification, which will formalise our commitment to meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. This certification will serve as a testament to our ongoing efforts to operate as a responsible and ethical business, and it will provide our customers with further assurance of our commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.

Read more interviews like this in our Behind the Business series here.