Tune In: Esthetician & Beauty Expert Alicia Yoon's Best Skin Care Tips

"When we think of the skin as an organ, we can better understand how it's connected to our whole body and how it influences the whole system. You can't just isolate one part of your body and try to tackle that without thinking about everything holistically," says esthetician, product formulator, and product curator Alicia Yoon, founder of Peach & Lily. Yoon has been a thought leader in the beauty industry for years, ushering in ingredient innovations, tried-and-true practices from K-beauty, and a realistic, thoughtful approach to clean formulations. 

The multi-hyphenate beauty entrepreneur (who has even written for mindbodygreen on several occasions) joins me on Clean Beauty School to talk about all things skin care, including her predictions for what's on the horizon. 

But we also spend a good amount of time breaking down the basics of beauty—including why it's so important to treat skin with respect: "It all boils down to the fact that the skin is your biggest organ and we need to treat it like the organ that it is."

Inflammation is a driving force behind many common skin care conditions, such as acne, eczema, rosacea, and even premature aging. For the skin, balancing inflammation is one of the most important things you can do for its long-term health. 

"I've always been very cognizant of inflammation as it relates to my eczema and some other autoimmune health issues," she says. "But I view it as a blessing in disguise because inflammation can have such negative effects on our whole body in so many different ways that we may not always even be aware of."

While reducing inflammation in the skin is a meaningful step, it's really a full-body endeavor. 

It's advice that's often shared: You must have your fundamentals of skin care before you can target issues. But as Yoon explains, the sentiment isn't just a platitude. Getting the basics right often improves the concern before you've even treated it. 

Scouring the internet for product suggestions can be, well, challenging, to say the least—from influencer culture to reviews, there's endless information out there on what you should purchase. It's never good practice to buy any ol' product just because some influencer says she uses it herself. And while reviews can provide honest insights, they don't mean much if the person reviewing doesn't have your skin type or concerns.