#VANAChatroom: How PESTLO Becomes Everyone's Favorite Skin Pharmacist with Ancient Apothecary Wisdom

When ancient beauty wisdom meets modern technology, you'll get a Korean cult-favorite brand called PESTLO. This Korean skincare brand checks all the boxes if you need a powerful (and well-researched) skin-healing fix that works hard and beyond to calm and comfort your damaged skin. So sit back, relax, and let PESTLO be your go-to skin pharmacist! We've spoken with Ms. Lee Da Young, the CEO and founder of PESTLO, who has given us a glimpse into the brand's behind-the-scene story.


What's PESTLO Story?

Jobie: Hi Ms. Lee, thanks for taking the time to join our VANA Chatroom. Could you first tell us the story behind PESTLO?

Lee: Before PESTLO was founded, we had three cosmetic specialists come together, work hard, and research for three years to create this brand. And now it has been five years since PESTLO was established.

Jobie: So what motivates you to start this Korean skincare brand in the first place?

Lee: I have been working in the cosmetic industry for twenty years, and as the founder of PESTLO, I recognized that the secrets and ingredients passed down from ancient times are the best. That's why I wanted to start a genuine Korean skincare brand to find the world's best secrets and introduce them to consumers.

PESTLO CEO Lee Da Young

Ms. Lee Da Young, CEO and Founder of PESTLO

Jobie: So, how did you come up with PESTLO as the brand name?

Lee: PESTLO has a philosophy of finding good secrets in the East and West and making a new path of wisdom for beauty. Therefore, we came to launch Pestle + Road = PESTLO which is a compound word of PESTLE used by ancient pharmacists, and ROAD which means opening a new road.

PESTLO - Safe Recipe Sun Essence

PESTLO Safe Recipe Sun Essence

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - PESTLO

Jobie: What is the first thing you want your customers to think of when they see PESTLO?

Lee: I want people to think of PESTLO when their skin needs a restorative treatment. A skincare brand that puts people first and is always there for you as a friend.


Time-Tested Wisdom from PESTLO Products

Jobie: How does “ancient apothecary” inspire PESTLO?

Lee: For the last twenty years I have been researching cosmetics and I often wonder: how did women in the past take care of their skin? I started PESTLO based on this curiosity. Turns out people in ancient times consulted with pharmacists regarding their body. Therefore, PESTLO got to curate the wisdom and methods of the eastern and western pharmacists and soon after knew that they found solutions from nature. With time-tested knowledge in mind, we established trust beyond wisdom, that’s the Apothecary Road that PESTLO seeks.

PESTLO - Peptide O2 Serum Mist

PESTLO Peptide O2 Serum Mist

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - PESTLO

Jobie: So, what is the process of sourcing and curating time-tested ingredients to create the perfect formula?

Lee: My sister who is an oriental doctor in the U.S. gave me enormous inspiration in terms of making products of PESTLO. She gave me numerous ideas and inspiration regarding good medicines used by ancient pharmacists and the type of medicines that is good for the skin & body. With her help, we started making products. Even now when a new product is made, we are studying good medicines in the east and west, sourcing them, applying them, and developing a new product using modern science technology.

PESTLO - The Seed Real Collagen Mask

PESTLO The Seed Real Collagen Mask

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - PESTLO

Jobie: Any hallmark ingredients people can learn about from PESTLO products?

Lee: PESTLO is a Korean Skincare brand that gives you "healing" rather than "treating" the skin. So if I have to pick up one specific ingredient for this healing purpose, I would say "Pycnogenol" - a French maritime pine bark extract and also an antioxidant ingredient 50 times more powerful than Vitamin C. This premium ingredient helps protect the skin from various skin diseases, improve immunity and relieve sensitive skin disorders. This is like Korean Ginseng which is mostly healing for people based on different skin conditions.

PESTLO - The Black Firming Mask

PESTLO The Black Firming Mask

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - PESTLO

Jobie: How does PESTLO combine “ancient apothecary wisdom” with modern technology for their products?

Lee: We are making products by selecting good ingredients from the east and west coming down from ancient pharmacists and extracting them using modern scientific methods. Take it from the G.O.M Cream among all PESTLO skincare products, we made a perfect restorative cream of the east and west by adding red ginseng, reishi mushroom, chaga mushroom which are the best restorative of the east together with pycnogenol which is the best western restorative. Red ginseng, reishi mushroom, chaga mushroom, and pure gold are oriental ingredients that make skin elastic and give vitality to luminous and the skin.

PESTLO - G.O.M Cream

PESTLO GOM Cream

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - PESTLO

Lee: With high-moisturization, high-nutrition, and whitening function, this skincare product is a cream that is made by adding the best ingredients containing the wisdom of ancient pharmacists and applying the capsule manufacturing method of modern science.

Jobie: Does PESTLO update their skincare products from time to time based on customers’ feedback?

Lee: Yes. PESTLO is always trying to listen carefully to the feedback of customers’ needs. Just like the renewed Pantherecipe Cream. We previously used an aluminum tube to preserve the contents, but as customers have told us that it was hard to use and squeeze the last bit of the cream so we changed and upgraded the material of the tube.

PESTLO - Pantherecipe Cream

PESTLO Pantherecipe Cream

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - PESTLO

Lee: This product is also PESTLO's most-wanted product which is made from only 16 best EWG safe ingredients. This Pantherecipe Cream was made to alleviate skin stress, form moisture encapsulation, and comfort sensitive skin without burdening the skin while maximizing the functions. Free from 20 types of harmful ingredients, men and women of all ages and skin types can use it, thanks to its hypoallergenic formula.

Jobie: So which is PESTLO's most under-rated product that people should start noticing?

Lee: Definitely The Brightist duo. It consists of a set of rebright toner serum and vitamin activators (vitamins A, B, C, D, E, F and H) that is extra nutritious for summer skin as it easily gets tired and exhausted under the sun.

PESTLO - The Brightist

PESTLO The Brightist

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - PESTLO

Lee: If you're tired of frequent outdoor activities, skin can be revitalized with The Brightist and all-in-one care is available with this toner-serum duo, making it perfect for people who like easy skincare. You will love it when you try it!


The Future of PESTLO

Jobie: Should we expect any exciting new products from PESTLO this year?

Lee: Yes. This year there are numerous concerns from women around the world who are struggling with mask-related skin conditions due to the pandemic. That's why we are preparing to launch a skincare line for sensitive skin. We also care a great deal for your skin health and protecting the environment, so we're looking for vegan & EWG Green ingredients and cruelty-free products, starting with a cleansing product.

PESTLO - Spicule Re-born Peeling Mask

PESTLO Spicule Re-born Peeling Mask

Courtesy of Korean Skincare Brand - PESTLO

Jobie: How does PESTLO plan to grow their brand as a “skin pharmacist”?

Lee: PESTLO, as a “skin pharmacist” will find the best ingredients coming from nature and take a journey to the east and west. We intend to find good ingredients for the skin through thesis, ancient books, and various experiences of oriental medicine, find ancient skin care methods, and introduce them to people.

Jobie: Thank you for your time, Ms. Lee! We look forward to more new and exciting skincare moments with PESTLO and wish you all the success!

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