Every summer when August rolls around, I get asked if I know details about the Peach & Lily epic K-Beauty sample sale. Truth is, I don’t get any advanced insider information about the sale and find out just like any other person on their email list. Usually, the notice is very short and this year the big email was sent a week prior to the sample sale date. It was also a celebration on their 5th year operating the sample sale and there were special “$5 and under” deals to be had! Even though I have enough skincare to hold me through an apocalypse, I felt that I had to go in the name of journalism because it was also my 5th year in covering the sale. This year, it was held at The Flat again and pricing structure was the same with products ranging from $1 to $40 at most. My post ahead will go through items on EACH table and report on the morning wait for K-Beauty die-hards.
The Line at 7:23AM
Learning from my mistake from last year, I knew I needed to get there MUCH earlier in order to reap the benefits of getting the most coveted items from the sale: the Miwaji Serum, Shangpree S-Energy Concentrated Serum, Shangpree S-Energy Eye Cream, and the Shangpree Salmon Sperm. I still failed to get there at 7AM because my husband negotiated that I wake up later but I regret doing that since the line was much longer than last year. Next time I will sleep in the living room! I heard from other bloggers that K-Beauty fanatics were messaging Renee from Gothamista about going to the sale so I knew it was going to be more popular than in year’s past. At 8AM opening time, the line was twice as long than last year’s line although I was able to go inside at 8:25AM, a lot faster than last year.
Sale is more popular every year, come early! 
Mandatory bag & coat check 
It was still a 1 person out, 1 person in policy. Bag check was required for large bags and backpacks. I highly recommend bringing your wallet and cell phone in a wristlet if you plan to be the very first crowd to go in and compete for the most prized and limited items on the $40 table (all the way in the back). This way you can pick up your shopping bag, zip right in and not get slowed down my bag-check (but please also be mindful of common etiquette and don’t knock people down, it’s just skincare after all).
Peach & Lily 5th Anniversary Celebration
I noticed that after all these years, Peach & Lily have not contracted the sample sale to a third party vendor who would do the event management, PR and entire operation of holding a sample sale. I was afraid that the time might be coming soon as I know it takes a lot of energy outside of their day-to-day to manage the sample sale every year. It wouldn’t be the same if the sample sale wasn’t managed by Alicia Yoon or Ed (her husband) as their staff can give quick skin consultations and the low-down on a product. Third party sample sale vendors aren’t trained to have as in depth knowledge as the Peach & Lily staff and it wouldn’t have the same community feel that I look forward to every year.
Cheers to Peach & Lily’s dedication at bringing us this great sample sale every year!
After speaking to Alicia and Ed, they definitely acknowledge that they are committed to maintaining the same level of customer service and do not have plans right now to go to a third party vendor. Having facetime with customers is something they pride themselves on and it’s evident from Alicia’s master classes held right in their Bryant Park offices, their Peach Tours in Ulta locations across the nation and from always showing up in person to their sample sales.
$1 – $2 – Pink Table
The 5th year anniversary also brought loyal Peaches amazing deals! Sheet masks from Tony Moly, Missha, Mizon, Cremorlab Berrisom and Abib were only $1! I felt like I just HAD to get a few sheet masks even though my drawers are busting open with them. I just got the two Abib Gummy ones to try. Expiration dates were generous with a year left to use the Abib ones. The $1 table also had Bitgoa Essence samples, Panda Eye Patches, hand creams from Dun & Doft and Fascy. Most of these items are still on the CVS shelves since Peach & Lily partners with CVS for their K-Beauty section (see my YouTube video tour).
The $2 table has some Urban Dollkiss lip tints and Fascy body lotions, Aromatica Argan and Black Rice Scrub, Abib bar soaps, and Mizon Black Bean masks.
$5 – Yellow Table
Some of the CVS items spills into the $5 section with multiple items from Village 11. Village 11 is brand from the same chemists behind Mizon. Village 11 had Cleansing Foam, Eye Cream, Toner and Cream. Next to it was the Ariul Berry Blast Brightening serum. My favorite items were from Cremorlab; the Marine Algae Cleanser, O2 Bubble Energizing Mask, and face mist were at an amazing $5 each.
More on the table were popular sample sale repeats like:
- Mizon Snail Repair Eye cream
- May Coop Raw Sauce mini size
- Wishtrend Bubble Vitamin C Foaming Pad
- Caolion Blackhead Steam Pore Pack and Pore Original Pack (2-in-1 jar)
- Caolion Blackhead O2 Bubble Pore Pack
- A’Pieu Stone Peach Pore Less Bubble Mask
- A’Pieu Stone Peach Pore Less Tightener (toner)
- A’Pieu Stone Peach Pore Less Molding Cream
- JungSaemMool Essential Mool Essence
- JungSaemMool Toner
- Aromatic Toner with free Embossed Cotton Pads
$5 Makeup – Purple Table
The star of the sale is skincare but there are some makeup items worth looking at. The main brand for color cosmetics is from JungSaemMool, made from a famous Korean makeup artist. This year, Peach & Lily priced ALL makeup at $5 (these were priced at $10-$25 last year). I bought their lip tint last year and it is still my favorite tint to reach for. The other makeup brand was from Berrisom which is what’s currently stocked at CVS’s K-Beauty section in select locations. On the table were:
- Eyebrow pencils
- Eyeshadow Palettes
- Essential Star Zone Brightener
- Potted eyeliner
- Mineral Setting Powder
- Concealer Kit
- Color Correcting Kit
- Oops by Berrisom
- Liquid Eyeliner
- Dual Contouring – Eye Brightener and Concealer
- Dual Contouring – Highlighter and Shading
- Dual Tint Brow
$10 – Lime Green Table
You can get some really decent skincare items from the $10 table, a majority of Cremorlab were $10! I bought the Femmue Cleansing Balm for $15 last year and it was $10 this year. The Lab L products remained the same at $10. The Mizon Mela Defense White Capsule Essence was one of the first products I was interested in and it coincidentally at the sale this year!
- Ground Plan Peeling Gel
- Dr. Dream Mild Natured Powder Cleanser
- Femmue Cleansing Balm (these were $15 last year)
- Mizon All In One Snail Cream
- Mizon Mela Defense White Capsule Essence
- Mizon Hyaluronic Acid
- Aromatica Argan Oil
- Aromatica Sea Dafodil Aqua Gel Cream
- Lab L
- Lab L Vitamin Shots
- Eco Your Skin Oil to Foam Cleanser
- Shangpree Modeling Masks (1 mask)
- Cremorlab Hydra Bouncy Ampoule
- Cremorlab Hydra Intense Cream
- Cremorlab Peeling Mask
- Cremorlab Aqua Essence Water Fluid
- Cremorlab Smooth Pudding
- Cremorlab Refreshing Cleansing Oil
- Abib Hydration Crème and Hydration Gel
$15 – Dark Green Table
- Cremorlab Mineral Treatment Essence
- Be the Skin Botanical Nutrition Power Serum
- Banila Co Cleansing Balm (Purity for sensitive skin)
- Aromatica Orange Cleansing Sherbet
- Aromatic Neroli Oil (Brightening Oil)
- Twenty Four Seven Balm and Lipstick
- Aromatic Orange thing
- Femmue Flowers Infused Mask
- Femmue Flowers Infused Fine Peel
- Femmue Ideal Oil
- Eco Your Skin No. 15 Cream
- Laniege Lip Sleeping Mask
- Mizon Egg White Bubble Cleanser
- Olivarrier pH 5.5 Emollient Extra Comfort Cream
- Olivarrier pH 5.5 Dual Moist Essence
- Shangpree Pore Tightening Mask
- Shangpree Perfect Essence Emulsion
- Uka Nail Oil
$20 – Light Blue Table
- The Lotus – Sleeping Pack
- Abib Hypoderma SP1-2GF Serum
- Lagom Deep Moisture Cream
- Mizon Skin Energy Peptide 500
- Kicho Teapot Brushes
- Femmue Gypsy Rose Calming Mask
- Eco Your Skin Botanical Vital Barm Vita E
- Dr. Dream Age Rose Sleeping Pack
- Cremorlab Shadow-off Cream
- Ground Plan Day & Night Secret Moisture Cream
- Be the Skin Power Cream
- Atoclassic Real Tonic Essence
- Aromatica Rose Absolute Cream
- Aromatica Rose Absolute Serum
$25 – Dark Blue Table
The $25 table was pretty slim but I didn’t buy anything from this table anyway. I was eyeing the JungSaemMool limited edition Mool Cream set really hard, however. There were plenty in the morning but retailing at $69 online, it took everything in power to think about the skincare stash at home. Instead I was happy with the $5 JungSaemMool Essential Mool Essence.
- The Lotus Lead Revitalizing Cream
- Eco Your Skin Wall Surge Complex
- Shangpree Gold Black Pearl Eye Hydrogel Mask
- Shangpree Crystal BB Cream
- JungSaemMool Limited Edition Boxed Set full-size Mool Cream plus two travel size samples of the Mool Toner and Eye Cream
- Ground Plan Deep Wrinkle Eye Treatment
- Eco Your Skin O2 Melting Serum
- Aromatica Natural Coconut Cleansing Oil
$30 – Grey Table
- The Lotus Essence
- The Lotus Essence Lotion
- The Lotus Leaf Brightening Serum
- Femmue Vitamin C Serum
$40 – Purple Table
The $40 is the most coveted table to run to if you’re a die-hard K-Beauty fan. This table has the best value for your buck as these are the same products inside Berdorf Goodman! This is not to say that the other tables don’t have great value but the Miwaji serum and the Shangpree Marine Jewel Capsules were to first to be sold out within minutes of the sale opening. The Marine Jewel Capsules is famous for using “Sodium DNA” extracted from salmon sperm; before you’re turned off, it is not salmon sperm itself. I didn’t even see a sighting of the Marine Jewel Capsules but my friends were able to find 3 bottles of the Miwaji serum from people’s put-backs.
- Shangpree Modeling Mask (5 Pack), retails $98
- Shangpree Marine Jewel Capsule, retails $135
- Shangpree S-Energy Repair Eye Cream, retails $120
- Shangpree S-Energy Long Lasting Concentrated Serum, retails $120
- Eco Your Skin Meso Ampoule, retails $70
- Eco Your Skin Volufiline 15 Eye Essence, retails $170
- Miwaji Hyalu Serum Veil, retails $120
My Peach & Lily Sample Sale Haul
I was debating if I should put a $50 spending limit or a 5 item limit on myself this year. Turns out it didn’t matter because I didn’t follow either rule 😀 I ended up spending about $63 (before tax) in total and exercised a lot of restraint. I put back the Femmue Vitamin C Serum ($30), the JungSaemMool Essential Mool Cream set, Eco Your Skin Meso Ampoule because at the skincare capacity I’m at, I just CANNOT.
I went back after work just to see how the supply fared and it was still quite decent if you’re not dead set on buying a certain brand. I realized I had not looked for my favorite JungSaemMool lip tint that I bought last year. The nice sales lady sold me the two left-over testers, two colors for just $1, LOL. She said it was only tested on her hand for others to see throughout the say. Sure, I’m not that much of a germaphobe.
Apparently, the staff keeps discovering new brands/items as they are opening up boxes. They found a new box of Ariul 7 Days Masks for $10. A few items I had not seen in the morning were there too (Mizon SOS Acne Set for example). There were “further discounts” announced on the P&L Instagram Stories but it wasn’t anything to get excited about. $2 items were discounted to $1, yea, that was it.
