Welcome to Skin Talk With Laura Love, our video series in which stars of fashion, film, television, and beyond share their beauty secrets with the licensed model and esthetician.
In the latest episode, Love sits down with Dr. David Kim—the New York City-based, board-certified cosmetic dermatologist known for his no-nonsense skincare knowledge and insight he shares on TikTok (and his own glow—at 41 years old, he’s managed to maintain the pores of a newborn). He’s also the founder of Lightsaver skincare, and recently opened his very own practice in Manhattan. One of Lightsaver’s hero products, the Triplesome Serum, is one of Kim’s go-to products, he tells Love while opening up his Beauty Bag in the cozy W magazine armchair. Kim explains that he spent more than two years refining the formula for Triplesome, which acts like a serum with light coverage and SPF. “I spent a lot of time focusing on the texture,” he says. “I wanted a sunscreen that felt like a serum, that didn’t feel chalky, that didn’t smell like sunscreen.”
In fact, Kim admits that his whole skin ethos focuses on a minimal approach—growing up in South Korea until he was 14 and attending Stanford University Medical School taught him less is more. With his clientele, he aims to “do as little as possible to get the maximum results and make it look as natural as possible. I’m not trying to change the way you look. I’m not trying to make you look like someone else.”
When it comes to K-beauty, Kim is a pro. “Skincare has always been part of our culture, and people really go through the rituals of doing five-to-10-step skincare routines every morning and night—both men and women,” he explains. “Koreans in general are very particular. They have very high standards, the competition is fierce. So you have to bring something innovative and new for people to want to use it. The consumers are super sophisticated, they’re well-educated on skincare products. It pushes the companies to take it to the next level.” During a recent trip to South Korea, Kim shared with Love his best tips—namely, to hit Olive Young skincare store first and foremost. “This is K-beauty heaven,” Kim says. “And when you get there, look for Rejuran.” He also calls out Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Dark Spot Serum as a favorite K-beauty staple. When it comes to “a treatment that you’re dying to bring back to the U.S.,” as Love puts it, Kim immediately points to XERF, a non-invasive skin tightening treatment that lifts from deep layers of the skin using two radiofrequencies.
Lastly, Love and Kim give rankings for popular (and controversial) treatments, like filler and buccal fat removal. (The latter, by the way, gets a six out of 10, and Kim describes it as “patient-dependent.”)
“It’s a zero out of 10 for me, personally, because I need all the fat that I have [in my face],” Love adds.
When it comes to blepharoplasty, it’s a “10 out of 10,” says Kim. “I love a good bleph. It’s an outpatient procedure, very little swelling and bruising.” But the key is “to find a surgeon who understands the shape of the eye you want.”
One of Kim’s favorite next-gen skincare treatments is Profhilo, which he also gives a 10/10. “We need this in the U.S.!” he tells Love. “It’s a hyaluronic acid-based skin booster. It doesn’t change the shape of your face, but it makes your skin more plump and hydrated. It even helps soften fine lines on the neck.” Tens across the board!
