This family-owned skin care and cosmetics shop offers authentic Korean products.
Just steps away from the nightclubs, boutiques, and restaurants of the city’s downtown scene, Poppy & Daisy is a hidden gem on Fayette Street. The skin care and cosmetics shop sells authentic Korean products.
Poppy & Daisy owner Qun Bond first became interested in Korean skin care while trying to heal her daughter’s acne problems. She had owned an antique shop before her children were born, so once they went to school at WVU, she was eager to start something for herself. Selling the very products that helped clear her daughter’s skin made sense. Qun Bond opened the store at the beginning of March, and runs it with her daughter and son, Sarah and Enze.
The skin care industry in Korea has created some of the most popular items used around the world, such as snail products and sheet masks. The collection at Poppy & Daisy represents that. “A lot of the products have top-of-the-line, new, different, innovative ways to treat skin,” Sarah Bond says. They’re made of natural ingredients, such as a coconut gel mask that is formulated with “superfruits” that are said to be packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Many of the products include some non-botanical ingredients, such as alcohol for treating acne; however, even that is not as harsh on the skin as the alcohol used in American skin care products. “There may be an ingredient that is an alcohol but it doesn’t work like one—it’s more moisturizing,” Sarah Bond says.
The makeup is also lighter to enhance facial features rather than cover up imperfections. “American skin care routines focus on covering up blemishes, while Korean skin care focuses on healing those blemishes,” says Enze Bond. Korean skin care has steadily gained popularity because it promotes healthy skin. “Better skin care is what we offer. We basically sell anything to help your skin, so you feel more confident and do not necessarily feel the need to put on makeup,” Sarah Bond says. Many have heard of the 10-step Korean Beauty Routine, a popular regime for healing problematic skin. Poppy & Daisy sells products for each step, but also advises customers on which of the steps they need for their particular skin types.
The shop sells products to treat skin problems like acne, rosacea, and dullness, while also offering makeup. Mascara, lipstick, and a wide range of facial masks are all available for under $10. The cotton and gel masks target multiple skin problems—for example, a green tea mask moisturizes and soothes problematic skin. Those looking for fun designs or products for young people will find Pokemon-branded items and animal masks.
Starter packs are available for customers who want to change their skin care routines. The Honey Cera starter kit includes four products: eye serum, cream, toner, and an emulsion. “This kit has everything you would need to start out. It is very good for people who have rosacea or skin that is easily irritated,” Sarah Bond says. New customers might also like to try the Moistfull Collagen skin care kit, which includes a toner, essence, emulsion, and cream. “This line is really moisturizing and results in firming for the skin,” she says. Both kits cost less than $10. Poppy & Daisy also offers premium items, such as the Etude House 24K Gold Mask used to brighten dull skin and the Super Aqua mask by Missha, which includes the highly sought after snail slime extract.
“Everyone can have perfect skin, you’ve just got to work at it,” Enze Bond says. “Skin care isn’t just one cream or one thing that fixes everything—everyone’s skin is different. That’s the reason we have so many different products here.”
Written by Kristen Uppercue
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