Did a consult with Vanessa and couldn't be happier with it. She was attentive to my needs and made great suggestions. She educated me a lot about certain products and ingredients to either avoid or look for tailored to my skin. She also showed me technique and how to use the products which was so helpful. I needed someone to set up a system for me as I was just sort of randomly buying products that seemed good. Many I suspect were not appropriate for my skin though. She set up a whole night and day regimen for me and was really cool when I bought some but not every single item. Not pushy, just very helpful and solution-oriented. And everything was so affordable!! I was pretty shocked by that honestly. I feel like I got a whole derm consult with day and night regimen including wash, toner, serum and moisturizer for an insane price (~150). I am already noticing a difference in my skin. It's so hydrated, smooth, and glowy. My husband noticed immediately. And I feel so much more confident without makeup. Thank you Playlab! read more

I got color matched with a cushion foundation and I got compliments everyday. Everyone thought it is my real skin. They also have sunscreen that has Korean/Japanese formulas! Support local businesses ALL THE WAY! read more

This is the cutest little Korean beauty store! For all your k beauty skincare needs they have it all! They also have a ton of testers out for each of their products which is fantastic because when buying something new you wanna be able to feel or smell the product! Loved their set up & especially the day time / night time routine wall! Such a clever idea to put all that together so we know which products go on when (: The employee was so sweet & so interactive with us! So helpful throughout the whole process & gave us details about certain products & her recommendations (: she was great! I purchased this K beauty setting spray I'm super excited to do full glam soon, so thank you for the recommendation (: Will definitely be back! read more

See all

Vanessa, Jeanha, and the whole team are by far the best in the biz. They curate an AMAZING selection of products, so I know everything I buy from their store will be safe and effective. I haven't bought skincare or makeup anywhere else since they opened. Run to Playlab and check out their selection. You'll have a blast exploring the inventory and your skin will thank you! read more

I really enjoyed my shopping experience. It's a small store but with a carefully curated selection of a range of KBeauty skincare (and some makeup) essentials for various skin types. There are sooo many items out there, so I appreciated the curation and discovered some (new to me) brands. The staff were really nice and helpful, and really knowledgable. I will definitely pop in again to see what's new. read more

As a surgeon and lifelong skincare researcher (22+ years and counting), I don't impress easily but Jeanha did it. Her passion and expertise for makeup and Korean skincare go way beyond surface level; this woman speaks fluent epidermis. I'm constantly scrubbing in and sanitizing, so my hands and skin take a beating. Add autism into the mix, and textures can be a serious sensory challenge. Within two minutes of seeing me, Jeanha looked at my skin and said, "You're dry." I thought I was combo with T-zone chaos. Spoiler: she was right. Like any good scientist, I put her theory to the test. Five months later, I completely flipped my routine to focus on hydration ... and the results? My patients are asking if I got more sleep or a new lover. Apparently, my glow-up was overdue. Thank you, Jeanha, the queen of skin alchemy, for turning my skepticism into a full-on conversion. I'm officially radiant and ready for my close-up... surgical mask and all. read more

Absolutely 5 stars all around! I stopped by about two weekends ago and was helped by Jeanha. Within 10 minutes she put together a full skincare routine for me and I've been following it for two weeks now. I already see a difference and I'm honestly obsessed. You can feel how much heart is poured into this place and everyone truly knows their stuff. I'm new to Kbeauty loved being able to walk into a space where you're genuinely educated on what you're buying. It's a fully customized experience tailored to your skin and needs something you don't get elsewhere. Every single product here is amazing and the knowledge, care, and experience you get is so special. The store is beautifully curated with the best of the best, so you don't have to spend time sorting through what good and not good. And it's Asian and woman owned truly doesn't get better than that. Do yourself a favor and stop by and Treat yourself. This place is an absolute gem and definitely worth stopping so fun to go in and try all the different products. read more

Was in town visiting my friend and we came across Play Lab! The ladies there are so kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. I purchased the Biore sunscreen and Abib lip balm. Definitely will return when I am in the area! read more

Service: Vanessa is a friendly owner that is knowledgeable about the products they sell. She is attentive to her customers and has a lot of plans for the shop once traction increases! Environment/Ambiance: Although they opened approximately 6 months ago, the store has a good selection of trendy and current Korean skincare/make up and a handful of Japanese skin care products. The prices are consistent to what you would expect at other places. Despite the small interior, the store places their products neatly and in an organized fashion that customers can follow. Each price tag includes a short description of the product, key ingredients, and what's the application for the product. Inventory: One of the first places I've come across where you can make a keychain for mini sizes of sunscreen or a lip protector (approx. $10). Also great for buying trial sizes of a few of the top-selling brands to try. Look forward to future deals, like holiday specials and a loyalty program for shoppers. SPECIAL EVENT FOR NOVEMBER 24': Gua Sha Lab - Instructed by Vanessa Minchi Ho (listed at $100 with additional deals if you attend) Refer to their website for more information about products and promotions (https://playlabbeauty.com/collections/new-in) I hope this store is here to stay for a long time! read more

See all

First of all, Madison is a saint. She made me feel like this was a one of kind personal shopping experience. She was very knowledgeable about the skin concerns I came in with. Cannot thank her enough. Can't wait to go back! read more

This place is an Old Town Pasadena jewel, my new go-to for Korean skin care and beauty products. New to skincare and not sure where to start? The sales representatives here are SO friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. They'll help you find what you didn't know what you were looking for! If you already have your multi-step skincare routine dialed in and you're just looking for products that contain the key ingredients you're familiar with, Play Lab offers a variety of products based on your needs. I've been stocking up and buying gifts here for months. Their products are effective, no-fuss, and cost a fraction of what you'd normally spend around the corner at Sephora. read more

I visited Play Lab a few months ago, while in town to see family. They have such a wonderfully curated selection of products! Their customer service was awesome, and I ended up loving all of the products that were recommended. I was running low on some things, so I ordered from their website. Shipping was free, and everything arrived quickly. They even included a hand-written note and a freebie product. I will continue to order from them. I'm so glad to support a small business instead of ordering from Amazon or Target. Thanks, Play Lab! read more

Went in on Thursday evening. First time here and I love it. I have been addicted to Korean skincare for about a year now. This store is tiny but they have everything you need. The girl who helped was a sweetheart. I forgot her name but she is new there. I would have never known because she was very knowledgeable. I bought a moisturizer and a glow serum and I will be back for more! read more

First off, I am not a make-up kind of gal. If you told me yesterday that I should walk into a beauty store and emerge again wielding some sensical combination of beauty products, you might as well have told me to learn Finnish overnight. That said, we've had more occasions to get dressed up lately and I figured it wouldn't hurt to pick up some make-up essentials. So when I stumbled across Play Lab Beauty recently and noticed not only the emphasis on Asian care products, but an intimate & interactive environment where I could actually learn what to do with those products, I was immediately intrigued. In the end, my 2-minute intro conversation turned into a nearly 2-hour Beauty 101 with Gina, one of the incredible store owners! Gina is so insanely passionate about her work and immediately helped me feel at ease with my make-up malaise. She patiently walked me through every step of the process, listening closely to my feedback about what felt good or didn't and kindly insisting that I try applying the products myself so I'd feel confident next time I had to do it myself. I also really loved how she moved seamlessly between helping me and continuing to support (with apparently effortless ease) the additional customers who were flowing in and out of the store. All in all, I never imagined diving into the world of beauty products could feel so fun--or that I could feel so cute and supported wearing products that were picked up specifically with my needs in mind! As someone who's tried (and failed) to feel comfortable many times throughout her adult life, I found Play Lab Beauty the breath of relief that I never knew I'd been holding over the years. I can't speak highly enough of this innovative little corner of the world and absolutely recommend you stop in if you're in the area. Thanks so much for the awesome experience, Gina and team! read more

My friend and I made a trip out to Old Town Pasadena to check out Play Lab Beauty. The employee (unfortunately can't remember her name) was so good at walking us through the skin issues we wanted addressed, and taking the time to help us apply the color products to see which one would be best for our skin tones. She was able to help me find products that would help restore my skin barrier without making me break out. I'll definitely come back when I'm running low on anything! read more

This store was so cute! Their services were amazing and they had a lot of great and affordable products. They also had non toxic makeup and nail polish for kids and mini face masks. I had bought these for my daughter and niece and they absolutely love it. Definitely recommend this store for anyone looking for kbeauty products. read more

PlayLab Beauty - Kids section - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Pasadena, California

Had the most amazing experience at Play Lab Beauty! I think their approach to k-beauty is very accessible as far as being able to try different products in store. The sales associate was an absolute delight! I think her name was with A, I can't remember but incredibly helpful. I normally go to ktown or Torrance for my skincare but now that I know that this exists I'll def be back. read more

We found this spot by accident & we're happily surprised by the quality of products ( mostly purchased skincare) & the service was so refreshing! Very personable & knowledgable! I've ordered more from them online since our visit read more

I decided to stop here after visiting a pop-up shop in Old Town Pasadena with my sister. It's so cute, and the owner and staff are so friendly! They have great products but the best thing about the shop is the mini key chain bar, where you can personalize a key chain for a travel-size product to carry with you, like a lip product or a sunscreen! This is why I would choose this shop over others k beauty/cosmetic stores when it comes to a girls' day shopping trip: it's interactive in a way shopping usually isn't and that makes it unique. read more

PlayLab Beauty - A couple of sheet masks from a wall of options! - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Pasadena, California

Back again, already! Got a refill on the essentials, and the kids bought a collection of Puttisu products for their friend's birthday present. Also had a proud moment when my non-believer-in-skin-care-husband picked up an Abib lip balm stick with SPF! read more

PlayLab Beauty - Back for more! - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Pasadena, California

Love it here! Madison was super helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. She personalized the experience for my two friends and I and really took her time to assist with color match and product preferences. The store was cute and structured in a way that makes all of the inventory options accessible to everyone. I will always make the drive to personally pick up my skin care products here as this was a refreshing and enjoyable experience! read more

From oily t-zones to dry diabetes feet, this place will cure what ails ya! Beautiful store; helpful and friendly staff; and awesome products for a fair price. Will definitely come back for all my ashy needs!! read more

I love how you can test every single k beauty product!! And the staff was very helpful.

Store has a collection of really good korean products and the owners are amazing, receptive to your needs. Space is so clean and beaut.

I had such a good experience at this store , the people seemed very knowledgeable about Korean skincare items and were very kind, I am definitely coming back here!!! read more

The beauty store I never knew I needed! The staff is so knowledgeable, the prices are incredible and I'm really enjoying the quality of the products - for the first time I'm sticking with my skin care routine. I don't have little kids but the products for younger kids are a huge hit too. read more

This skincare store is AMAZING!!! This store has all amazing products. I left with a bag full of things. The ladies helped me figure out what's best and most important is the price point beats other places!! I will come back to Pasadena just for this store!! read more

I've been a licensed esthetician for over twenty years, however Korean skin care is quite new to me, so when Madison from PlayLab offered me some assistance with their products, I was grateful! She was super knowledgeable and helpful! I left with several items that are perfect for my skin type! I've used a few of them and they are excellent!! I'll be back for more and I highly recommend PlayLab! Oh... and believe it or not they're SUPER affordable for California! read more

A beautiful place with incredible products! Their team is super helpful at selecting skincare for your needs.

loveeeeeee this store! the ladies who work there are so knowledgeable and sweet. they helped me revamp my whole skincare routine. i also loved that they had a kids section. bought so many goodies for my daughter. they have the cutest nail polish! def coming back when i need a restock! read more