The Southeast Asian skincare renaissance? How Koh Li Tim's Paloma is redefining luxury beauty through heritage
In the saturated world of skincare, this Malaysian entrepreneur is crafting a narrative that transcends beauty and merges cultural heritage, scientific innovation, and a deep connection to Southeast Asia's botanical treasures
Koh Li Tim looks deep in thought.
Ask him about his skincare routine and you won't get a superficial answer. He breaks it down, narrowing in on the ingredients that suit his needs and his overall wellbeing goals. A brief chat with the 35-year-old Malaysian entrepreneur tells me he takes wellness seriously, and he's not averse to putting in the time, research and hard work to create an amazing product.
'I'm actually really into wellness,' he says. 'This brand story has played into what I genuinely believe in. I love TCM (traditional Chinese medicine). I love a little bit of Ayurveda.' His daily regimen includes collagen peptides—'not just about healthy skin, hair and nails. It's joints and overall well-being,'—and a two-step hydration process combining hyaluronic acid products followed by oil-based products to combat dry skin.
Paloma, the Southeast Asian skincare brand co-founded by Koh along with Sheryl Oon and Howie Lee is a thrilling new venture for the entrepreneur, and quite a departure from his other passions—automotive design, hotel aesthetics, and cultural exploration. Not merely another beauty venture; Paloma is where Southeast Asian biodiversity meets scientific precision, where centuries-old healing traditions merge with contemporary skincare science.
Read more: Koh Li Tim Talks Lockdown, TikTok And His Favourite London Haunts
Above Paloma is where Southeast Asian biodiversity meets scientific precision, where centuries-old healing traditions merge with contemporary skincare science (Photo: Paloma)
Paloma boasts a considerable scientific advantage: an in-house medical scientist with a PhD and over three decades of cosmetic research expertise. This formulator, a family friend of co-founder Howie Lee, now divides his time between cancer research and developing Paloma's sophisticated formulations.
"This doctor is actually a family friend of Howie,'s' Koh reveals. "He's seasoned and he focuses on cancer research. He actually researches Southeast Asian herbs... and that's what he's doing now as well as formulating for us."
This scientific backbone gives Paloma the authority to bridge traditional wisdom with contemporary efficacy—a balance many brands aspire to but few achieve authentically.
See more: Investment banker-turned-skincare CEO Kimberley Ho doesn't take no for an answer
'We started during the Covid-19 pandemic,' he says. The pandemic-era inception meant the brand development stretched over three years, with numerous reformulations and strategic pivots.
Initially, the team experimented with Korean manufacturing, believing it would position them advantageously in the market. "We started making products in Korea because we thought that's where it's at. It was a lot of back and forth in those early stages, but the products were not as good as what our doctor was working on.'
This willingness to abandon established paths when they don't serve the greater vision underscores Koh's commitment to authenticity over expediency where Paloma is concerned. Even the brand's original name, 'Slate,' was discarded when they realised their vision had evolved.
Koh's background in automotive design might seem worlds apart from beauty entrepreneurship, but he sees clear parallels in the creative process.
'Coming from a creative background and a creative family, I think we seek to innovate, and that's what we do in hotel design, for instance,' he reflects. 'In school, I studied automotive design, and that was really the way you were taught. It's a constant thought process to innovate, so doing things run of the mill doesn't really work for me.'
This design-thinking approach has shaped Paloma's development, from formulation to branding. The very name 'Paloma'—chosen for its quiet ambiguity: 'It could be a person, it could be a place,'—allowing the brand to transcend geographic limitations while remaining rooted in Southeast Asian heritage.
'Having lived abroad for a time, I absorb the places and cities I see,' Koh shares. 'I love seeing what people like and do and eat. Asian skincare has obviously taken the world by storm. Whether it's Japanese and Korean skincare—these things are so celebrated today.'
It's in this rapidly exploding space that he sees Paloma growing considerably beyond even Asia: 'Of course, there's no brand that is quintessentially Southeast Asian—there's no such thing.'
This observation became Paloma's North Star—to be the definitive Southeast Asian luxury skincare brand on global shelves, standing alongside established brands like Glow Recipe, Topicals, and Ranavat.
Don't miss: Eleena Jamil on sustainable design rooted in Asian context
I'm a tough and discerning consumer myself, and frankly, I only want the best. Not the most expensive or the most elite, but the best in function, craftsmanship, innovation, design, uniqueness, and money's worth.
- Koh Li Tim -
At just eight months old, Paloma has already established distribution in Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States.
'The dream for Paloma is to capture the US market,' Koh confides. This global aspiration doesn't mean abandoning Southeast Asian roots—quite the opposite. Paloma aims to expand its botanical portfolio, with upcoming products featuring Moringa Oleifera, Ginger Root, Centella Asiatica (Pegaga), and Piper Betle.
In an industry where speed-to-market often trumps thoughtful development, Paloma's patient, heritage-centered approach might just be its most valuable aspect. And for Southeast Asian beauty traditions that have waited millennia for their global moment, a few extra years of thoughtful formulation seems a worthy investment indeed.
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"We started making products in Korea because we thought that's where it's at. It was a lot of back and forth in those early stages, but the products were not as good as what our doctor was working on.' This willingness to abandon established paths when they don't serve the greater vision underscores Koh's commitment to authenticity over expediency where Paloma is concerned. Even the brand's original name, 'Slate,' was discarded when they realised their vision had evolved. Koh's background in automotive design might seem worlds apart from beauty entrepreneurship, but he sees clear parallels in the creative process. 'Coming from a creative background and a creative family, I think we seek to innovate, and that's what we do in hotel design, for instance,' he reflects. 'In school, I studied automotive design, and that was really the way you were taught. It's a constant thought process to innovate, so doing things run of the mill doesn't really work for me.' This design-thinking approach has shaped Paloma's development, from formulation to branding. The very name 'Paloma'—chosen for its quiet ambiguity: 'It could be a person, it could be a place,'—allowing the brand to transcend geographic limitations while remaining rooted in Southeast Asian heritage. 'Having lived abroad for a time, I absorb the places and cities I see,' Koh shares. 'I love seeing what people like and do and eat. Asian skincare has obviously taken the world by storm. Whether it's Japanese and Korean skincare—these things are so celebrated today.' It's in this rapidly exploding space that he sees Paloma growing considerably beyond even Asia: 'Of course, there's no brand that is quintessentially Southeast Asian—there's no such thing.' This observation became Paloma's North Star—to be the definitive Southeast Asian luxury skincare brand on global shelves, standing alongside established brands like Glow Recipe, Topicals, and Ranavat. 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And for Southeast Asian beauty traditions that have waited millennia for their global moment, a few extra years of thoughtful formulation seems a worthy investment indeed.
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