Glow Recipe's Co-Founders on How Their Korean Heritage Shaped Their Skincare Brand
Christine Chang and Sarah Lee tell us how their Korean heritage became a vital part of Glow Recipe, and why their latest product was inspired by jjimjilbang – traditional Korean bathhouses.
Korean beauty is experiencing a sort of renaissance now. Plenty of brands are capitalizing on the hype surrounding clear, dewy skin, and the movement’s staunch focus on skincare instead of makeup.
But for Glow Recipe’s Korean-American co-founders Christine Chang and Sarah Lee, “K-beauty” is more than a marketing fad – it was an integral part of their childhoods. “Both Christine and I grew up doing a lot of beauty DIYs with our mothers and grandmothers,” says Lee. There were the traditional cucumber slices laid on the eyes and the more adventurous “concoctions with whatever was in the fridge.”
One thing was constant: a desire to care for their skin in as natural a manner as possible.
L'OFFICIEL: We’ve heard that your latest product, the Watermelon Glow Hyaluronic Clay Pore-Tight Facial Mask, was inspired by jjimjilbang, or Korean bathhouses. How did that come about?
Christine Chang: Back when we were frequently traveling to South Korea to curate the latest trends, one of our first pit stops would always be a bathhouse that had huge tubs of enzymes—an "enzyme bath"—which was an experience we’d always look forward to. Enzymes are different from acids in that they only dissolve the keratin protein in the skin, which is what binds dead skin cells. Because you’re loosening those binds, you’re lifting away just the dead skin cells and it doesn’t impact living skin cells, so you’re getting that gentle, "just enough" exfoliation. It would be an instant jet lag cure.
This is the same gentle yet effective exfoliation you will experience when using our new Watermelon Glow Hyaluronic Clay Pore-Tight Facial. The watermelon enzymes from fermented watermelon antioxidants brighten and exfoliate the skin, while the hyaluronic-infused, non-drying whipped clay decongests pores, and infuses skin with hydration. On top of that, the PHA and BHA work to smooth skin, for a quick five-minute at-home facial.
L'O: You mentioned that your grandmothers used to rub watermelon rinds on your skin to soothe and cool heat rash and irritation, which is what inspired you to create a fruit-powered skincare line. How else does your heritage tie into the brand?
Sarah Lee: From a young age, both Christine and I grew up doing a lot of DIYs with our mothers and grandmothers, with fresh products in our home. They would place cucumber slices on our faces and make concoctions with whatever was in the fridge – green tea bags, yogurt, honey, et cetera – and mix it all together and use the concoction as an instant face mask. It was always truly a part of our upbringing and heritage. Skincare for us was a lifestyle growing up. I’ve always learned from my mom if you take good care of your skin from an early age, and whenever and wherever possible, that it will reward and respect you back.
I think that a preventative skincare approach is very much a Korean philosophy. In the Western market, it was always about seeing dramatic results and instant gratification – it was about repairing instead of preventing. We reinterpreted the Korean skincare philosophy and called it “Day by Day and Skin by Skin." Just like any other part of your body, you should be in tune with your skin and in touch with how it is feeling day by day, and treat it accordingly. We combined the next-gen technology, inspired with our heritage, and created Glow Recipe.
L'O: Your factory is based in South Korea. Where do you find ingredients for your products, and how do you decide on which particular fruits to include?
CC: We learned growing up that natural ingredients are extremely beneficial and efficacious when treating and taking care of your skin. It has always been important to us to harness the power of these natural ingredients that are highly potent and antioxidant-powered. We work in a way where it’s not just a sprinkle of fruit so that it smells good or that it’s a “fun concept”. We harness the fruits in a way where it is truly maximizing the efficacy of each and every fruit, which is then deliberately paired with key actives that work synergistically together.
For example, the plum extract in our Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum has five different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, while the plum works synergistically to support the HA ingredient in the product. The result is a magical concoction that your skin loves. Our approach is all about gentle, yet potent efficacy and it’s really about the optimal blend of ingredients coming together.
L'O What’s your favorite product from the brand?
SL: Whenever I get asked what my secret to glowing skin is, I recommend the Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops as it gives an instant dewy look while brightening the skin tone over time. Our Watermelon Glow Dew Drops harnesses Niacinamide with soothing and hydrating watermelon to help skin effortlessly glow over time when used day and night as your serum. What’s unique about this product is that it’s a first-of-its-kind skincare-makeup hybrid, and can also be used as a makeup-gripping and glow-prolonging primer, as well as a highlighter that can be used on the high points of your complexion.
Ever since I’ve started using lab submissions of Dew Drops, I’ve been using this formula for both my morning and night-time skincare routines every single day and as primer and highlighter before my Zoom calls – and I’ve never gotten so many skin compliments!
CC: I frequently talk about how much I love the Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Cream. I’ve always wanted to use retinol but it was an ingredient that also typically came with side effects like redness, peeling, and irritation. Retinol also has a myriad of benefits for the eye area such as brightening dark circles, smoothing, and even potentially helping with milia. By encapsulating it for gentle timed release and also pairing it with nourishing, antioxidant-rich avocado extract, we created a formulation where everyone could easily approach incorporating retinol into their routine. I love using this above and below my eye area and gently pat in for a soothing mini eye massage.
L'O: What’s next for Glow Recipe?
SL and CC: Not only are we laser-focused on providing innovations with fruit-forward, clinically effective products, but we’re also continuing to evolve our values around real skin, female empowerment, and, particularly, sustainability. As a promise to our loyal community, we are committed to being carbon neutral by 2022.
