Christine Chang and Sarah Lee know a good thing when they see it, especially when it comes to skin care. The founders of Glow Recipe—the US portal for the best Korean beauty products—are launching their first SKUs under their own brand name.
Glow Recipe’s Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser and Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask, out this month, are said to deliver on performance and aesthetics with a scaled down approach; for starters, the focus on single ingredients rather than a long list of materials. Both products are designed to fit into the American woman’s preference for a simplified beauty regimen.


At a special media unveiling in New York City, Chang and Lee referred to their debut SKUs as “The Hyphenates,” and described them as products that “pair the best of Korean technology and innovation with the results-forward backbone of Western beauty.”
“It was our goal to create formulas that meaningfully distilled what it is that we love about K-Beauty while saving the user time in a tangible way, without sacrificing the efficacy, sensoriality or playfulness of the product itself,” Chang told Happi.


“Both of these formulas harness a visible natural ingredient at a high percentage, which is a logical evolution of natural-leaning beauty. The visible natural trend has been gaining steam in Korea and we're really owning it for our launch as well,” said Chang. “Both the Blueberry Bounce Cleanser and Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask are natural formulas that also act as hyphenate products with dual usage as masks—certainly helping to streamline the skin care routine. It was our goal to create formulas that meaningfully distilled what it is that we love about K-Beauty while saving the user time in a tangible way, without sacrificing the efficacy, sensoriality or playfulness of the product itself.” 


The star ingredient in the mask is watermelon, which Lee called “ingrained in the Korean culture” and had known benefits.    
“Watermelon was the first fruit that came to mind for us - it's Korea's favorite fruit, especially during the warmer months…” Lee said.

 
“Watermelon is traditionally used in Korea to soothe irritated, inflamed skin in the summer—we both experienced it growing up,” added Chang. “Our grandmothers or mothers would cut thick slabs of the chilled fruit and rub the rind, with a hint of pink flesh still left on it on our backs or heat rashes in the summer. As we wanted to create a deeply hydrating product that is gentle on the skin but gives instant and visible radiance, watermelon was our natural choice.”


Comprised of 92% water, watermelon is an ideal hydrator for all skin types, according to the women.


“It's a rich source of potassium, as well as vitamins C and A. Watermelon also contains antioxidants and it's a very lightweight hydrator that's ideal for leaving skin nourished without heaviness, Lee said.


The mask formulation, which has a gel texture, contains real watermelon, not just watermelon extract, which also plays a part in the look and feel of the sleeping mask and the way the gel retains its cool temperature and imparts that cooling sensation to skin, noted Chang.


As an overnight mask, users apply two scoops of the gel as the final step of their evening routine, and then wash it off thoroughly in the morning. It can also be used as a wash-off mask by rinsing it off with lukewarm water after about 10 minutes.


The Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser is billed as makeup eraser and deep cleanser that cleans while hydrating like a toner. As a result, skin feels bouncy and smooth—but not tight, according to Chang and Lee.


Blueberry’s antioxidant can help minimize the amount of oxidized sebum on the surface of the skin while imparting lasting nourishing benefits to fortify sensitive or troubled skin.


Chang and Lee view these simplified formulations as a natural progression in the beauty sector.


“Both of these formulas harness a visible natural ingredient at a high percentage, which is a logical evolution of natural-leaning beauty,” said Chang.  “The visible natural trend has been gaining steam in Korea and we're really owning it for our launch as well.”  
Chang and Lee’s expert curation skills played a role in the launch.  


“It was our goal to create formulas that meaningfully distilled what it is that we love about K-Beauty while saving the user time in a tangible way, without sacrificing the efficacy, sensoriality or playfulness of the product itself,” said Lee.


As the launches hit the marketplace as summer heats up, Glow Recipe founders aren’t slowing down.


“We're going to continue working on more launches, more collaborations and more partnerships, said Lee. “Each day it feels like we're growing by leaps and bounds and it's fascinating to experience and witness the impact we have in the beauty market, globally. Our goal is making the amazing Korean skin care technologies accessible for all via 'skintertainment.' We have clearly mapped out our key milestones and strategies—stay tuned.”