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In the words of our judges
“By challenging beauty norms, Christine and Sarah have propelled Glow Recipe to the forefront of the industry, blending K-beauty innovation with sustainable skincare to emerge as trailblazers in clean beauty.”
Beauty industry veterans Christine Chang and Sarah Lee are giving skincare a glow-up by transforming it from an intimidating chore into an enjoyable respite. Chang and Lee have been passionate about skincare since their childhood in Korea, where it is a valued form of self-care. Motivated by a desire to make skincare more approachable for other cultures, they left successful careers at a multinational personal care company and used savings to pursue their passion.
In 2014, they started Glow Recipe as an e-commerce site, curating select Korean beauty products to educate consumers and build a community. Drawing from their industry experience, they started offering their own products — clean, clinically effective and fruit-forward skincare elixirs reminiscent of the homemade remedies of their youth — three years later.
Through Glow Recipe, Chang and Lee are also dissolving unrealistic beauty standards, helping consumers feel comfortable in their own skin and celebrating people’s natural glow, imperfections included. That’s why, in all customer touch points, they have banned “perfect,” “flawless,” “ageless” and other buzzwords that perpetuate insecurities. Efforts like the recent Dew You campaign, with a blind casting where models were selected solely based on their personality and thoughts about inner beauty — a first in an image-conscious industry — highlight their advocacy of acceptance.
With a relatable approach and strong customer community as important ingredients in its success, the company has become the top skincare brand sold online by a leading retailer in the US and has entered South America and Europe. Glow Recipe continues to illuminate the world one complexion at a time, offering a blend of authenticity and inclusivity that promises not just to expand its global footprint but to redefine the very concept of beauty.