Draft:Glow Recipe
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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cosmetics |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Sarah Lee Christine Chang |
| Headquarters | New York City, New York, United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Skincare products |
| Website | www |
Glow Recipe is an American skincare company founded in 2014 by Korean-American entrepreneurs Sarah Lee and Christine Chang. The company is known for popularizing Korean-inspired skincare products in the North American beauty market through fruit-based formulations.[1][2] It was initially launched as an e-commerce platform curating Korean beauty brands before expanding into its own skincare line in 2017.[3]
The company gained recognition for products such as the Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask, which became a bestseller at Sephora and contributed to the mainstream popularity of K-beauty skincare routines in the United States.[4]
History
[edit]Glow Recipe was founded in New York City in 2014 by former L'Oréal employees Sarah Lee and Christine Chang.[5] The founders met while working in the beauty industry and identified a gap in the American market for accessible Korean skincare products and education around K-beauty routines.[6][7]
The company originally operated as an online retailer and curator of Korean beauty brands, focusing on natural and cruelty-free products.[8] In 2015, Lee and Chang appeared on Shark Tank, where they received investment offers but never finalized a deal.[9][10][11]
In 2017, Glow Recipe launched its own skincare line with the Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask and Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser.[12] According to company statements, the Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask sold out multiple times after launch and generated a waiting list of more than 8,000 customers.[13]
The company gained a reputation for its fruit-inspired skincare products made from ingredients such as watermelon, avocado, papaya, plum, blueberry, and guava. It combines Korean skincare philosophies with clinically focused ingredients and emphasizes hydration, skin barrier protection, and sensory textures.[4][8][14] Its Watermelon Glow Juice Moisturizer was also chosen as one of the 7 AAPI-owned skincare products recommended by Forbes.[15]
Glow Recipe has marketed products through social media platforms, especially TikTok and Instagram, and developed a community-focused marketing strategy focused on skincare education and transparency.[16] It eventually expanded internationally to Europe and South America through partnerships with Sephora and other retailers.[17] By 2023, the company reported approximately $300 million in retail sales.[18][3]
Influence on K-beauty
[edit]Beauty industry publications have credited Glow Recipe with helping introduce Korean skincare concepts and products to mainstream American audiences during the global rise of K-beauty in the late 2010s and early 2020s.[4][19][7]
The company emphasized simplified skincare education and challenged the perception that Korean skincare routines required ten or more steps. Glow Recipe also helped popularize terms such as "glass skin" among Western consumers through social media campaigns and retailer partnerships.[6][20]
Awards & recognition
[edit]Glow Recipe has been included in industry rankings and award lists from publications including CNBC, Glossy, Fast Company, and Women's Wear Daily.[21]
The company and its founders have also received recognition for marketing innovation, social media engagement, and community-driven branding strategies.[22]
- 2024 - Watermelon Dew Drops listed among The 2024 100 Greatest Skin Care Products of All Time by WWD.[23]
- 2025 - Glow Recipe was listed as one of the "121 Brands That Matter in 2025" by Fast Company.[24]
- 2025 - Listed among the 10 best sunscreens by Harper's Bazaar.[25]
- 2025 - Women's Wear Daily listed Glow Recipe in its "The 2025 Most Powerful Beauty Brands."[26]
- 2025 - Best Tinted Lip Balm: Glow Recipe Glass Balm Lip Treatment by Allure (magazine).[27]
- 2025 - Allure Readers' Choice Winner[28]
- 2026 - Watermelon Glow Dew Balm SPF 45: Best Sunscreen Stick by New Beauty.[29]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "How Glow Recipe Turns Fruit Into Wildly Popular Skin Care Products". Inc. Brit Morse.
- ^ "Glow Recipe Reaches $100 Million In Sales; Cofounders Share Ingredients For TikTok Success". Forbes. Tanya Klich. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ a b "How Glow Recipe became a $300 million business". Fortune. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ a b c "Inside Glow Recipe's Big Global Plans". WWD. James Manso. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ "Glow Recipe putting the glow on NY". The Investor. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
- ^ a b "The Allure Podcast: The Glow Recipe Founders on the Evolution and Future of K-Beauty". Allure. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ a b "Glow Recipe Co-Founders on the Global Rise of K-Beauty". Hypebae. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ a b "Exclusive: Glow Recipe Reveals Its New Cleansing Balm And Bestselling Beauty Strategy". Forbes. Sarah Y. Wu. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- ^ "How two "true beauty girls" created the recipe to skincare success". Vogue AU. Lucie Clark.
- ^ "How Glow Recipe Passed Up a Shark Tank Deal and Still Won Skincare". Worklife Ventures. 2 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ "Live Event Wrap-Up: How to Market a New Brand". Business of Fashion. BOF Team. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "Sarah Lee And Christine Chang On What Inspired Their Cult Brand, Glow Recipe". Vogue HK.
- ^ "Korean Inspired Glow". The Korea Society. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ "Glow Recipe: About Us". Glow Recipe. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ "7 Skincare Products By AAPI-Owned Brands You'll Want To Add To Your Beauty Roster". Forbes. Jennifer Ford. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ "Glow Recipe founders Sarah Lee and Christine Chang on how they helped bring K-beauty into the mainstream". Elle Canada. 6 March 2026. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ "Glow Recipe's Growth Plans: The Skin Care Giant Looks Abroad". WWD. James Manso. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ "Sarah Lee and Christine Chang". Cosmetic Executive Women. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ "Exclusive: Glow Recipe Launches Skincare-Based Makeup". Business of Fashion. Brennan Kilbane. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
- ^ "The Glow Recipe Cofounders Share Their Beauty And Skincare Predictions For 2019". Forbes. Celia Shatzman. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
- ^ "How Glow Recipe's co-CEOs turned $50,000 into a $100 million brand". CNBC. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ "Glow Recipe social media customer loyalty". Inc. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ "The 2024 100 Greatest Skin Care Products of All Time". WWD. James Manso. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ "121 Brands That Matter in 2025". Fast Company.
- ^ "Best New Sunscreens 2025". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ "The 2025 Most Powerful Beauty Brands". WWD. James Manso. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ "Best of Beauty Lips Winners 2025". Allure. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ "Readers' Choice Winners 2025". Allure. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
- ^ "Watermelon Glow Dew Balm SPF 45". NewBeauty. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
