← #skinthusiast: the podcast
#skinthusiast: the podcast
KBeauty, Serum Wardrobes, Glass Skin and Listening To Your Skin with Sarah Lee of Glow Recipe
00:49:09
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- [00:00]
A
If the product has an active ingredient but it feels like a very nice hydrating treatment, then that's a win. It shouldn't have to feel like a stinging, you know, potent, harsh treatment. And I think a lot of people, myself included, were scarred by or traumatized, I would say even by the retinol experience.
- [00:22]
B
Welcome to SkenthusiasThePodcast, a place for listeners to hear from the experts and soak in tangible tips to get that glow from the inside out. I'm Amy, a skincare educator, pract, practicing dermatology, PA and beauty creator who bridges the gap between the consumer and the industry. Listening to the industry's top experts on everything from the best way to spot treat a pimple to the Holy Grail hair products you didn't know you needed to the drugstore finds that are better than luxury price tags. We cover it all here. Dermatologists, beauty and wellness experts, brand founders and thought leaders share their tips and tricks for all things beauty, skincare and wellness. Think of Hashtag Skusiasts like the coffee chat with the beauty gurus whose brains you've always wanted to pick. You won't get this kind of insight anywhere else.
- [01:04]
A
Foreign.
- [01:08]
B
Welcome to another episode of Hashtag skenthusiast, the podcast. On today's episode we have Sarah Lee. Sarah and I actually met at one of her events a little while back and immediately clicked. I love everything she stands for and she is the co founder of a brand that I personally love called Glow Recipe. You may have heard of it. So in this episode we're going to talk all about K Beauty, her upbringing, her earliest skin memories, what she does in her own skincare routine, how to layer skincare, which I think is a insightful conversation and also what we both think about younger and younger girls using skin care in their routines and if we think it's helpful or harmful. So sit back, relax and enjoy Sarah on Skin. Thus the podcast. Sarah I like to start every podcast asking my guest, what is your earliest skin memory?
- [01:56]
A
Oh, I have a lot, but the earliest let me think. I think it's when my mom cut cucumber slices and put them on my face and hers as well, and we were lying down on the couch together and she said I needed to do it. She didn't really explain at that point what it was. So I remember asking her, why are we putting food on our faces? Isn't this lunch? And she was like, you're out in the sun all day, you have to do this. This is going to help brighten your skin. So Then I learned this is something I needed to do as a bonding experience with my mom, but also to help treat. Treat my skin.
- [02:34]
B
And how old were you at this point?
- [02:36]
A
I was in elementary school, like, very young. Yeah.
- [02:39]
B
So do you. Do you think a lot of the traditions in your family, the women in your family, shaped you early on, like your love of skincare?
- [02:46]
A
Yeah, 100%. I think that's what inspired everything. Glow recipe and all. But, yeah, I mean, just going back to my childhood, I remember going to public bath houses with my mom, my grandmother, my aunts. It was like a family activity that we did pretty much every weekend. And I looked forward to it all the time. And it was a fun activity because not only were we all, like, bathing together, but we were bringing, like, ingredients from the fridge. I remember my mom taking spoiled milk from the fridge. And again, I was questioning why. Yeah. And it was just to splash it all over our body. And milk has lactic acid and helps to brighten and fortify the skin. And that's. That was a reason that I was explained. We used to drink a lot of rice sweets. I don't know if you know shika, it's a Korean dessert drink in the bathhouses. Steamed egg. While doing skincare, I mean, it was just such a family bonding experience. I also remember just like yogurt mixed with green tea bags. And it was just like a brightening trick that my mom had that we would do together, like a lot of DIYs say. And I also watched my mom do her skincare routines morning and night, but especially at night. She just had her little me moment in front of her vanity. She was sitting on her little chair and patting in her skin care and going through her steps. And just watching her was so mesmerizing. And I watch that every single night, you know, so that's just a very vivid memory that I have.
- [04:28]
B
I think that's so lovely for a young girl to see, too. Beyond just learning how to care for your body and care for your skin, seeing your mom take that moment for herself, because so often in today's society, the whole mom role is considered completely selfless. And you can't take any time for yourself. And everything is supposed to be about your kids, but I think it's so important for them to see us caring for ourselves and we can make sure we stay healthy and vibrant for ourselves and for them.
- [04:55]
A
Yeah. And I just watching her made me realize, like, you know, because even just a few minutes that she had to herself, like, she looked empowered, like she looked like she was just happy and relaxed and like nothing else really mattered, at least for those five to 10 minutes that she had to herself. So that's really the true meaning of self care. Right. Like that's, you know, what I've watched. And so for me, skincare is self care to this day. And it's just been so deeply ingrained because of all of the upbringing and the heritage, the Korean heritage that I have. Skin care is such a pivotal part of the culture.
- [05:31]
B
And I know that we're going to talk about this a little bit later, but I know you started your career with L'Oreal Korea, correct?
- [05:36]
A
Yes.
- [05:36]
B
So you lived there for some time, but did you grow up there as well?
- [05:39]
A
I grew up in Seoul and also Hong Kong. Yeah. So both in Asia, but big cities. And I always want to be in beauty. I just thought it was such a natural professional move because it was such a passion. I remember in college I went to an all women's university in Korea. I had what was called Sarah Salon. So basically I would invite all of my friends to my house and we would do from head to toe, like treatments. We would do blowouts for each other, like manis and pedis, obviously, sheet masks. Do you remember the cold masks they'll face? Yes. Yeah. So we used to do that. Just everything. And it was like a moment of new discovery with my friends sharing what's the latest and greatest. The very first Olive Young, which is such a big now huge, huge franchise in Korea with beauty stores. The very first flagship store opened in front of my university.
- [06:43]
B
Oh my gosh.
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A
Can you imagine? I was there every morning and afternoon before school and after school. And that's where you discovered new products. But also there were a lot of promotions going on, so we would just buy things in bundles and share with friends. It was just. It was actually a monthly event that fun my friends and I always look forward to. And it was just like a party.
- [07:06]
B
Oh my gosh, I wish I would have. That was like not on my radar in college. Not in self care. I wish. So, so then after college you immediately went to work for L'Oreal Korea?
- [07:16]
A
Yes.
- [07:16]
B
Yeah. And so tell me a little bit about that experience.
- [07:19]
A
Yeah, I always knew I wanted to do something in beauty. I had no idea what that even meant. But I had my sort of friends that had already graduated from the same university that worked at L'Oreal in Korea, and they were very happy with what they did and proud of what they did as well. So I just applied for an Internship in the Korea office got the job. And it was, I mean, it was a. It was very eye opening, I would say, because there's a lot of hard work that goes behind creating a product to launching a product. I mean, it's just, it's like a swan. Like, I really just. It's. I think it's the best analogy. It's beautiful and glamorous on the outside, but there's constant hustling. So, you know, as an intern, I was packing boxes. I was helping the PR team. I remember our very first event that I was in charge of was at Giorgio Armani Cosmetics in Korea. And they were just opening their first store in Seoul.
- [08:21]
B
No pressure, full pressure.
- [08:23]
A
And it was an interns project. I mean, that's the thing that I'm very appreciative of my experience because I think L'Oreal as a group has this philosophy of, you know, being entrepreneurial no matter what stage you're at. So even as an intern, I was given a massive project to basically manage a makeup event. And it was, you know, one of the most proudest moments for me. But yeah, it was, it was so eye opening. I learned that beauty is beyond, you know, self care and bonding experiences. There was a lot of strategy and, you know, planning and thought behind it. It was just so invigorating for me. So I immediately then applied for the full time job and. And I got that after three months.
- [09:07]
B
Amazing. And how long were you there before you came here to the US to work for Loria?
- [09:12]
A
So I was in the Korea office for about three and a half years total, I think, including the internship. And it's so interesting. You know, people always ask, how did you come to the US from Korea? I mean, obviously L'Oreal Korea was an amazing job. Like, it just was the place to be. And I was very proud to be working for that company. But I always wanted to have a global experience, especially when I lived in. Especially when I lived in Hong Kong with my family. I experienced, you know, the beauty of diverse cultures, people coming together from all different backgrounds. And I just wanted to sort of replicate that experience from a professional level. So I voiced that desire to the HR team, like year two of my career, like I, you know, long shot. Right. And you know, at that point, there was no Korean expat that was ever sent to the New York office.
- [10:11]
B
Wow. Really?
- [10:12]
A
Yes, it was a very big deal. So at first I was sent to Paris and that was a huge honor. But then I realized, you know, I wasn't fluent in French. And I was willing to learn the language. And I was very ambitious and passionate about what I wanted for my next steps, especially in product development in the global team. But I just thought it might be a better idea for me to pivot to an English speaking market. And even that was kind of a big deal because, you know, it's Paris. Like, who would say yield to that? But long story short, I ended up in New York as a first Korean expat. And it was just a life changing decision and experience. I would never change it for the world. And when I arrived in New York in 2008 at the height of the financial crisis, it was a very interesting vibe. Right. Walking into the office during that time. But I've learned so much and the dream to be in a product development team in a global office came true. It just was very surreal for me.
- [11:23]
B
That's amazing. And then that's where you met your co founder, Christine, correct?
- [11:28]
A
Actually, I met my co founder Christine in Korea.
- [11:30]
B
Oh, okay.
- [11:31]
A
She also started in L'Oreal Korea.
- [11:33]
B
That's amazing.
- [11:34]
A
Yeah.
- [11:34]
B
And I just read when I was doing research for this episode, I hadn't. I wasn't aware that Glow Recipe actually started as basically an online retailer before it was a brand.
- [11:45]
A
Yeah. So we started as we always kept the same name. So it was glow recipe.com and Christina, let me just tell you the story because it's really interesting. So Christina and I met in L'Oreal in Korea. We were fast friends. Like, we had a lot of just mutual interests and passion for skincare. And I moved to New York through work. She decided to actually study for her master's degree in New York City as well. And so we ended up in the same city around the same time. Completely unplanned. It was all a coincidence. But I always say, like, everything happens for a reason. And she ended up really missing the L'Oreal job. So she applied to the New York office because she was already living there. And we ended up working in the same office. Again, completely unplanned. Just Mary. Exactly. But we were always in different brands. So I was at Lancome, L'Oreal Paris, she was in Kiehl's. And she used to come to my New York City studio apartment very frequently. And we would sheet mask together, drink wine, catch up over everything in life. And one day we realized that we were still very inspired by Korean skincare innovations. And we were using products that we were purchasing from Korea whenever we traveled back there. And we also knew as global product developers that the next big thing would be Korean skincare. That's kind of the job, right? Like if you're a product developer, if you're a product developer as a global brand, you're looking at five, 10 years down the road. What's going to be the next big thing? And we always sort of came to that conclusion even though we were working in different brands. And so again, while sheet masking and drinking wine, we had this aha moment of wait a minute. Like we're the only two Korean Americans living in New York. We have the beauty experience from both Korea and the U.S. we're both bilingual, we speak languages Korean and English and we're the only two people with the same background. This is, this is something. Why don't we bring what we believe are amazing, natural, safe Korean skincare products to the States and furthermore global and join forces and co create glow recipe.com a destination for natural Korean skincare innovations. That's how it started and that was 2014.
- [14:19]
B
That's, it's just amazing to hear the journey and obviously what it's become. But for those listening who maybe K Beauty is something newer to them or they're just, they're seeing the surface of K Beauty, right? Like the surface level of it that we see on the Internet. What is it? What is the philosophy of K Beauty at its core to you?
- [14:37]
A
To me, Yeah. I mean, first of all, I want to say that K Beauty is now, I think evolved to Korean skincare a little bit more, at least from my lens. And it's, it's a little more elevated than how it used to be 10 years ago. Right. When we started our destination curation site, Glow Recipe.com it was more to share our knowledge and our approach to skin care, which is very much inspired from Korean skincare and our upbringing, which number one is very holistic. Right. You are not very cookie cutter when it comes to your skincare approach. Everyone's skin concern type is different. You have a different lifestyle, different sleep habit, different, different, you know, just like conditions depending on your mental or physical health. And based on that, you should only feed what your skin is craving and asking for, not more. So our philosophy was very much focused on that versus jumping on a trend of a snail mucin or venom. I mean those are the things that we were just not a part of. And so I will say, you know, when it used to be more of a trend driven category and sort of boxed in this, you know, one might call exotic category category or you know, low cost, cheaper products that are Actually good. I think now it's evolved after many years. It's innovative. There's beautiful and sensorial textures. But again, the approach and the philosophy to skincare is what drives it all. It's like you don't need to have one skin type to use this product. Like, everyone can have an array of products, but depending on your skin concern or condition that day, you can just give it what it needs because you're a little more educated, you're empowered, you know what you want, you're constantly learning, and there's so much information out there. So based on that and based on what you know best about your own skin, you're feeding it what it needs. And in addition, it's very preventative. That's another word that I would use as a description for Korean skincare. You know, I. Like I said, I learned how to take care of my skin from a young age. I'm in my 40s now. And, you know, I'm so grateful that I learned all the tips and tricks from age 10 from my mother. You know, as something as simple as double cleansing or leaving the skin cleansed and healthy longer than having makeup or SPF on or patting in the products versus rubbing or tugging, treating your skin like it's a baby because it's so delicate. And all of these little things really add up. Right? And I just think that those are the just aspects of Korean skincare that make it so special and actually drive even more innovations to come because people are just demanding for more.
- [17:40]
B
It's so interesting the way that you describe kind of, I always call it like listening to your skin and understanding what it needs that day. Because I think from an outsider, it can feel like this very, very maximalist approach where it's a lot of products and it can feel overwhelming. But the way you describe it is you might have all of these products, but it's not, not necessarily that you're using them each morning and each night. It's more learning your skin, understanding your skin, and kind of tailoring your regimen.
- [18:06]
A
That's exactly right. And, you know, we have eight serums in our portfolio right now at glowspace Skincare, and we call it a serum wardrobe. So it's kind of like that you would have a wardrobe of skincare products or treatments that provide different benefits. And, you know, your skin has usually more than one concern at any given time. So you might want to cocktail or layer different products, but that layering might be different from yesterday today. Right? So having a list of products that you think are Great for your skin. But again, like having just like fashion, like you would, depending on the weather, you would layer different clothing. So that's, that's the analogy that we like to educate our, you know, customers and community and say it's okay to have these products. You don't need them. Actually, the 1520 step routine that K Beauty was all described as back in the day, it's not really true, you know, and I can say firsthand, I mean, I'm Korean. I've used a ton of Korean innovations. I've never, ever surpassed 10 steps ever. And I just, I don't have time for that. But I also know that, you know, I can layer certain products and I can just customize a routine, and every day it's a little different.
- [19:24]
B
You keep mentioning, mentioning layering, so I want to go into that just briefly. Can you give us a how to on how to layer our products? Because this is probably one of the most common questions I get. There's essences, there's serums, there's, there's sprays, there's, you know, lotions, cream. So many different steps. What is the best way to approach layering in your skincare routine?
- [19:44]
A
Yeah, I think there's a couple things, but the most basic rule of thumb is go from light to thick. Right? Again, I just. The analogy to fashion applies here, too. In the winter, you would first put on the lightest layer of clothing and then work your way up to wearing a thick coat, not the other way around. That's how you're going to keep yourself warm, too, right? Again, if you have a thick, clunky coat and then put a white T shirt over, you're not going to feel as warm. So the same applies to skin care. You want to make sure each and every texture applies better and efficiently before you apply the next. So light to thick is kind of the rule of thumb. I would also say, you know, you have to think about the ingredients, right? There are ingredients that are complementary to each other, and there are, that may not. And also it depends on your skin sensitivity. Do you have sensitive skin? Do you react a lot to, let's say, potent vitamin C? Are you someone that hasn't really had a great experience with retinol in the past? You know, make sure you find formulas that have a lot of buffering, I say, which is, you know, it could have retinol, but make sure it has a lot of hydrating and soothing ingredients in the construct of the formulation. When you have that, it's a little safer to layer other products with other clinical actives together. But I would say take it slow. Right? Like you don't have to apply everything all at once. If you have sensitive skin, you probably want to take steps to achieve, you know, the goal of applying vitamin C and retinol in one routine. But you shouldn't do that from day one. Yeah. And also patch test if you have sensitive skin, always patch test. This is, you know, the area you want to do that and if you don't have any reaction, you're good to go. But again, you know, for potent actives, I would say start slow with maybe two or three times a week of application and then you can work your way up.
- [21:42]
B
This episode is brought to you by. Well, me. Skinthusiast.com is your one stop shop for all things skin, hair and beauty. I have countless blog post to educate you on all the skin concerns and most common skin questions I receive. We also have a complete skincare basics guide on our shop page as well as the cutest in my skin era crewnecks. If you want to support the show, please head over to skinthusiast.com forward/shop. And don't forget to rate and review the show wherever you listen to podcasts. And I also love formulations. You mentioned retinol having other like hydrating and barrier boosting ingredients in there. I love that because if you're someone who doesn't necessarily want to layer a lot of products, you're getting so many benefits just in that one serum.
- [22:26]
A
Exactly. I think that if the product has an active ingredient but it feels like a very nice hydrating treatment, then that's a win. It shouldn't have to feel like a stinging, you know, potent, harsh treatment. And I think a lot of people, myself included, were scarred by or traumatized, I would say even by the retinol experience. And that's actually one of the reasons why we launched our retinol product recently. I just didn't think that I would ever use a retinol ever again because my very first experience was, you know, I had some serious consequences. I had like redness peeling for three weeks straight. I couldn't go out like I looked like a monster. And I never had that experience ever before. So I don't think my skin was ready. I also think that I went too fast with a very high concentration level of retinol without really, you know, prepping my skin for that level of intensity. And. But I also think that looking back, I might have used a product that was just potent without other hydrating and Soothing, Exactly. That helped with the, the barrier and so that was really important. And I think the philosophy that we have for Glow Recipe embodies, you know, the Korean approach, but also the feeling of, you know, you don't need to worry about side effects. It's worry free, but it will do the work hard for you. And that's always been what we wanted to achieve with Glow Rest Recipe, because skin care should be enjoyable is our main mantra. It should be fun. You don't have to compromise. You can do it all. And we like to compare it with, let's say Legally Blonde. You know, you could go to Harvard Law and look beautiful and have blonde hair. I mean, there's just aspect of, you know, the bias that people have or the perception of like one category versus another. But I do think the modern world is blurring a lot of these and I think the message here is you can do it all.
- [24:31]
B
I love that. And speaking of that dichotomy kind of reminds me of something about Glow Recipe. Glow Recipe is kind of blown up on social media in the last, you know, five plus years, especially on TikTok. And we see these elaborate routines that give us like really beautiful hydrated glass skin. But then your approach as a brand, you show, I was on the website. I mean, there's, you see marks, you see blemishes, you see dark spots. I love that you guys highlight real skin. So how do you encompass both of those ideas? Showing real skin, but also kind of the. That really just beautiful, luminous glass skin that we've seen? How do you, how do you grapple with that as a brand founder?
- [25:12]
A
Yeah, that's a really good question. I always believed that keeping things real and transparent was at the core of what we should be as a brand. It's our DNA keeping it real. We actually have that like tagline internally. And I think that's how it all started because we actually never retouched any of the model imagery. We intentionally cast models that have blemishes, dark spots and hyperpigmentation. And the reality is we're very community driven. You know, when Christine and I founded Glow Recipe, we had no money. We actually started with $25,000 each and we started with 50K. And the two of us, we call ourselves a small community, the two co founders. And then it expanded. Now we have over 4 million plus followers across different platforms. And it's just incredible. But I think the whole mindset of let's keep this as community focused as, as possible, because it really did start from the two of us when no one knew us. And the collaborative spirit, the transparency, the keeping it real and making sure the people that are following us can feel like this is a product for them was really important. And, you know, the more we grew on social media, we also learned and saw that a lot of especially younger girls and younger generation, they would share with us that they felt very insecure by seeing other peers or influencers or people on social media that looked like they had a perfect skin, perfect life, perfect everything, when in reality, a lot of them are staged and filtered and photoshopped and retouched. Right. And so we actually, over the years, felt even more of the urgent to speak out and be able to again, keep that very first aspect of our brand DNA even louder. We started calling this real skin acceptance, and that's our core value to this day. And we are so passionate about this topic. This is, to me, a form of keeping it inclusive, because inclusivity or diversity doesn't mean, you know, it's inclusive in the form of, you know, different races or backgrounds coming together. It can be different skin tones and types, different, you know, points of your skin journey as well, and everyone feeling like they can still celebrate and be empowered. And so, you know, the definition for us, for real skin acceptance is you can achieve glass skin even if you have blemishes, because if you're taking good care of your skin, and that's our job, to give you the best innovations and the education, the tools for you to be empowered, you can get that. It's okay. We all have gone through it. I've had acne during my teen years, and, you know, did I love it? No. But looking back, I should have felt more confident about it. So there's been some takeaways also from my personal journey as well as Christine's and the rest of our team. And, you know, as a result, you know, the no retouch, no editing is just. It's table stakes for now. I think what we wanted to do is take it even further. So you might have seen some of our campaigns where last year we've done the industry's first blind casting where we never saw models faces, and we selected 10 models from across the country just by reading their application letters. And it was some deep questions. What does beauty mean to you? What, you know, has empowered you to feel confident? And, you know, what was skincare's role in your journey, in your life? And some of the responses were so emotional and powerful that I think in the first year, we had over 4,000 applications in just a matter of a couple days. And our team was reading all of those applications in tears. I mean, it just was the most powerful, even for our internal team, because we're doing something that's actually pretty impactful, right, for our community by keeping things real. And we're saying, we don't need to see your face. You're still going to look beautiful no matter what. But the inner beauty is important. Let's bring that outward and that, that will be our job as part of the campaign. And so, you know, we called it, do you D E W U. And, you know, we selected 10 models. And I still remember the moment I was on a zoom call and I had to announce the winner, one of the top 10. And she was a Down syndrome advocate, and we announced her. And then it was the first time seeing her also on zoom. But then all of a sudden, her family members and friends stood up behind her and hugging, tearing. I mean, it was just the most emotional moment. Like, I had to shut off my zoom camera and we were just like, bawling. But I mean, that's what you remember, right? Because you're doing something that impacts them so deeply by a very simple message. You can be a star of a beauty campaign no matter what your skin looks like, no matter where you're from.
- [30:46]
B
And that's the majority of us, right? The majority of us have visible skin concerns on our skin at any given time. And it's. It's actually a huge pet peeve of mine on social media, especially when I see skin experts who are using filters because the technology is so good. Now, you really, you really sometimes can't tell. I know people who aren't in the industry, industry certainly can't tell young girls listing. And it's so unattainable and so unrealistic. And I wish that there was more even regulation in this space, because I think if you're educating about skin care, you are. I mean, I, I understand why people use filters, but I think in that specific space, if you're educating about skincare and saying, look, this product, I'm using it on my skin, you need to show your skin. I think it's just, it's unfair to the young girls who are watching and feel that there's just this goal that's unattainable for them. I want to ask you, what do you think about young girls using skincare? Because that's kind of like having a huge viral moment right now. And I think there's kind of two sides. I think people look at it as kind of ridiculous when they see these young girls going into Sephora and spending hundreds of dollars on a routine. And the way I think of it is, you know, I do think it's teaching self care at a young age. And also I'm like, there's worse things that they could be interested in. So I'd love to hear your thoughts because I'm assuming Glow Recipe also has a. Has a younger, we do. Client base as well just because of how fun and exciting the brand is. So what are your thoughts on. On this?
- [32:16]
A
Yeah, I have a lot of thoughts on that because I was also asked this question a million times.
- [32:21]
B
I'm sure.
- [32:23]
A
But I mean, I'm seeing it like, I mean, we get emails and comments from very young customers. First of all, I'm grateful that they have so much love and support for the brand and genuinely excited to use our products. I think the most important thing is are the parents involved? Right. Are the parents helping them and having conversations with them when they are purchasing products and applying these products? Because I think without that, that's when the concern comes with anything. Just at that age. Yeah. To your point, skincare is probably a lot better than some of the other things that the kids could do. But so, so then, you know, the next question is, what products are they applying? Right. At that age they don't need retinol. I agree with all of the chatter out there. They don't need a strong acid on their skin or vitamin C. I think, you know, having good fundamental skincare routine is great. I had that growing up. It was basically cleansing, moisturizing and protecting with spf. And that's really all you need when you already have a good base right at that age. And so if you're taught to do that and you're following your routine on a regular basis is. And you're diligent about it. I think it's the best thing actually. But you don't have to do anything beyond that.
- [33:48]
B
Yeah, I think it's really amazing that these young girls and boys are going to grow up with a love for caring for themselves and for protecting their skin. I mean, it is to have the best skin. Yes. It's so different from when I grew up and we were like using tanning beds. I mean that, I mean, it's funny because like no one was, no one was in an uproar about teenagers going to the tanning salon after school.
- [34:10]
A
But now we're upset by tanning, you.
- [34:13]
B
Know what I mean? Like, it's just ridiculous. So anyways, Your skin is beautiful, glowing than you. I mean, you know, we're both in this. We. Yes. So we, we take great care of our skin and we're lucky that we get to try a lot of fun things. But what is your personal skincare routine right now?
- [34:31]
A
So I can explain with products too?
- [34:34]
B
Yes, I would love that.
- [34:35]
A
My nighttime routine is a little different from my morning routine. I have oily combo skin. And I'll start with vulnerably sharing some of my skin concerns. I have hyperpigmentation, I have red, I think I have rosacea, I have redness, I have dark circles. And I have poor concerns. So, you know, there's more, but let me just start with those. At night, I always don't double cleanse every single night, even if I'm not wearing makeup because I wear SPF every day. And as we all know, an oil removes an oil, right? That's just pure science. So for those of you that are not double cleansing, please start today because it will be game changing. Like completely game changing.
- [35:19]
B
The best thing that you can do, right?
- [35:21]
A
Like actually everything else doesn't matter as much as this is what I will say. And again, I learned that from a very young age. I was not allowed to sit on the couch or eat any snack until I washed my face. That was just the house rule. And so, and I'm glad that I had that habit and now I still apply it to this day. So as soon as I get home, I double cleanse and I spend a good 1 plus 1, 1 minute on the oil based cleanser and another minute on the water based cleanser and I just spend time on it. The rest I'm very fast with. But cleansing is worthwhile to take the time because you really want to get everything off of your face. So starting with makeup and spf, you know, massaging your skin with an oil based cleanser. We have a papaya sorbet cleansing balm, which is so nourishing and it also dissolves even waterproof makeup. So I know a lot of people are super fans of that, that specific product. I can't live a single day without my papaya cleansing balm. So, yeah, like circular motion, give it a full minute for it to fully dissolve. I would say after maybe 30 seconds, start applying water and emulsifying and you'll see sort of like white milky liquid coming, so satisfying coming off of your skin. And it's sort of like washing dishes, right? Like you put your dishes with a detergent for a good amount of time until it Actually works hard versus, like, literally washing it off right away. Like, it's a very similar analogy there. Then I would use. Currently, I'm using the Avocado Ceramide cleanser.
- [37:02]
B
That's one of my favorite products of glow recipes.
- [37:05]
A
Like, amazing.
- [37:06]
B
One of my. I have dry skin and I can be a little bit sensitive. And I just love that the cleanser has ceramides in it. I'm a super fan of that cleanser.
- [37:13]
A
Awesome. Okay, we're gonna have to refill your cleanser. But yeah, currently that's my favorite as well. It's just so moisturizing. Even though it's a cleanser, and when we developed it, it was important for us to feel like even after washing off your face, your skin isn't stripped off. Then I move on to my toner step. And because I have poor concerns, I love using the watermelon portite, BHA and PHA toner. It's. It's an iconic product. We sell one bottle every 12 seconds around the globe. It's just been just incredible. But I also am not surprised that people love it so much because the texture is so unique. And it actually does refine and tighten your pores because of the blend of PHA and bha. And it's very hydrating. So it's not your typical acid toner or pore tight toner. Like, it actually feels like a hydrating product even though it has these benefits. So for me, it helps to set the tone, no pun intended, but also hydrate and help with the pores. It also helps infuse the rest of the products really well. So it's my first liquid. It's my first liquid leave on treatment. Then I move on to my eye cream. And a lot of people ask, ask, why eye cream before the serum? And there's a real reason for it. It's because a lot of serums are not ophthalmologists tested. And you know, if you've have. If you had experience applying vitamin C near your eyes and you tear it up and there was some stinging, it's because of that. And so you want to protect your eye area first before you're. You're applying something more concentrated, which is a serum step. So I have the guava bright eye gel cream, which helps with dark circles, and it also helps to smooth and moisturize the eyes. It has a pretty high concentration level of vitamin C, and guava is another vitamin C ingredient. So it's just a really, like, powerful brightener. And then I move on to the Serum step. I usually use at least two serums, but I just, I'm really quick with layering. Sometimes I mix the two. I'm currently using the Plum Plum hyaluronic serum, which is basically your hyaluronic acid serum. And it has five different weights of hyaluronic acids. This really, it's really, it really helps to fill your skin with hydration, which is great for that plumped result. And it makes a difference to me. It's a white T shirt in my white wardrobe. You know, again, I just keep comparing with fat shell, but it's a staple and it's. And it's daily essential for me. And it's very lightweight. It's like a liquid, so you don't really feel like you have anything on, even though it's working hard for you underneath. And then over that. Currently I'm using the BlackBerry retinol blemish serum. And it's, it's very, you know, much in line with what I explained earlier. You know, it, it has retinol. It's. It's 0.16%. So it's not a huge, huge, you know, concentration level, but it's, it's that, like, effective level that we wanted to keep. And it's, you know, buffered with hyaluronic acid. It has, you know, different soothing actives and it just. And it has 8% glycerin, by the way, which is a strong amount of glycerin.
- [40:39]
B
When I've tested it and felt it on the skin, you know, glycerin is one of those ingredients when it's in a high concentration, you can really feel it working.
- [40:45]
A
It's. It makes a difference.
- [40:47]
B
It does.
- [40:47]
A
And it doesn't make it feel sticky because that's always a challenge with glycerin when you're developing products. But this was just the right amount, so I love using that. It doesn't feel like a retinol treatment. It feels like a hydrating serum. And. But I wake up to firmer, bouncier skin the next morning. At night, I use a Plum Plum hyaluronic cream. So that's. I'm sealing everything in now with a moisturizer. And it's. Even though I have oily combo skin because it absorbs, even though it's a cream, it absorbs in a flash. It feels so lightweight on the skin. But I love, when I wake up in the morning, like, kind of like flicking my cheek and knowing that it bounces right back. It just means the products worked hard for You?
- [41:32]
B
Yeah. If I wake up in the morning and I still feel my products looks working for me, like, you know, there's a difference. You can feel when you're completely soaked, everything dry versus when you still have a look. I love that. If I did something right.
- [41:44]
A
Same. Yeah. It feels great.
- [41:46]
B
Yeah.
- [41:47]
A
So that's my evening routine.
- [41:48]
B
Okay.
- [41:49]
A
Yeah.
- [41:49]
B
And morning time.
- [41:50]
A
Morning time is shorter. And because I have oily combo skin I don't like the least. Favorite thing is to feel like my skin is suffocating or my. My. My pores are clogging. Like, I just don't like any of that. So in the morning, I would cleanse very lightly with just a small, like, dollop of the avocado cleanser. I don't double cleanse because I've already done an amazing, you know, skincare routine the night before. But because I have oily combo skin, it's important to at least cleanse the T zone because the oil and the sebum build up overnight.
- [42:25]
B
It's refreshing too.
- [42:25]
A
It's refreshing. Yeah. But that's another question I get a lot. Do you need to cleanse every morning? Right. My answer is it depends on your skin. But if you have oily combo. Yes.
- [42:37]
B
I agree completely. Yeah, I agree. If you're more on the dry side and you find that, you know, cleansing your skin every day ends up making you feel more stripped, it's absolutely fine to skip it. I think people get concerned if they're using active ingredients at night, but that's totally fine. You can skip your cleanse in the morning and go on with the rest of your routine. But I do find it especially for me, I have dry skin, but in the summer months here in Miami, I always cleanse in the morning.
- [42:59]
A
That makes sense. Yeah. And then I would tone either with the Portai toner or Cloudberry essence toner. Just want to feel like I have, like, this liquid leave on treatment to kick off the routine. Then sometimes I have to say, like, skip my eye cream. I don't always use it day and night. Like, nighttime, it's a must have for me. Daytime, it depends on how much makeup I'm using too. I want to make sure that if I'm wearing makeup or concealer, I do have the eye cream on. If not, I'm a little loose about it, to be honest. But I definitely move on to my two step serums. So usually it's either plum plum or the avocado serum, which helps to soothe my skin and again, like, set the tone for the. The rest of the products. And then I apply the dew drops. Dew drops again, Another iconic product that also we sell every 12 seconds around the globe as well.
- [43:54]
B
I also love the hue drops too. I want to give them a little.
- [43:58]
A
Yeah, that's a really amazing product that I'm just so excited for people to try. So I use that actually after my moisturizer. So I've cleansed, toned, used two serums, cocktail them with dew drop drops, and then I moisturize with pink juice oil free moisturizer. Because I just want something seek to light me. Exactly. Then I use hue drops instead of a foundation. Yeah. Because hue drops has a very slight, like warm tone that one can say it's like a sheer bronzing tone, but it's very, very sheer, like, so any skin tone can enjoy it. But the reason why we develop, developed it is because a lot of people were already mixing their bronzing or, you know, foundation products with dew drops. So we wanted to make your life a little easier. This doesn't have coverage, but it helps because of the tone that it provides. It evens out your skin tone. So for me, because I have redness and uneven skin tone challenges, hue drops is really like that fix for me without having to wear foundation. A lot of people said that they replaced their foundation with, with hue drops.
- [45:03]
B
That's amazing. Yeah, that's the goal, right? To be able to replace our foundation with our skincare. Okay. What is your most underrated skin tip?
- [45:12]
A
Underrated skin tip is an easy fix.
- [45:15]
B
For people that really makes a difference in your skin.
- [45:18]
A
Actually applying eye cream with your ring finger.
- [45:22]
B
Okay.
- [45:23]
A
I don't think everyone does that.
- [45:24]
B
No, right. You know, I do it intuitively. It's so funny. Yeah, it's just like, I feel like, like I don't know why. I just, I, I always do it. But what's your reasoning? Why do you love it?
- [45:34]
A
Yeah, you're an expert, so that's true. But you know, ring fingers, because they are the softest, softest in terms of pressure of all the fingers. And I just love like adding a little scoop, like sharing it with the other finger. And then starting from like right underneath your eye, inner circular motion and tapping gently. A lot of people rub like even, even with the ring finger. A lot of people rub the eye cream under the eye. You should not do that ever. I will say, you know, that will make a big difference, like even the rubbing versus the padding action because rubbing or pulling or tugging will cause micro tears and that can compromise your barrier and you don't want that down the road right now, you're not going to see it, but it builds up over time. That's when you're going to see earlier signs of aging.
- [46:26]
B
I need to take that tip because I sometimes when I'm watching my videos back, I'm like, oh, my gosh, I'm so rough with my skin when I'm putting on skin care.
- [46:34]
A
I mean, you have to do.
- [46:35]
B
It's working like, you know, learn, learn a little bit of padding rather than rubbing it all over my skin. Last question. If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?
- [46:46]
A
Wow. That you can do it all, actually, just like our products, you know, Glow Recipe is all about no compromises. You know, being super efficacious while having sensoriality and beautiful textures and giving joy and fun to people's lives. You know, because skincare can really uplift you. And I truly believe that. Yeah, I would say that to my younger self because I think, you know, one can say, when you're so ambitious and you're working so hard, does that mean you have to compromise, you know, your personal lives or relationships? You don't have to. And I've learned it the hard way, to be honest. And I'm a mom. I have a very young baby, 17 months. And that's something that I also learned, too. I can be a mom, a good mom, even though I'm not always home because I have to travel for work or I'm working all day long. So I only see him sometimes in the mornings or before I put him to bed. But those are the precious moments. And as long as I'm very present and I'm, you know, giving him the love that he deserves, then I think that's. That's good.
- [47:59]
B
That's most important. And I always try to remind myself, too, with my young daughter. I'm doing this for her, you know, So a lot of this, this is for her to see just a different way of life, to see me working hard and also to provide for her.
- [48:14]
A
So to be an example for her. Exactly.
- [48:17]
B
I think that's great. Sarah, thank you so so much for coming on the show and giving us a little bit of an insight into K Beauty and Glow recipe and into your routine. I definitely took away some tips, so I know the audience will too. So thank you.
- [48:30]
A
Thanks for having me.
- [48:31]
B
Thank you for tuning into this week's episode. I'm going to leave a couple of my personal favorite Glow Recipe products below. You already heard how much I love the hu drops and the Ceramide cleanser. I'm going to leave a few below that I use in my own routine. And of course, we're going to leave all of Sarah's favorites, her entire routine from start to finish, below. If you want to find them on Instagram, they're Glow recipe. And her personal content is so fun to consume too. So without further ado, I will talk to you next week.