Mentioning Charlotte Cho will surely connote her as the queen of K-beauty, who catapulted the trend into the global spotlight. From co-founding a leading skincare retailer, Soko Glam, to launching Then I Met You, and coining the viral ‘10-step skincare routine’, Charlotte is also the author of two books, “The Little Book of Skincare” and “The Little Book of Jeong”. Needless to say, her influence on the beauty industry is admirable. To commemorate Then I Met You’s launch in Sephora Singapore in April, we get up close and personal with Charlotte Cho to unravel her soulful discovery journey as the brand founder of Then I Met You and how the concept of “jeong” influences her brand from the start.

Interview with Charlotte Cho, the Founder of Then I Met You

Hi Charlotte Cho, it’s nice to meet you, and congratulations on the brand Then I Met You launching across Sephora in Asia. Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?

Thank you so much. Hi Singapore! I’m Charlotte Cho, the esthetician behind Then I Met You and the Korean beauty retailer Soko Glam. I’m also the author of The Little Book of Skincare and The Little Book of Jeong.

Can you share the story behind the inception of Then I Met You? What inspired you to take a leap of faith in launching your own brand after co-founding Soko Glam?

I spent five years living in South Korea and experienced the magic of Korean skincare firsthand. I built a powerful relationship with my culture and my skin and developed jeong with Korea: It changed my life, and I couldn’t wait to share what I had learned.

Driven by that jeong for Korea, I spent 10 years curating for Soko Glam, the online beauty destination I launched in 2012, which is credited for making K-beauty mainstream in the US. But I didn’t want to stop there. With Then I Met You, I wanted to create truly transformative skin care products that will stay a part of your life for years to come.

I’m curious, what’s the idea behind the brand’s catchy name?

No, it’s not named after a Korean drama 😉 I named my skincare line Then I Met You because I wanted to inspire everyone to go deeper into all the things that matter. The name, Then I Met You, signifies a turning point, which hopefully inspires you to pause, take a breath, cut out the noise, and go deeper into not only how you take care of your skin but also how you live.

I noticed you often emphasise the concept of ‘jeong.’ Could you elaborate more on what this means and how it influences your product development and brand ethos?

There are two major things I learned from living in Korea. One is how to really take care of my skin, and the other is the meaning of jeong: a cultural Korean word that describes a deep, emotional connection that’s cultivated over time with people, places and things.

Because of the jeong I have with Korea, I find it important for Then I Met You to honour Korea’s rich beauty culture while highlighting the country’s incredible innovations in research and development at the same time — a perfect fusion of our past and present.

The brand has also recently launched its latest product, Bong² Bounce Cream. Could you provide more details of this newly released product?

Barrier Creams are traditionally thick, creamy, and sit on the top of your skin. I was inspired to make Bong2 Bounce Cream, a barrier cream that is lightweight and gives a burst of moisture upon application, but still protects and fortifies your skin barrier! 

Hallabong is a beloved juicy citrus fruit grown in Jeju, Korea. It has a thick peel because the fruit is grown during the winter months, and must protect its precious juicy cargo throughout the cold season. Here is an application video of the texture and feel of the Bong2 Bounce Cream, which is infused with Hallabong extracts (high in natural vitamin C content), ceramides and squalane. It’ll make your skin look plump and dewy with moisture so that your cheeks will bounce right back!

For first-time users, what are three products from the brand that you recommend people purchase?

The three I would recommend are the cult classic Living Cleansing Balm that removes makeup, sunscreen and impurities through a luxurious sorbet that transforms into a beautiful oil. Next would be the Bong2 Bounce Cream, a lightweight barrier cream for moisture and skin barrier protection ideal for even the most humid days in Singapore, and finally The Giving Essence, a deeply nourishing essence fit with a proprietary blend of fermented brightening ingredients and 5% niacinamide.

If you could time-travel, which era in skincare history would you visit, and what skincare secrets would you bring back to the present?

Believe it or not, I often fell asleep without washing my face when I was in my teens! Double cleansing is now such an essential part of my skincare ritual. Most people do not know that double cleansing not only helps prevent breakouts but also prevents premature ageing, all while helping your skincare products work better on your skin.

Also, I am like many of those who did not take the time to apply sunscreen every day. Now I am seeing some of those bad decisions from the past emerge as sun spots on my cheeks! I incorporate vitamin C in many of my skincare steps to create a more even-toned complexion.

What’s your daily skincare routine like, and do you have any specific rituals or secrets that you follow?

It starts with the double cleanse, followed by a refining toner, a hydrating essence and a brightening moisturiser and sunscreen of course! 

One part of my ritual I’d like to point out is that oil cleansing is the perfect way to start and end your day, as it enables me to have a few minutes of relaxation and meditation. Using a gua sha tool or even just your fingers, you can use the slip from the oils to massage your temples, your jaw muscles and more. The result is a brighter and more lifted complexion.

Secondly, I like to use the oils on my neck and shoulders as well, before jumping into the shower to complete the rest of my cleansing routine. After emerging from the shower, I go right into the toner, essence and moisturiser steps. It’s a great way to upgrade your cleansing routine to be more full-bodied.

From co-founding Soko Glam to launching your own skincare line, Then I Met You, what’s the biggest challenge that you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?

Being your own founder or boss sounds far more glamorous than it actually is. You’re going to have to work harder than you’ve ever worked in your life and you’ll need to have extremely thick skin. 

The hardest challenge is marrying the creative love of skincare and formulation with the need to juggle and balance the business side of things. Sometimes, they are not in sync, and it becomes very difficult to make decisions.

You’re a woman known for wearing different hats, from founding Soko Glam, launching your own brand, to being the author of ‘The Little Book of Skincare’ and ‘The Little Book of Jeong.’ How did you navigate this entrepreneurial journey while taking time for yourself?

I am incredibly lucky to have a support system behind me; otherwise, it would not be possible to accomplish my entrepreneurial pursuits. From a support system at home that enables me to put in the hard work and discipline behind the brands, it’s obvious that the Then I Met You and Soko Glam team are the true MVPs. Without their creativity, talents, and dedication, it would not be possible. 

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for Then I Met You, and what’s next for the brand?

You don’t have a brand if you don’t have a product that your community can stand behind. For the first five years, we’ve been hyperfocused on creating intentional formulations that would really make each Then I Met You product effective and unlike any other. I believe the Then I Met You line is recognised and discussed around the world because our sensorial products speak for themselves. 

It has been surreal to meet our fans in Asia in person. Many told me they had been waiting for Then I Met You to be more readily available at their local beauty shops. 

I would love to have Then I Met You more accessible in stores across global markets. Launching in Sephora Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong and Malaysia has been a true full-circle moment for me. I’m excited to announce that we will be launching in more doors in other markets this year as well! 

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