Korean beauty continues to capture the attention of beauty enthusiasts around the world, championing innovative formulations, unique packaging, and skin care products with a focus on glowing, glowing skin.
One brand that does particularly well in this category is Then I Met You. The company has built a loyal following for its innovative Korean ingredients and powerful active ingredients that promise a sensual skin care experience.
The US-based brand represents the fusion of founder Charlotte Cho’s extensive experience in the Korean beauty field as co-founder of K-beauty retailer Soko Glam with her background as an American esthetician.
First launched in 2018, the Living Cleansing Balm and Soothing Tea Cleansing Gel are two products that remain the brand’s hero products, creating the perfect cleansing duo.
Since those initial launches, the company has only introduced one or two products a year. “We are six years old and only have 10 products, which speaks volumes about the intention behind the brand,” says Cho. “We are here to create the Holy Grail and earn the trust of our community. Therefore, my goal is to create only outstanding products that deliver results.”
This strategy applies not only to the products themselves, but also to the ingredients used in them, leveraging Cho’s previous experience to create results-oriented formulations.
“It was a great opportunity to learn through Soco Glam,” she told TheIndustry.beauty. “I have tested hundreds and thousands of products over the years, have access to continuous innovation, and have talked to manufacturers and chemists who share with me and drive innovation forward.”
And once a product is launched, innovation and evolution don’t stop there. Take the brand’s Bon Bounce cream, for example. This was developed following customer feedback from our previous launch. “I took this feedback to heart and decided to discontinue one product and try a different type of gel cream.Currently, out of our 10 products, Bon Bounce Cream is our number one seller. 2,” Cho reveals.
“So I’m glad we decided to take the plunge and listen to the community, because even I don’t have everything right and there are some things I would like to improve.”
Similarly, Cho has also made various packaging changes based on customer feedback. The popular Birch Milk Refining Toner has been updated with translucent packaging to showcase the product’s “natural milkiness” (Cho’s decision), but also to allow customers to see how much product is left. It also became.
In addition to playing a key role in product development, establishing a strong community is paramount to the overall success of your brand. “If you don’t have a community, you don’t have a brand,” Cho says.
“Without word of mouth, no brand can grow in this highly saturated beauty market, and word of mouth remains the most powerful form of marketing and brand awareness.” Beauty is an emotional and emotional experience; consumers need to believe in the brand and what it stands for to achieve success.
“It takes years to build trust, but it can also be lost overnight. So nurturing relationships with customers is very important. It also needs to be based on a really solid formula. If we don’t, consumers won’t come back.”
“No matter how much you pay influencers to talk about your product, if your brand can’t stand on its own with its formula, it’s not sustainable. That’s not to say that platforms like TikTok can be fun. It’s not that we don’t do things, but we still always rely on the effectiveness of our products and everything else is secondary. ”
The business, which has grown purposefully and thoughtfully, shuns contraptions and focuses on long-term sustainability, aims to continue this organic growth, including across the UK, where it has established a presence. It continues to expand.
Earlier this year, Then I Met You was launched online and in 33 Space NK stores, marking the brand’s physical store debut in the UK and strengthening its international distribution.
In just a few months, the brand has exceeded expectations and continues to expand its in-store presence, recently launching at its newest Space NK store in Manchester’s Trafford Center, where the Gondola will run until December. is in operation.
“Although we had already launched online in the UK through Cult Beauty and our own website, we wanted to expand our in-store presence with Space NK,” explains Cho.
“We have a lot of knowledgeable beauty advisors who can talk about the brand and make sure interested customers understand what’s special about Then I Met You. It’s the perfect environment.”
And to ensure continued success and drive further recognition, the brand’s comprehensive approach to the UK market includes a focus on storytelling and community engagement, taking into account the demand for Korean skincare. This includes educating customers about the benefits of K-Beauty principles.
“The British market has always been interested in Korean beauty, but never to the level of the US. The US has accepted this with open arms, but the UK has been a more cautious observer. However, with TikTok reinvigorating Korean beauty, this market is now seeing more interest among young people who want to explore K-beauty more.
With this in mind, Cho hopes this localized strategy will continue to strengthen Then I Met You’s sales and brand awareness in the UK. But as for broader ambitions, Cho admitted: “To be honest, we haven’t quantified it yet. We just want to make sure we’re really, really focused on expanding the business.”
