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Growing up, my hair was my super power. It was the one thing about me that everyone uniformly praised as beautiful and strong. When my parents introduced me to their friends or church goers, they'd exclaim, "Oh my, just look at her pretty hair!" But here's the thing: I really hated my hair. It was so long and so thick and so tangle-y and MY GOD THERE WAS SO MUCH OF IT!! I hated brushing my hair almost as much as brushing my teeth at night. It hurt when my grandmother combed through it. It hurt when she divided them into braids. It hurt when we washed it at bath-time. And just the thought of repeating the entire choreography all over again the next day...? Well, that hurt too. I remember one night, I literally tried sleeping face down to keep my hair from re-adopting its nest-like features by the time I woke up. It didn't work. There I was, in my young 40s, and my hair was still as unmanageable as ever. I tried so many things--braiding it when I went to bed, super expensive hair masks that my posh Beverly Hills hair stylist recommended, fancy brushes that were GUARANTEED not to hurt, brushing my hair every single night. And nothing worked. My hair was always tangled, it was always dry and brittle, and, worst of all, it seemed it was coming out in clumps in the shower. I needed a shampoo that wasn't going to break the bank and was going to actually help my hair. So although K-beauty is known for glass skin, I wanted to launch a product that would go viral for strong, lustrous hair. Why shouldn't all the tradition and the powerful ingredients of K-beauty be as effective at promoting healthy, vibrant hair? ENTER KOREAN VEGAN BEAUTY SMOOTHING SHAMPOO.  Why "smoothing" shampoo? I needed something that would hydrate my hair, while also strengthening it--so much so that I wouldn't need to use a daily conditioner. Daily conditioning often left a residue and heaviness that I didn't like, so I wanted to create a shampoo that cleans, heals, and hydrates. But don't you need a conditioner? I really wanted to focus on creating the PERFECT shampoo before worrying about a conditioner. I think marketing has gotten a little carried away with conditioners and I wanted to return our attention to the first thing we put into our hair when we shower--that's the shampoo.   That said, yes, I do use a conditioning mask 1 to 2 times per week. And since many of you have asked, The KVBeauty Team is HARD at work developing our own formula to pair with our shampoo. We hope to have that ready for you in the next few months! How much shampoo do you use? One of my favorite things about our shampoo is how little you actually need to use. I use about a nickel-sized portion of Korean Vegan Beauty Smoothing Shampoo every time I shower. That's more than enough to get a full lather on my hair and y'all--I've got a LOT of hair. It goes all the way down to my lower back!  Is KVBeauty's Vegan Collagen Shampoo safe for children or people with allergies? Many of our customers with sensitive scalps, or those who have children with allergies, have credited Korean Vegan Beauty's Smoothing Shampoo for having already made them a "customer for life." As I've shared elsewhere, the ethos of Korean Vegan Beauty is going back to natural ingredients, as much as possible, to allow our inner beauty to shine through. This facilitates our products' use for those who have sensitivities and even allergies (though, obviously, I can't guarantee that it will work for everyone). Some of my favorite testimonials about Korean Vegan Beauty's Vegan Collagen Smoothing Shampoo: "Aw man, this is giving my usual shampoo a HUGE run for its money!!! This stuff makes my hair shiny and soft and gorgeous! (Without weighing anything down!). Love this extra confidence boost! You can tell this was a labor of love… thank you so much!!! I love my hair after using this!!!" "I love this so much. I can't stop running my hands through my hair. It's so smooth and tame. My frizz is gone and my hair has just the right amount of volume. I could use five products and still not achieve these results. I will continue to use this product and buy again." "Holy cow - bottle this scent! My short, greying hair LOVES this light shampoo. A little goes a long way, bringing shine and strength to my even softer hair. Love it!" "We’ve been on the hunt for shampoo that works for my daughter’s super thick hair. It’s prone to be very oily, she has many allergies (nuts, sunflower, pumpkin) which makes so many shampoos/conditioners unsafe. She also had eczema and dandruff issues because of her sensitive skin barrier. This shampoo WORKS. It gets her hair clean but doesn’t dry it out so she can skip conditioners which either have ingredients she can’t touch or leave her hair oily. It gives her soft voluminous hair and doesn’t dry her scalp. She’s so very happy. If you have sensitive/allergy prone skin, this is the shampoo you’ve been waiting for." "I love this shampoo and can’t wait to see if there’s a conditioner to match it one day! The shampoo lathers nicely, smells amazing, and a little goes a long way. It leaves my hair soft and shiny! You can tell how love and time went into creating KV Beauty and I’m glad to support businesses whose values match my own. Can’t wait to see what other products you create!" "I noticed a difference in my hair after just one use! My normally dry ends and frizzy curls appeared smooth and nourished. The shampoo lathers really well so only a little bit is needed to get a great wash. The smell is really nice too - not overpowering. Really enjoying this product!" "This shampoo is life changing and no I'm not exaggerating. I've had to deal all my life with completely unmanageable hair that tangles so easily, it's painful to brush. Now, as I get older (I'm in my 40s), add frizziness! This shampoo is smoothing (just like it says) AND it lustrous AND it makes my hair SO SO shiny AND it smells so good. I used to get so annoyed having to wash my hair but I actually look forward to it now lol." Read More Reviews

Sure, you can slather on all the vegan collagen cream in the world—but if you’re not fueling yourself from the inside out, your skin (and your mood) will know the truth. Don’t worry, though—I’ve got 5 ridiculously simple nutrition hacks (yes, one of them involves chocolate 🍫) that keep me feeling good and looking good.

It’s been two whole weeks since the official launch of Korean Vegan Beauty and man-oh-man, what a whirlwind it’s been! We’ve already sold hundreds of products, built a 1,600 members strong community, and heard from so so many of you!! Here’s what you all are saying: On the Bakuchiol Vegan Collagen All-In-One Skin Cream: "I am completely in love with the face cream. I placed an order for another 6 jars over the past weekend. With regards to the cream; I use it in the morning and evening. My skin feels really soft and hydrated after using it. I am generally allergic to a lot of skincare including high end ones like La’Mer so I am not one to experiment. I honestly purchased this because I love Joanne and just wanted to support her. That’s it! Trying it was a leap of faith and I am really glad I did. ❤️" We are SO SO HAPPY that you all love KV Beauty’s launch products!!! On the Vegan Collagen Smoothing Shampoo: "I noticed a difference in my hair after just one use! My normally dry ends and frizzy curls appeared smooth and nourished. The shampoo lathers really well so only a little bit is needed to get a great wash. The smell is really nice too - not overpowering. Really enjoying this product!" We’ve also fielded several very good questions, all of which have been answered directly by our KV Beauty Support Team. But the questions were so good, I thought it would be helpful to share a few of them in this week’s KVBeauty Ritual. So, without further ado… Why is international shipping so expensive? I know, international shipping to certain parts of the world is EXPENSIVE.  We originally made our products available only in the United States because, as a small and brand new business dealing with the unpredictability of tariffs and attendant shipping rates, we knew we would be at the TOTAL mercy of our carriers. But after hearing from so many of you all over the world, we made the decision to ship worldwide, despite knowing that shipping costs might be expensive depending on where you live. I wish more than anything that we could change these shipping rates, but we simply aren’t in a position to do that yet. To those of you who still went ahead and placed your order from Canada, Belgium, Germany, England, Australia, and beyond, paying more just to support us, I’m honestly overwhelmed with gratitude. You made sacrifices, and I don’t take that lightly. For those who want to order, but can’t swing the shipping alone, here’s an idea: gather your friends, family, or neighbors and place one order together. The shipping cost is often the same whether you’re ordering one product or several and this way, you can share the cost and the joy. 💗 Is the Vegan Collagen Shampoo safe for color-treated hair? Yes! Our Vegan Collagen Shampoo is color-safe. It’s formulated without harsh sulfates and uses gentle cleansing agents that cleanse effectively without stripping your hair’s color. It also contains moisturizing and conditioning ingredients like collagen extract, olive oil esters, and plant-based nutrients to help maintain vibrancy and protect color-treated hair with every wash. Are KV Beauty products good for sensitive skin? Absolutely. Our vegan skincare products are formulated to be gentle, yet effective. We avoid common irritants and use ingredients that are known to be kind to sensitive skin, such as vegan collagen (which mimics human protein structure) and bakuchiol (a plant-based retinol alternative that is less likely to cause irritation). Obviously, we cannot guarantee that our products will have zero effect on all skin types, but our cream was designed with sensitive skin in mind. Does your Smoothing Shampoo work for grey-hair? While our Korean Vegan Collagen Shampoo isn’t a color-changing product, it’s packed with ingredients that support overall scalp health and hair vitality — which is especially important for grey hair. The caffeine, vegan collagen, and traditional Korean herbs like ginseng and mulberry bark work together to nourish your scalp, energize your roots, and strengthen your strands. You’ll feel your hair becoming softer, stronger, and more vibrant with continued use. So while it won’t reverse grey, it’s absolutely made to help your hair look and feel its healthiest at any stage. Is Korean Vegan Beauty really “K-beauty”? All Korean Vegan Beauty products are proudly formulated and made in Korea. We blend time-honored Korean skincare wisdom with cutting-edge vegan science to create clean beauty products you can trust! Not only that, our Korean R&D teams thoughtfully combine plant-based innovation with time-honored traditions, to ensure each formula is gentle yet effective, designed to support long-term skin health. The point of Korean Vegan Beauty is not to mask flaws, but to nourish and protect your skin in a way that aligns with both heritage and ethics. How long have you personally been using KVBeauty products? I have been using both the cream and the shampoo since I got them in my hot little hands in June 2025! I was so excited to finally receive samples from our R&D team in Korea and let me tell ya--with tariffs and everything that's been going on, it was NOT easy getting them here! But I've been using them since and you can TELL the difference. My hair is shinier than EVER and my skin is SO SOFT!! What ingredients were an absolute MUST HAVE for you? Two ingredients: vegan collagen and bakuchiol. First, vegan collagen because the whole point of Korean Vegan Beauty is that being vegan should NOT prevent you from having the BEST that K-beauty has to offer. KVBeauty's proprietary and patented vegan collagen works because it mimics the collagen our bodies naturally produce. Second, bakuchiol. Why? Because it is THE INGREDIENT in K-beauty technology, one that is taking over the beauty industry. With so many of the benefits of retinol without the harsh side effects, again, it was imperative to me that our entirely vegan, cruelty free products take advantage of this extraordinary ingredient! What's been the BEST feedback you've received so far? HONEST feedback. We LOVE hearing from all of you, but we want to make sure that we are giving you the BEST we can. The only way to do that is to hear your honest and thoughtful feedback. Your support means SO MUCH to me, personally, and I have been so grateful for the specific reviews you all have left about what you love about our Cream and our shampoo!! That’s it for this week’s KVBeauty Ritual! Drop your comments or questions below and, as always, feel free to reach out to support@koreanveganbeauty.com with all your Korean Vegan Beauty questions! FAQ   •   REVIEWS

A disrupted treadmill run becomes a powerful lesson in how our ego—disguised as urgency—can sabotage "me time," and how small mindset shifts can help reclaim it.

In this heartfelt post, bestselling author and content creator Joanne Molinaro (The Korean Vegan) shares the origin story behind Korean Vegan Beauty, a skincare brand rooted in ritual, authenticity, and cruelty-free Korean tradition. After going vegan in 2016, Joanne longed for a vegan K-beauty line that aligned with her values. When none existed, she spent 3 years building her own—from product development to web design—alongside her husband Anthony. More than just skincare, Korean Vegan Beauty celebrates intentional self-care, storytelling, and the emotional intimacy of nurturing the body. This is not a celebrity vanity brand—it’s a labor of love born from lived experience, family roots, and the power of doing things your own way.

The following morning, they were the color of persimmons. It was my first manicure. Halmeoni didn't call it a "spa day" or "self care." It was just a way to show love to her daughters and granddaughters. A ritual carried across borders, from North Korea to the South, then all the way to our home in Chicago.