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One of my favorite content creators, Nik Few, recently came by for an impromptu dinner party at my home. I made burritos. I really like burritos. I made them with Korean BBQ "steak," smothered in Korean BBQ sauce. I also made roasted potatoes and cauliflower and finished the meal off with some blueberry cobbler. It was marvelous. But, that's not really the point of this story. While waiting for dinner, Nic mentioned how much he loves KVB's Vegan Collagen Skin Cream. How he could feel it working the minute he put it on. How his father even commented on how good his skin looked these days. This is not uncommon. I've also fielded my fair share of compliments since using our Skin Cream and the reviews we've received are just as good. But it wasn't until I started really looking into our ingredients--particularly our vegan collagen--that I understood why our Skin Cream works so well. So here are some random things you should know about collagen and skincare. Does Topical Collagen For Your Skin Even Work? Unless you can make collagen molecules small enough to penetrate the skin, topical collagen is not going to replace the collagen your body loses as you age. However, collagen is still valuable as a topical agent because it creates a film over your skin—a good one. It binds water and holds it in the upper layers of your epidermis, and thus visibly plumps and smooths your skin. Those fine lines and wrinkles soften because of the hydration that collagen provides. "Vegan Collagen?" Doesn't Collagen Come From Animals? Vegan collagen is USUALLY an oxymoron and a little bit of “fake news.” Here’s why: Collagen, definitionally, is a protein typically found in ANIMALS—their skin, bone, connective tissue. So, all those products out there claiming to contain “vegan collagen"? They probably don’t. They likely contain “collagen builders”—a cocktail of amino acids and vitamins that give your body the tools to MAKE your own collagen. It’s not bad science, but it isn’t actually collagen. What About KVBeauty's Vegan Collagen? Science has cracked the code on how to make collagen—not just the tools for your own body to make it—without animals. How? If you’re vegan, then you’re probably already very familiar with nutritional yeast. Well, it turns out you can use its cousin, pichia pastoris, to make collagen without animals. This is the collagen contained in every bottle of Korean Vegan Beauty Skin Cream. How Effective is Vegan Collagen? As is often the case, vegan collagen is even MORE EFFECTIVE than animal collagen. Why? Animal collagen varies depending on the source animal: its age, its species, its health, even its diet. But ours? It’s the same quality protein every time with the same genetic construct every time. You know what you’re getting with every jar. Another reason it’s better? Well, kinda like cow’s milk, animal-based collagen isn’t HUMAN. But our recombinant collagen? It expresses on a HUMAN COLLAGEN SEQUENCE, so its molecular structure is closer to what your skin already makes—certainly closer than pig collagen. This means a far lower likelihood of irritation, inflammation, or an allergic reaction. And then of course, have you seen how collagen is extracted from these animals? Trust me, it’s not pretty. You don’t want something with that karmic energy on your face and Korean Vegan Beauty? It’s all about making you pretty—from the inside out!

K-Beauty, and Korean Vegan Beauty in particular, combats the symptoms of perimenopause through gentle healing, low irritation, shampoo free of methylisothiazolinone (MIT), and ceramide support.

After nearly two decades of getting nothing more complicated than a haircut at the salon, I finally decided to do what my mother has been begging me to do for many years...

Once you remove the fallacy that veganism requires a dogmatic adherence to an impossible standard, you have the agency to determine–with honesty–what “doing better” looks like for you.

Around here, it starts to get a little warm (for running) at around 8:30. When the sun is out, it can be even earlier. By the time 10 am rolls around, you're baking. And that spells trouble not just for your heart, but also for your skin and hair.

In honor of Mother's Day, I'll share how my mom, Sunbee, found out she was going to be a mother.

Believe it or not, Korean Vegan Beauty has been alive, now, for EIGHT months. WOW!!! I honestly can't believe that we are now coming up on a full year of existence, because it feels like just yesterday that Anthony and I were freaking out at my mom's dining table in Chicago over business permits, coupon codes, and the best photos to use for our website. 😅 It was also during that time that I seriously considered bribing every single one of my family members, including my very taciturn uncle, to leave reviews for our products because I was worried no one else would!!! LOL. (We now have SO many reviews and that also feels TOTALLY surreal!!!) Anyhoot, for today's Beauty Journal, I thought I'd list out four random things I've learned as a baby entrepreneur (I mean, 8 months is still an infant!). These are truly random and not terribly thought out, but I want to encourage anyone reading this to feel like they, too, can take a leap of faith because if I can do it, anyone really can! Sometimes you have to do things even if you'd rather eat sludge. One thing I've learned is that no one is going to tell you what to do when you own your own business. You have to be your own boss and that sounds great, at first, but it becomes really hard to stay motivated. For example, I'm not gonna lie--sometimes, I don't want to write another Beauty Journal entry. Sure, I could have AI do it, but I absolutely and utterly REFUSE to sell my soul to that particular devil, so here we are. I have to think of what to write and then write it and then add pictures every single week. Today, things got rocky in the US with birthright citizenship on the line and I was very distracted. So, I was tempted to just say, "Hey, you've had a rough morning. Maybe skip this week's blog post?"  And there'd be NO ONE to tell me otherwise. Except for me! Community doesn't happen overnight. And community can't gel around inconsistency. This is my one chance, every week, to touch base with you and that is a privilege--one I should never take for granted. Hence, the Joanne who is grateful for you reminds the Joanne who is a little distracted: write about something you care about, even if it's not polished. And that is why I'm writing about this! Working with your life partner has its ups and downs. The major "up" is that I get a lot of free labor!! 🤣 My husband is an incredibly talented website developer and as a result, I get a free BEAUTIFUL website. Anytime I need to make so much as a tweak to it, he's right there, on the second floor of our house! I can literally holler, "BABE CAN YOU FIX THE THING ON THE THING PLEASE?" And it gets done in like 15 minutes. But that's the other thing... It's easy to take your life partner for granted when the separation between personal and professional grows inevitably blurred. I have to constantly remind myself that I need to treat him with the same respect I would've treated one of my colleagues at the law firm. Otherwise... fireworks (of the not fun variety) typically ensue. This is way easier said than done--trust me. But it's a lesson worth learning. Your Community is the lifeblood of your business--no matter what you're selling. You can have the BEST product in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD (and KV Beauty truly does), but it won't mean diddly squat if you treat your community poorly. I've seen this time and time again--a brand neglects or even disrespects its community and they will pay dearly for it. We've seen the opposite (thank God)--KVBeauties are loyal, joyous, and fiercely devoted to compassion. I like to think that the KV Beauty family mirrors the values I personally hold, which is why, again, I'm here in your inbox, relaying a small snippet from my everyday life. I want you to know that I'm not just grateful for you, but that I am very much like you. I'm an ordinary gal who wanted to start a business because she saw a gap in the market: a K-beauty brand owned and run by a woman who grew up using Korean beauty products, who also believes that animal suffering isn't necessary to achieve optimal skin and hair health. I had very little idea about what I was doing (hence the literal 11th hour fire drill on how to obtain a business license in California ...), but I did it anyway.  You can't do everything on your own. And that's ok. The idea here is that if I can do it, then maybe you should ask yourself, what do you want to do that's maybe a little off the beaten path? And what's stopping you? I'll bet if you take a good look at all the things in your way, you'll figure out a way to get around a lot of them. And for those things that seem impassable, try and identify someone who might be able to help with those. That's what I did--I didn't know the first thing about manufacturing beauty products, so I found someone who could help. The last time I tried writing "code" for my website, I ended up nearly breaking it. Thank God Anthony is here to help with that. And I'm not good at comedy videos, but those seem to do really well for our IG account. Luckily, our creative director goes viral 7 times a day for his comedy videos! Anyhow, I hope this little journal entry was illuminating and even inspiring. Till next week, make sure to put a little of the skin cream on your neck!! <3

What used to be a niche request from Western vegan consumers is now being driven from within — by native Korean Gen Z shoppers who care deeply about what goes on their skin and what it costs the planet.

I love the idea that these women helped to build the country that birthed the women in my own family. And, not gonna lie, reading up on their stories makes me want to get knee-deep in a K-drama RIGHT NOW!!

One of the most critical components of a healthy beauty regimen isn't something you put on at all. It begins inside—with your nervous system.  

When I started Korean Vegan Beauty, I knew I wanted to offer products that: Actually work; Are vegan and cruelty free; and Don't make your face feel like it's on fire. I remember one day, my mother came home from the beauty salon, her entire face covered in angry, blistery boils. To this day, she still has scars from that experience and it made me SO paranoid about going to the salon for anything more complicated than a haircut. It also made me wary of getting facials. I mean, sometimes, there's no coming back from something like that! Now obviously, it's important that we all stay on top of our allergies. And, as my mother discovered, sometimes, those allergies can crop up later in life. Our bodies are a mystery, after all, and hormones can play an oversized role in developing sensitivities to ingredients that never bothered us before. But clearly, there's an appetite for beauty products that don't wreak unnecessary havoc on our bodies, as evidenced by how frequently shampoos, creams, and serums are advertised as "gentle." "Gentle cleanser," "gentle exfoliant," etc. etc. Funnily enough, those "gentle" products often leave my face feeling raw. Am I the only one? Or, it's the other way around, where the "gentle exfoliant" literally does nothing. Most often, the term "gentle" means there is no fragrance, there are fewer obvious irritants, or the product doesn't "tingle" in the way we usually want it to (I know I want it to!). But is that really a good definition of "gentle"? If the product is either too weak to do anything or just takes more time to wreck your skin, I'm just not sure that's really what "gentle" should mean! "Gentleness" Rooted in Korean Beauty Tradition. Traditionally speaking, one of the reasons Korean beauty is so effective is precisely because it avoids harsh chemicals in favor of gentle treatment. Korean vegan beauty takes it up a notch by ensuring that "gentleness" doesn't just describe our list of ingredients, but the entire ethos of the brand. This, too, though, is rooted in tradition. Beauty is about healing and healing should never incur the expense of suffering--human, animal, or otherwise.  What "Gentle" Means to KVBeauties. To the KVBeauties Fam, "gentle" means that the product is gentle on your skin barrier, while still being effective. The skin barrier is your skin's immune system and the last thing we want is to mess with that. If a product repeatedly strips your skin barrier, your skin becomes more reactive, more acne-prone, and more sensitive over time. Thus, it was important to me that we develop products that were still as effective as Korean beauty products have a reputation for, while being respectful of the skin barrier. Why is this important? Well, it means you can use the product consistently, to maximize its benefits. It's annoying when you're told, "oh this works so well, but only use it once per week or stop altogether if it makes your skin red." I mean, what the heck is that? One of the reasons I love Korean Vegan Beauty's All-In-One Skin Cream is because I can use it every day, twice a day, knowing that my skin barrier remains healthy. This philosophy will underscore all of our products (we are working on a serum right now!).  

A few fun facts about bakuchiol and why it DESERVES to be KVBeauty's hero ingredient.

Back in the late 2000s, I started taking photos of myself using my laptop's webcam. I'd just joined Facebook and perfecting the profile pic became a fun little obsession. I soon became acquainted with the crude editing functions that came with "iPhoto"—the self-installed app on my computer that helped to brighten, sharpen, and saturate the images I captured. Eventually, I upgraded from my webcam to a small point-and-shoot camera, and then to a proper DSLR (my first was the Nikon D90). I was the subject of 90% of my photography, partially because I was too shy to ask anyone to pose for me. But also because, by that time, I'd developed a bit of narcissism around my physical appearance, which ultimately led to a number of plastic surgeries (which I won't get into here). I grew very adept at "editing" my perceived flaws out of existence. I could get rid of moles, an unfortunate wrinkle, or even some cellulite with a few clicks of my mouse. I could make my teeth extra white, my skin even, and my arms taut with a wave of my cursor. But, I hated doing it this way. I felt like I was lying to myself and to everyone on Facebook by utilizing a computer program to make me look "better" than I actually did. So, I made a bargain with myself—I could only edit away those things I was actively  (undertaking the cost of) changing in real life. If I didn't want people to see my sagging belly, then I needed to get rid of it in real life—even by plastic surgery. If I didn't want people to see the mole on my right cheek, then I needed to visit my dermatologist.  These are the strange deals we sometimes make with ourselves. I say "strange," but, in actuality, they are toxic. I won't get too into the weeds on why I grew so obsessed with my appearance, but let's just say, I grew up in a house that overvalued a girl's physical "beauty." Instinctively, I measured my worth in metrics that resembled vanity. Was I pretty enough? Was I sexy enough? Did men fall in love with me? Did women envy me? Unless I could answer "yes" to these questions, I harbored an anxiety that I couldn't quite extinguish, one that seemed to echo: No one will ever love you, because you're too ugly. Once I finally started taking photos of things other than me—a beautiful building in Chicago, a young man I fell in love with right after I separated from my first husband, the aunt who was diagnosed with breast cancer right before she went in for her first chemo treatment, the friend who laughed so hard and loud I often refused to go into quiet restaurants with her—I began to realize that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. With my camera, I could make anything and anyone beautiful. Correction: through the eye of my camera, I could see the beauty in anything and anyone. Suddenly, the challenge was no longer finding beauty in them, but finding it in me.  Wouldn't you know it? The answer was so obvious. My beauty—the thing that makes me truly beautiful—was just that: the ability to see the absolute best in everyone. To see what truly makes them outstanding, spectacularly brilliant. It wasn't the menial task of photo-shopping crow's feet or brightening complexion or erasing a blemish. It was seeing beneath someone's skin, straight through to their intentions, their fears, their safeties, their loves. Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Even if you have a sweetheart you plan to celebrate, I'd like to remind you to celebrate yourself too. Ask yourself, What makes me beautiful? And be sure to go back to that thing the next time the world tries to make you feel like you're not. <3<3<3  

Did you know that on average, it takes roughly 66 days to develop a habit? Thats roughly two months. But some habits can take much less time to form--as low as 18 days. That's less than 3 weeks! I mention this because I think it can be really intimidating, sometimes, to set seemingly unattainable goals, especially as we usher in a new year. It's helpful to remember that will power, discipline, and motivation, while important, may not always be the dispositive factor when it comes to sustaining a desired behavior.

This is the part about being a "beauty brand founder" that no one ever talks about...

I started seeing a therapist again. I've been meaning to get back to seeing a professional counselor for some time, but it's not always easy finding the right person. Especially for something so vulnerable. In any event, we had our first session last week and he had a fairly significant impact on me immediately. Within minutes, he observed, "I sense a lot of sadness in you."  I found this a little jolting, only because a friend had said almost the exact thing about me the other day. I asked my therapist how to not be so sad, and he asked me a fairly simple question: "Describe for me times in your life when you were very happy." I rattled off a bunch of things: when I graduated law school, when I got a full-time offer from my law firm, when I made partner at the law firm. When I passed the bar exam: "My parents were so happy they were literally jumping up and down when I passed that test," I recounted. My therapist noted, "You're only happy when you accomplish something, it seems. What would happen if you were happy not because you did something, but because you just enjoyed something?" That thought has been rolling around in my brain ever since. And so, I've been trying, every day, to identify things that make me happy just by being them (and not because I did them). And these things CAN'T include Anthony (my husband) and Lulu (my dog)!! Otherwise, that would be too easy! So, here's what I've come up with thus far: Kimchi Jjigae (I made some the other day and as soon as I had a spoonful, it reminded me so much of my grandmother and that made me so happy). My friend getting out of a terrible speeding ticket (it bothered me more than I let on). The smell of the Christmas tree we put up yesterday (good smells definitely make me happy). The writing group I just joined (this is slightly performance based, but honestly, I really just enjoyed being part of a group of writers who do not know me as "The Korean Vegan"). Ok, that's all I've got for now. I'm telling you--it was NOT easy for me to come up with these! And I've been thinking about it for days! I keep coming up with things that are very clearly achievement based (e.g., finishing all the items on my task list, getting all my videos uploaded, writing a blog for nearly every single week of KVBeauty's existence, etc.).  Anyhoot, curious--what are some things that make YOU happy just because they are what they are?? I'd love to know!! Joanne.