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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.