To celebrate the launch of the {Female Founders Edit: USA Edition}, the expertly curated edit brimming with beauty superstars from some of our favourite female-helmed American brands, we caught up with the woman behind {Then I Met You}, Charlotte Cho.
The brand behind the periwinkle blue-hued designs you’ve likely been coveting, Then I Met You first launched onto Cult Beauty in July 2021, and has since become a firm favourite amongst Team Cult and our customers alike. Here, Charlotte chats us through her career, the brand and everything in between…{Cult Beauty} Hey Charlotte, it’s great to meet you. Let’s jump straight in — did you always know you wanted a career in skin care?{Charlotte Cho} Growing up in the US, I actually never particularly cared for skin care. I thought it was a chore and something that I only had to worry about when I was older! It wasn’t until I spent five years in Korea that I discovered the world of Korean beauty and skin care. After using these products and applying the Korean “skin-first” philosophy, my skin (and confidence) transformed.In 2012, my husband, Dave and I embarked on a passion project to create Soko Glam, a platform to share the best Korean beauty products available in the US. I spent everyday trying products, curating edits and talking to thousands of customers.{CB} Is that what sparked the idea for Then I Met You?{CC} Yes! After six years of testing thousands of products, I was ready to pour everything I had learned and experienced into my own skin care line. Then I Met You was born!I wanted to create a brand with meaning; one that has an emotional connection to my community. I launched Then I Met You at a turning point in my life. I realised I wanted to focus on the things that truly mattered to me. Because of that, the brand is based on the Korean concept of “Jeong”, which is the emotional bond you feel to the people, places and things that matter most. We speak about it often to our community, and I even wrote a book about it, called The Little Book of Jeong. With Then I Met You, I've been able to go even deeper on my skin care quest to create the most efficacious, transformative products with ingredients that I know matter.
{CB} What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?{CC} It’s not how you start but how you end that matters. {CB} And what career advice would you pass on to anyone looking to break into the beauty industry and start their own business?{CC} 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. You’ll need to have extremely thick skin. If you go into it knowing that, then you’ll be ready! {CB}The Living Cleansing Balm has become a truly Cult product — we love it! What are your tips for getting the absolute best results?{CC} I love using the {Living Cleansing Balm} as an emollient to add slip for a mini facial massage. Apply the cleansing balm onto a dry face, and massage into your skin as normal. The formula will melt immediately into a nice silky oil (which is also great for removing makeup!). You can then use your fingers or a gua sha tool to help massage your face, flush out toxins and promote blood circulation. It feels so great!{CB} What are some of your other highlights from the Then I Met You range (if you can bear to choose!)?
{CC} The {Birch Milk Refining Toner} is a great daily exfoliating treatment toner supercharged with 1% PHA and AHA. I credit it with single-handedly stopping the hormonal breakouts all over my chin! And it’s not just me — we have customers who are on their eighth or ninth bottle because it’s helped reduce breakouts and minimise the appearance of pores so efficiently!Our {Honey Dew Lip Mask} was also recently highlighted by Caroline Hirons as of her best products in 2021 — the second year in a row we received a shout out from her! That was a true ‘pinch me’ moment.{CB} And finally, what pearl of beauty wisdom would you love to tell your younger self?{CC} Don’t see skin care as a chore! Half the fun is exploring and discovering what works for you, and it’s a moment to take care of yourself — both mentally and physically.SHOP THEN I MET YOU >> 
