What I appreciate most about Korean beauty is that taking care of skin is a mindset and a lifestyle, a practice in upgrading one’s self-restoration.

When you incorporate supreme self-care into your daily life, it is an investment in both inner and outer well-being. It becomes your non-negotiable “me time.” Massaging your face, breathing in the aromas, pat-and-pressing, listening to your skin—this creates a soothing rhythm that is grounding.

In ancient Korean times, the outer body and spirit were considered to be one, residing together in the heart and reflected on the outside. This brings a whole new depth and understanding to the Korean term "mul-gwang” (water reflection)—dewy, glowy, and juicy skin that Korean women strive for.  

When I visited Seoul, I saw my aunt in front of her mirror for nearly an hour every morning and night, giving herself a facial until she achieved this mesmerizing “mul-gwang.”

One morning, my mom told me she needed “something like serum oil to put under the Truffle Cream to make skin very shiny, soft, and smooth.”

It took nearly a year of experiments to create a beauty oil that satisfied my mom to deeply hydrate and brighten her skin. I had chosen a concoction of prized oils that resonated with my own uber-dry skin: Rosehip’s Vitamin A and fatty acids for skin clarity, Pumpkin Seed’s Vitamin E and zinc to lock in moisture, Meadowfoam to deliver nutrients deep into the epidermis.

Little did I know, this passion project would become our best-selling Pumpkin Seed Serum, winning praise from beauty editors and customers. Years later, I finally understood that she was asking to layer a serum under the cream, a Korean beauty secret, for lasting hydration and glow.

Sometimes when I visit our Savor Spas, I see our guests walk straight to the Pumpkin Serum and grab 1-3 bottles. Beauty fans share on social media how it has changed their skin. I’m so humbled that this little labor of love for my mom is now loved by so many.

 xx,

Angela Jia Kim
Founder + CEO, Savor Beauty