After over five years of running
Soko Glam, founder Charlotte Cho has started her own skin care line, Then I Met You.
It's not her first venture into the development side of skin care — she's previously collaborated with
popular Korean beauty brands like Cosrx, Neogen and Manefit (on the
Cosrx Triple C Lightning Liquid, $27, the
Neogen Real Fresh Green Tea Cleansing Stick, $22, and the
Manefit Natural Gift Green Tea Pore Care Sheet Mask, $19, respectively).
But it's precisely that experience (along with her years of carefully curating Soko Glam's covet-worthy offerings, of course) that made me so excited to try Then I Met You. Right now, the brand consists of only two products:
The Living Cleansing Balm, $38, and the
Soothing Tea Cleansing Gel, $36, which can also be purchased together as
The Cleansing Duo, $68.
The duo does
not disappoint. Starting off with the cleansing balm, the packaging is cute as all get out (as is the nifty little blue spatula that comes with it). I quickly found myself falling in love with the texture too — it melts into a luxuriously velvety texture (that never feels too slick or runny). It's aces at removing waterproof makeup (including the steadfast
Fenty Beauty Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner, $20) and it's also easy to rinse, as it emulsifies when mixed with water. Oh, and did I mention that it smells of fresh oranges?
The gel cleanser is a winner as well: It has a thick and honey-ish appearance and consistency (minus the stickiness, of course) and has a tea scent mixed in with its citrusy notes, which makes it a refreshing follow-up to the balm. The pH-balanced formula lathers into a creamy foam that leaves skin feeling extra clean, without making your skin feel tight and dry.
Using the two together left my skin feeling deeply clean (not to mention touchably soft). You could, of course, use the products separately, but I have to say — I loved the experience of using them in succession. Together, they made up the perfect first two steps to my newfound
Korean skin care routine.
Interestingly, the brand is inspired by the Korean concept of
jeong. It's one of those elusive words that has no direct English equivalent, but as
Cho explained via Instagram, it describes "a deep, emotional connection that you cultivate over time with people, places and things." Cho felt this connection to the city of Seoul and it's part of what drove her to start Soko Glam and now Then I Met You.
"I created Then I Met You because I wanted to inspire everyone to go deeper, in all the things that matter," wrote Cho. Now, part of going deeper includes "indulging in a thoughtful, intentional skincare routine" — and with her cleansing duo, it's safe to say she's achieved that. The ritual inherent in the two products, along with their individual charms, makes them a true joy to use.
