"You source them in Korea" When Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary questioned Glow Recipe's pitch

In 2015, best friends Christine Chang and Sarah Lee stepped into the Shark Tank seeking $425,000 for 10% of their Korean beauty company, Glow Recipe. During their pitch, Kevin O'Leary challenged their business model with his trademark directness:

"You don't make these products. You source them in Korea and you bring them to the United States."

That single question cut to the heart of what the Sharks often seek – proprietary products and unique market positions, not just distribution channels. But Chang and Lee were unfazed. They were on a mission to introduce Americans to K-beauty, a skincare philosophy they'd grown up with that was still relatively unknown in the US market.

Little did the Sharks know that this seemingly simple curation business would transform into a $100 million beauty empire within just six years.

What happened during Glow Recipe’s Shark Tank pitch?

Chang and Lee arrived at Shark Tank with impressive credentials as former L'Oreal marketing executives. They presented Glow Recipe as both an e-commerce platform and a brand incubator for Korean beauty products. Sarah explained their vision clearly:

"Glow Recipe is here today to make every American woman's skin glow and make everyone look beautiful by bringing only the best products and skin secrets from the modern epicenter of advanced skin innovation, Korea."

Their numbers were promising. With just two months of operation in 2014, they'd generated $3,000 in revenue. By their appearance in 2015, they'd reached $550,000 and projected $1 million by year-end.

The Sharks raised valid questions about their business model. Mark Cuban worried about inventory risk, noting the beauty industry's frequent product turnover. Christine assured him,

"We don't have any slow-moving goods right now. Everything is cycling through so fast."

Mark remained skeptical, responding,

"Until the next one comes, right?"

Kevin questioned why major retailers weren't already dominating this space if Korean beauty was truly innovative. Barbara Corcoran spotted inconsistencies in their financial projections but still offered $425,000 for 40%.

The most reasonable offer came from Robert Herjavec: $425,000 for 30%, saying:

"I'm investing in you, not just the business."

After negotiation, Chang and Lee accepted his modified offer of 25% equity – but eventually walked away from the deal after the show.

Glow Recipe’s $100 million success story

What made Glow Recipe special wasn't just the products they curated but the philosophy they promoted. As Chang later explained,

"Korean beauty is a philosophy... It's something that we learned at our mothers and grandmother's knees growing up."

The duo highlighted how Korean skincare prioritizes prevention, hydration, and sensorial experiences – making skincare fun rather than a chore. This approach contrasted sharply with the clinical, results-only focus that dominated American skincare at the time.

In 2017, two years after their Shark Tank appearance, Chang and Lee launched their own product line exclusive to Sephora. The response was overwhelming – multiple sellouts and thousands-long waitlists.

By 2019, they phased out their curation model, focusing entirely on creating their own products. Chang explained the shift:

"With Glow Recipe Skincare, it just felt right. Our community could not get enough. People were nonstop DM-ing us... asking about the next drop, giving us product suggestions and ideas."

The Hustle's 2019 analysis of Shark Tank revealed interesting patterns about gender. Women contestants like Chang and Lee were more likely to secure deals (60% versus men's 53%) but represented only 24% of all contestants. More troublingly, women received smaller deals on average.

Glow Recipe's journey reflects how women entrepreneurs often face additional scrutiny but can succeed despite these challenges. Chang and Lee's decision to pass on Herjavec's offer showed remarkable confidence in their vision.

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By 2021, Glow Recipe had surpassed $100 million in sales. Their Instagram page features unretouched images and realistic before-and-after photos – a radical departure from traditional beauty marketing.

The company has maintained its innovative edge while embracing sustainability. In 2022, they achieved carbon neutrality and haven't retouched skin in their advertising since 2019.

Chang and Lee's story illustrates that sometimes visibility matters more than investment. Their Shark Tank appearance provided invaluable exposure, even without accepting a deal. As master marketers, they understood that sometimes the greatest value lies not in the money but in the platform.

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Shark Tank can be watched on ABC every Friday at 8 PM ET, with streaming available on Hulu.