Behind every brand is the person who started it all. That brings us to introduce you to Julie Chon, our founder. Julie is a former physical therapist, a mother of two, and a long-time K-Beauty distributor. Over the 15 years she spent working in a hospital, she was always empathetic of her female patients who faced specific obstacles getting back on their feet (literally & figuratively), that directly related to the 3 M’s: menstruation, maternity, and menopause.

When Julie herself entered menopause and struggled with the emotional and physical changes symptomatic of the experience (especially the effects on her skin), she was able to reflect back on what those patients had gone through and the toll it had on their lives. As she began looking for ways to alleviate her symptoms, she discovered the existence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in many widely-known skincare products. So she set out to create her own safe skincare line that didn’t pose a concern for toxicity or triggering hormonal shifts during the 3 M’s. 

It was a natural transition for Julie to start her own skincare line since she and her husband were pioneers in the ever-growing and popular K-beauty phenomenon and have been long-term distributors of top Korean beauty brands. 

 “A very long time ago, even before "K-Beauty" was a thing, my husband and I saw the potential in growing Korean skincare & make-up brands and wanted to introduce the spectacular Korean innovation and skincare routines to American consumers.” 

Thanks to her experience and the relationships she has built as a distributor, she has taken a hands-on approach to her brand and has collaborated with herbalists and dermatologists to conduct extensive research and formulate the cleanest, most effective products for women with hormone-related skin concerns. She has loved starting her own brand and really enjoys the ability to “grow and evolve with flexibility and focus [all while] keeping up with millennials and Gen Z and all these new social networking platforms!” Through it all, she wants her customers to know that she will always have their personal interests in mind every time Knours develops new products. 

Now that Julie’s two sons are all grown, she has more time to pursue her hobbies of golf and art and has even picked up new activities like learning ballet. Her favorite Korean artist is Kang Ik-Joong, and her guilty pleasure is ice cream (specifically, mint chocolate chip!). Her favorite cuisine is Korean food and she particularly loves kimchi jjigae, a Korean staple comfort food, while her favorite restaurant is Le Bernardin in New York City. Keep reading to hear more from our incredible founder and to learn more about the thought processes behind our brand!

1.  What does Knours mean by “hormone-conscious”?

Going beneath the surface. Really taking the time to know how hormones affect your body and ultimately your skin, and understanding how your personal products can play an important part in your overall well-being. As a small example (and to make a very long story short), I was using every luxury skincare brand under the sun since a fairly young age, but as I got older, I faced some serious health issues, and NO doctor I visited could figure out what was wrong, but ultimately I found a holistic doctor who discovered my body was full of toxins from exposure to them through my personal care products and they were blocking my endocrine system from functioning properly. This is when I embarked on delving deep into EDCs.

2.  What do female empowerment and womanhood mean to you? 

In my experience, I've seen a lot of insecurity associated with the beauty industry in the past. It's pretty contradicting, actually, and was disheartening to see young women defining their beauty by what latest beauty or makeup trend they're following. Makeup brands taught women to cover-up and skincare brands used to only post women with flawless skin. That's not empowerment, and that's not what real womanhood is about. The industry has come a very long way since, but I think there is still work to be done. Every woman I know has struggled with not feeling beautiful or important as a result of physical or emotional struggles during their hormonal cycles, and Knours genuinely wants to remind women that their womanhood is beautiful and important no matter how they're looking as they go through the process.

3.  How do you think Knours stands out from other clean skincare brands?

We're not just a skincare brand, we want to be a movement and a leader in conversations that didn't have a place in the beauty industry, otherwise. We AREN'T talking about what goes on in our bodies and how that relates to skin enough. 

4.  What do you envision for the future of Knours? 

I envision us creating really beautiful products that are clean with a purpose for women who have a real need. I envision us connecting on a more meaningful level with our consumers and really listening to everyone's stories about their struggles & successes with womanhood.

Julie has put so much love, effort, and special care into Knours and we hope you feel that every time you use our products. Knours is also a community and we want to be there for you through all the ups and downs of the 3 M’s. Womanhood is multifaceted and we want to talk about all aspects of it with you! Thank you for supporting our brand. We are so excited to share so many new and exciting things with you soon!