Soko Glam
Soko Glam is a Brooklyn-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer that curates and sells 802 Korean beauty products from 90+ brands, primarily serving skincare-conscious consumers in North America and recently expanding into UK retail via a Space NK shop-in-shop partnership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Soko Glam does
Soko Glam is a Brooklyn, New York-based curated e-commerce retailer specializing in Korean beauty (K-beauty) products, founded in 2012 by Charlotte Cho and Dave Cho. The company operates a direct-to-consumer online storefront powered by Shopify, offering 802 SKUs across 90+ Korean beauty brands, including skincare (cleansers, toners, essences, serums, moisturizers, sunscreens, masks), makeup, hair care, and body care. Its assortment is organized around the 10-step Korean skincare routine methodology, with filtering by skin type, skin concern, ingredient, and brand, and is anchored by curated collections such as Best Sellers, Viral K-Beauty, Best of K-Beauty Awards, and the founder's own brand 'Then I Met You'. Pricing spans approximately $10 budget items to $200+ premium sets, with free US shipping over $50 and sample-sale events offering up to 75-80% discounts.
Soko Glam differentiates through expert curation and a 'Real AF Guarantee' of product authenticity, supported by an editorial content engine including The Klog blog, the 10-step skincare routine guide, and the Watch & Shop video shopping experience. The company drives repeat engagement through the Soko Rewards points-based loyalty program and an affiliate/ambassador referral channel. Its primary revenue stream is direct e-commerce sales, supplemented by gift card sales ($10 to $500 denominations). In August 2025, the company extended beyond its US DTC roots via a shop-in-shop partnership with Space NK (owned by Ulta Beauty), launching across 30 UK stores and online with a curated 'Best of K-Beauty Edit' of nine Korean brands, including UK retail debuts for colour cosmetics brands rom&nd and Dasique.
The business is privately held by its founders with a single disclosed $2 million funding round from 2016 and no subsequent institutional capital documented. The company operates with a small team (11-50 employees) and has cultivated a 373K-follower Instagram presence. Its model is fundamentally a curated marketplace-plus-content play in a single niche category, monetized through unit-priced DTC resale, with emerging physical retail distribution as a secondary channel.
Soko Glam firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Soko Glam
- Legal name
- Soko Glam, Inc
- Website
- https://sokoglam.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Soko Glam is a Brooklyn-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer that curates and sells 802 Korean beauty products from 90+ brands, primarily serving skincare-conscious consumers in North America and recently expanding into UK retail via a Space NK shop-in-shop partnership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Soko Glam industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-Beauty Skincare E-commerce
- NAICS
- Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (45612)
- SIC
- Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)
- akta.pro primary industry
- K-Beauty/J-Beauty & Global Skincare Regimens (CRABAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Beauty & Personal Care Marketplaces (CRAFABAB), K-Beauty/J-Beauty & Imported Beauty Distribution (CRAOAEAN)
Keywords
Where Soko Glam is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Soko Glam business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: Primary revenue stream through direct online sales of curated Korean beauty products via the Shopify-powered storefront. Products include cleansers, toners, essences, serums, moisturizers, sunscreens, sheet masks, and makeup from various K-beauty brands.
- Soko Rewards Subscription: Loyalty program that drives repeat purchases through point accumulation and redemption, encouraging customer retention and higher average order value through rewards incentives.
- Gift Cards: E-gift cards sold in denominations from $10 to $500, providing flexible gifting options and driving new customer acquisition.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | E-Gift Cards available in multiple denominations |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Product pricing across skincare categories |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Sample Sale promotions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Soko Glam product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Soko Glam is a curated direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer specializing in authentic Korean beauty (K-beauty) products. The platform sells 800+ SKUs from 90+ vetted Korean beauty brands spanning cleansers, toners, essences, serums, moisturizers, sunscreens, sheet masks, color cosmetics, hair, and body care, organized around the 10-step Korean skincare routine methodology. The company also offers curated sets, proprietary Soko Glam brand products, digital gift cards, and a points-based Soko Rewards loyalty program to drive repeat purchases.
Product overview
Soko Glam is a curated e-commerce platform specializing in Korean beauty (K-beauty) products, operating on Shopify infrastructure. The company offers a diverse portfolio of skincare, makeup, hair care, and body products from over 80 Korean beauty brands. The core offering centers on the 10-step Korean skincare routine philosophy, with curated product sets for different skin types and concerns. Key collections include Best Sellers, Viral K-Beauty, Best of K-Beauty Awards, and brand-exclusive selections. The company differentiates through educational content via The Klog blog, the Charlotte's Curation program, and loyalty rewards. Soko Glam also offers proprietary Soko Glam-branded products and exclusive formulations. Recent expansion includes a Space NK shop-in-shop partnership in the UK.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- K-Beauty Starter Set A curated starter set designed for those new to the Korean skincare routine, containing essential products to begin a 10-step regimen.
- 10-Step Korean Skin Care Routine Sets Comprehensive sets curated for different skin types (dry, oily, combination, normal) containing all products needed for the full 10-step K-beauty routine.
- Soko Glam Brand Products Soko Glam's own label products including curated sets, exclusive formulations, and proprietary skincare solutions.
- E-Gift Cards Digital gift cards available in denominations from $10 to $500 for gifting K-beauty products, with optional scheduled email delivery.
- Soko Rewards Loyalty Program Points-based loyalty program allowing customers to earn and redeem points on purchases, with tiered benefits, ambassador commissions, and referral incentives for frequent shoppers.
Quantifiable outcome
- The site mentions 'Now arguably the most well-known online retailer for curated Korean beauty products'
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Soko Glam
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Soko Glam technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Soko Glam partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Space NKcoreSoko Glam launched its first-ever UK brick-and-mortar presence through a shop-in-shop partnership with Space NK, debuting across 30 stores and online. The curated 'Best of K-Beauty Edit' features nine Korean brands—seven skincare labels including Neogen, Then I Met You, and Skin1004, plus two colour cosmetics brands (rom&nd and Dasique) making their UK retail debut. Space NK was recently acquired by Ulta Beauty.
- ShopifycoreShopify powers Soko Glam's e-commerce platform, enabling product catalog management, checkout processing, payment handling, and order fulfillment. Shopify also provides data analytics and personalized advertising features.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Soko Glam competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Yesstyle: Direct-to-consumer Asian beauty and fashion marketplace selling Korean, Japanese, and other Asian beauty brands globally. Closely comparable to Soko Glam as a curated online destination for Korean skincare with international shipping and a similar multi-brand marketplace model.
- Peach & Lily: Founder-led (Alicia Yoon) K-beauty focused DTC brand and curated retailer with content-led marketing and 10-step routine positioning. Closely comparable to Soko Glam's founder-driven, content-rich approach to mainstreaming Korean beauty in the US.
- Glow Recipe: Founder-led (Christine Chang and Sarah Lee) K-beauty brand and curated retailer built around the 10-step routine. Directly comparable to Soko Glam on category, founder DNA, and content-driven commerce.
- Wishtrend: Online K-beauty and Korean skincare specialty retailer offering curated selection of brands. Comparable as a multi-brand Korean beauty marketplace competing for the same enthusiast consumer.
- Jolse: Long-running online K-beauty marketplace with broad Korean brand assortment and discount-led positioning. Comparable to Soko Glam as a competing online destination for Korean skincare purchases.
- Stylevana: Asia-focused beauty and skincare marketplace with broad Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese brand assortment. Comparable as a curated online marketplace targeting Western consumers shopping Asian beauty.
- Cult Beauty: UK-based curated beauty marketplace with strong K-beauty and Asian beauty assortment. Comparable to Soko Glam's curated marketplace model and directly overlaps in the UK where Soko Glam is now launching via Space NK.
Broad incumbents
- Sephora: Global multi-brand beauty specialty retailer that now carries an extensive K-beauty assortment (COSRX, Laneige, Sulwhasoo, etc.). Comparable to Soko Glam as a destination for Korean beauty purchases, with broader assortment but lower curation specialization.
- Ulta Beauty: Largest US specialty beauty retailer, parent of Space NK. Comparable to Soko Glam as both a competing K-beauty destination and the strategic partner providing Soko Glam's UK shop-in-shop and potential future US physical retail exposure.
Regional players
- Olive Young: South Korea's leading health and beauty retailer with growing international and online footprint. Comparable to Soko Glam as the dominant Korean multi-brand beauty destination, but geographically anchored in Korea with limited direct Western overlap.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Soko Glam social profiles
Digital presenceSoko Glam financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Soko Glam leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Soko Glam funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Soko Glam M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Soko Glam
What does Soko Glam do?
Soko Glam is a curated direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer specializing in authentic Korean beauty (K-beauty) products. The platform sells 800+ SKUs from 90+ vetted Korean beauty brands spanning cleansers, toners, essences, serums, moisturizers, sunscreens, sheet masks, color cosmetics, hair, and body care, organized around the 10-step Korean skincare routine methodology. The company also offers curated sets, proprietary Soko Glam brand products, digital gift cards, and a points-based Soko Rewards loyalty program to drive repeat purchases.
Is Soko Glam a public or private company?
Soko Glam is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Soko Glam founded?
Soko Glam was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Soko Glam based?
Soko Glam is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Soko Glam make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are soko Rewards Subscription and gift Cards.
Who are Soko Glam's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Yesstyle, Peach & Lily, Glow Recipe, Wishtrend, Jolse, Stylevana and Cult Beauty. Broad incumbents are Sephora and Ulta Beauty. Olive Young is listed as a regional player.
Does Soko Glam have an API?
No public API is recorded for Soko Glam.
What industry is Soko Glam in?
Soko Glam's product category is K-Beauty Skincare E-commerce. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRABAAAI, K-Beauty/J-Beauty & Global Skincare Regimens, with a secondary code of CRAFABAB, Beauty & Personal Care Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 45612 and its SIC code is 2844.