FAQs

Where is Glow Theory located?

We're based in Johannesburg, but we ship throughout South Africa.

Where do you get your products from?

All our products are manufactured in Korea and shipped directly from Korea to South Africa. We deal directly with our partner brands or with trusted third party vendors. We will never sell any inauthentic products, and are working on a guide to make it easier for consumers to spot items that are not genuine.

Did you send me an expired product?

Absolutely not! We make sure to check the expiry dates of all products before shipping them. However, many Korean manufacturers label their products with the manufacture date instead of the expiry date. If you receive a product from us that includes a date prior to your purchase date, rest assured that it's the manufacture date. Unopened products tend to have a shelf-life of two to three years, but please feel free to contact us at hello@glowtheory.co.za or on social media if you are unsure.

Why do you sometimes send samples of products not for sale in your store?

There's such a wide range of excellent K-beauty products to choose from, that it's impossible to stock them all. We do however want to give you the chance to try as many different brands as possible, so if you particularly like a sample you've received from us and can't find it on our website, drop us a line at hello@glowtheory.co.za or on any of our social media and we'll source it for you or consider stocking it permanently if there is high enough demand.

Why don't you stock my favourite K-beauty brand or product?

Our main goal here at Glow Theory is to stock products that are well reviewed in the K-beauty community, as well as highly rated by us personally. If there's anything you'd like to see on the website, let us know at hello@glowtheory.co.za or on social media.

Do you have a physical store?

No, but follow our social media to keep up to date with us as we do various popups throughout the year in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. We'd love to meet you so you can try out our products in person!

I'm a K-beauty newbie, what products should I buy to get started?

We know that no one's skin is the same, and although various factors that impact the health of our skin are beyond our control, one of the best things about K-beauty is how customisable it is. If you have specific skin concerns, we've organised all our products into sections to help you figure out which products are for you. We have a Cult Favourites section which features the most popular and highly-rated Korean products, as well as Summer and Travel Collections. If you're still unsure though, we would be happy to help you find your ideal skincare routine - simply drop us a line at hello@glowtheory.co.za or reach out on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, and we'll get back to you within a day!

What is this "Ten Step" Korean beauty routine I keep hearing about?

K-beauty has become well-known for a multi product routine, which is often assumed to have ten steps. While many Korean women, and women outside of Korea who follow the K-beauty philosophy, do have ten steps in their skincare routine (or more!), this is not necessary in order to benefit from the products. The true strength of the K-beauty routine is how targeted and highly customisable for your specific skin issues it is. This can mean that you only use a few products that work for you, or that you go all out with several different targeted steps. Don't feel pressure to conform to any exact routine or buy products you won't use - the idea is that you do what works best for you. As long as you make sure to cleanse thoroughly, hydrate well, and protect your skin from the sun everyday, you're good to go.

Why do you love K-beauty so much?

So many reasons! The packaging is fun, it's excellent value for money, the formulas are years ahead of anything else available to us, and best of all: IT WORKS! For more on K-Beauty and why it's so great, click here.

Are Korean cosmetics cruelty-free?

The Korean National Assembly has passed a bill banning companies from testing cosmetics and ingredients on animals, effective from 2018. While this is incredible news, prior to this law taking effect there were very few K-beauty companies still testing on animals. You can rest assured that from 2018 all cosmetics produced in Korea will be cruelty-free.

If you have any questions that have not been answered above, please drop us a line at hello@glowtheory.co.za or on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. We'd love to chat to you! Click here for delivery and returns information.