I grew up feeling invisible in the world of beauty.
As a Korean adoptee raised in a Midwestern family, no one in my immediate world looked like me. And, no one around me shared my curiosity for makeup and self-expression. While other girls learned routines passed down from mothers or sisters, I was left to figure it out on my own, experimenting quietly, often feeling like I was getting it "wrong." Because the truth is, I didn't just feel different, I felt undefined.
Like so many Asian Americans, I lived in that in-between space. Not "Asian enough" in one world, not "American enough" in another. A foreigner in both. I didn't have the language back then, but it was an identity crisis that shaped how I saw myself, especially when it came to beauty. When I looked around, I didn't see features like mine being celebrated. I didn't see monolids in magazines, in ads, or even in makeup tutorials. And when you don't see yourself represented, something subtle happens, you start to believe you're the exception. Or worse, that something about you needs to be fixed. So I searched for a place I could belong. And I found it online.
YouTube became my mirror, my classroom, and my creative outlet. It was the first space where I could explore makeup on my own terms. Where I could play, fail, learn, and be free. But even there, I noticed a gap. Very few people were creating content for monolids, and where they were, it often felt like an afterthought. So I became the resource I was looking for.
I leaned into my features instead of trying to work around them. I shared tutorials, tips, and looks specifically for monolids...not as a limitation, but as something versatile and worth celebrating. And in doing that, I found something even bigger than beauty.
I found my voice.
That journey is what led to Hannah Cho Beauty. I didn't want to create just another lash brand. I wanted to create something intentional, that solved real problems I had experienced myself. Our lashes can be worn by all eye shapes, but they were specifically created for monolids and hooded eyes. Every detail is considered, from the band to the curl to the weight, so they actually fit, feel comfortable, and enhance rather than overpower. And because I know personally how frustrating it can be, we also design with sensitive eyes in mind.
This isn't just about lashes. It's about representation. It's about making sure the next generation doesn't grow up feeling invisible the way I did. It's about seeing Asian features not just included, but centered and celebrated. Because when you do see yourself, when your features are reflected back to you as beautiful, it changes something deep inside. You stop questioning if you belong.
Hannah Cho Beauty exists for that reason. For the girls who grew up in between. For the ones who didn't see themselves in beauty. For the ones now who are trying to make their way in their industry.
There was never anything wrong with us.