Glow Recipe spices things up with Buldak collab

Buldak, the Korean food brand known for its fiery instant noodles, is taking a step into beauty through a limited-edition collaboration with Korean skincare brand Glow Recipe.

The partnership sees the two brands introduce the Glow Recipe x Buldak glass balm lip duo, featuring two tinted lip treatments inspired by Buldak’s original and carbonara flavours. 

The set comes complete with an exclusive Glow Recipe x Buldak keychain, according to Glow Recipe’s website. For now, the product appears to be primarily rolling out in the United States. 

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The collaboration brings together Buldak’s distinctive flavour-led identity and Glow Recipe’s skincare expertise, translating familiar food cues into a beauty product.

To connect the two brands, the balms are designed to deliver a glossy finish, much like when one eats Buldak’s noodles. The original variant even provides a tingling sensation intended to give lips a fuller-looking appearance. 

The formulas also feature pink pepper extract, intended to help smooth the appearance of lips. According to Glow Recipe, an independent consumer study involving 42 participants found that, after one week of use, 97% agreed their lips felt softer and looked juicy, while 95% said their lips looked smoother.

In an Instagram post, Christine Chang, co-founder of Glow Recipe, described the collaboration as a tribute to the Korean culture that inspired both brands and the global community that has supported them.

She described the original variation of the lip balm as having “a sweet tang and a little bit of a kick”.

Beyond the product itself, the collaboration highlights how brands can extend their identities into adjacent categories by translating recognisable brand assets into new consumer experiences. In this case, Buldak’s well-established flavour associations become the creative foundation for a beauty offering, while Glow Recipe brings its existing lip-care format into the partnership.

The collaboration follows other brand partnerships that have brought Buldak beyond its instant noodle roots. In April, KFC Singapore revived its partnership with Samyang Buldak through a Carbonara-inspired Double Down, alongside a limited-time menu and in-store photobooth activations. 

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