With Earth in mind, the founders of these Asia-based beauty brands are making a positive impact with ethical, cruelty-free products.
Hong Kong-based Kavita Khosa founded her ethical skincare line Purearth around the Sanskrit saying ‘vasudhaiva kutumbakam’. “It means the world is one family,” says Khosa, who also keeps palm oil out of her products due to its devastating effects on endangered orangutans in Borneo. “We share this beautiful planet with the animal kingdom. Using them as lab rats to test ingredients is cruel and must stop.”
Beyond being cruelty-free, Purearth uses responsibly sourced ingredients, including many that are wild harvested in the Himalayas from Kashmir to Kumaon in northern India, where it pays fair trade prices and supports local communities though its charity, the Pure Purpose Foundation.
“Our social impact initiatives include the Eco Pot Project, completing construction of almost 70 toilets in rural villages, as well as afforestation drives to grow medicinal plants,” says Khosa, who has been raising money to provide oxygen concentrators to Covid-19 patients in India as the country tackles a catastrophic wave of the virus.
Khosa’s Summer Skincare Tips
- Use Purearth’s Sambac Botanical Mist, with rare blue lotus flower water and jasmine sambac, to hydrate and balance your skin’s pH levels
- Use sunscreen, cover up sensibly and get your crucial vitamin D with 20 minutes of early morning sun
- For many, summer can mean blocked pores and excess oil production. The Mitti Raw Honey Masque addresses these issues, and is also effective in soothing sun-damaged skin
Martine Cajucom, Founder of Sunnies Face
When Martine Cajucom founded her make-up brand Sunnies Face, she had two things in mind. First, she wanted to create a beauty line that felt aligned with the emerging generation of trend-focused but eco-conscious consumers in the Philippines. She says, “Luxury brands weren’t accessible to many in the Philippines, while the more affordable brands didn’t have the formulas or packaging that spoke to us.”
Cajucom also noticed that colour ranges were never really developed with Southeast Asian skin tones in mind, which explains the brand’s unique signature palette of warm, neutral hues. “We wanted to create a product line that would be universally flattering and that would bring ease into your beauty routine,” she says, adding that the entire make-up range is never tested on animals. “It is my personal opinion and that of Sunnies Face that no living being should be harmed when developing beauty products.”
Cajucom’s Summer Beauty Tips
- When in doubt, go for warm browns on the eyes, like our Eyecrayon in Bambi, and pinkish nudes for the lips, like our Fluffmatte lipstick in Baby Spice or Milkshake
- Know what works for you, but don’t be afraid to experiment
- Peachy tones are forever my go-to for summer, and for life in general. I recommend the Fluffmatte lipstick in Vacay, and our new Eyecrayon in Tangelo
