When I started Korean Vegan Beauty, I knew I wanted to offer products that:
Actually work;
Are vegan and cruelty free; and
Don't make your face feel like it's on fire.
I remember one day, my mother came home from the beauty salon, her entire face covered in angry, blistery boils. To this day, she still has scars from that experience and it made me SO paranoid about going to the salon for anything more complicated than a haircut. It also made me wary of getting facials. I mean, sometimes, there's no coming back from something like that!
Now obviously, it's important that we all stay on top of our allergies. And, as my mother discovered, sometimes, those allergies can crop up later in life. Our bodies are a mystery, after all, and hormones can play an oversized role in developing sensitivities to ingredients that never bothered us before. But clearly, there's an appetite for beauty products that don't wreak unnecessary havoc on our bodies, as evidenced by how frequently shampoos, creams, and serums are advertised as "gentle." "Gentle cleanser," "gentle exfoliant," etc. etc.
Funnily enough, those "gentle" products often leave my face feeling raw. Am I the only one? Or, it's the other way around, where the "gentle exfoliant" literally does nothing. Most often, the term "gentle" means there is no fragrance, there are fewer obvious irritants, or the product doesn't "tingle" in the way we usually want it to (I know I want it to!). But is that really a good definition of "gentle"? If the product is either too weak to do anything or just takes more time to wreck your skin, I'm just not sure that's really what "gentle" should mean!
"Gentleness" Rooted in Korean Beauty Tradition.
Traditionally speaking, one of the reasons Korean beauty is so effective is precisely because it avoids harsh chemicals in favor of gentle treatment. Korean vegan beauty takes it up a notch by ensuring that "gentleness" doesn't just describe our list of ingredients, but the entire ethos of the brand. This, too, though, is rooted in tradition. Beauty is about healing and healing should never incur the expense of suffering--human, animal, or otherwise.
What "Gentle" Means to KVBeauties.
To the KVBeauties Fam, "gentle" means that the product is gentle on your skin barrier, while still being effective. The skin barrier is your skin's immune system and the last thing we want is to mess with that. If a product repeatedly strips your skin barrier, your skin becomes more reactive, more acne-prone, and more sensitive over time. Thus, it was important to me that we develop products that were still as effective as Korean beauty products have a reputation for, while being respectful of the skin barrier.
Why is this important? Well, it means you can use the product consistently, to maximize its benefits. It's annoying when you're told, "oh this works so well, but only use it once per week or stop altogether if it makes your skin red." I mean, what the heck is that? One of the reasons I love Korean Vegan Beauty's All-In-One Skin Cream is because I can use it every day, twice a day, knowing that my skin barrier remains healthy. This philosophy will underscore all of our products (we are working on a serum right now!).
