Iconic Asian-American Beauty Brands to Discover This AAPI Heritage Month
All May long, we've been celebrating Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, and one of our favorite ways to both learn more about Asian-American culture and support the community is by shopping AAPI-founded companies.
Of course, that includes beauty brands, to hair and nails, makeup, skincare and so much more. If you'd like to join us, just keep scrolling to discover some of our very favorite AAPI-owned beauty brands.
Mooncat
Chances are that you've seen the gorgeous viral indie nail polish brand Mooncat, but you may not have known that it was founded by Michelle Lin. Growing up, she wasn't allowed to wear nail polish, so she developed the brand as a form of uninhibited self-expression and creativity.
(via Mooncat)
Norie
Susan Kim Tsui's Norie is responsible for the world's first kimchi cleanser, inspired by her love for wellness, her Korean heritage and love for traditional foods, including the prebiotic superfood kimchi. She started her career helping massive K-beauty brands grow in the U.S. before developing Norie, focused on the probiotic power of fermented kimchi for the skin.
(via Norie)
RANAVAT
Michelle Ranavat grew up in Wisconsin as a first-generation Indian-American whose mother oiled her hair every week. Not only was it an important family bonding experience, but it also showed her just how beneficial oiling could be for her hair and scalp. As an adult, she developed the self-titled Ayurvedic beauty brand RANAVAT, using adaptogenic ingredients with South Asian traditions to improve hair health for customers everywhere.
(via RANAVAT)
Also read about: Hair Oiling 101 With RANAVAT Founder Michelle Ranavat
SLMD Skincare
Whether you've watched Dr. Pimple Popper's viral videos or popular television series, you're familiar with Dr. Sandra Lee. After creating her Instagram page in 2015, she's since branched out to make skincare more accessible to all with her SLMD Skincare brand, providing solutions for anyone with acne-prone skin.
(via SLMD Skincare)
Lilac St.
Lilac St. is a beloved lash brand developed by Chinese-American entrepreneur Alicia Zeng, bringing light and fluffy DIY lashes to the masses. The company is all about self-expression and thriving in your own skin with help from vegan, cruelty-free Korean silk lashes that are arranged by hand.
(Image courtesy of Alicia Zeng)
Also read about: How Alicia Zeng Turned Her Love of Beauty Into an Eyelash Empire With Lilac St.
Pūrlisse Beauty
You may recognize Jennifer Yen as an actress who played Vypra on Power Rangers, but she's moved on from acting to focus on sharing ancient Asian beauty remedies through her beloved brand, Pūrlisse Beauty. The brand focusing on utilizing Asian botanicals in its makeup and skincare products in order to foster healthier, happier skin.
(via Pūrlisse Beauty)
Also read about: Our Favorite AAPI-Owned Foodie Brands to Check Out This Month
iota
Married couple, co-founders and co-CEOs Monique Meneses and Ray Kim are the creative minds behind iota, an innovative brand that's all about skincare as an element of overall wellness. They use high-powered ingredients such as snow mushroom, rambutan, gooseberry and more to strengthen the skin barrier, preventing skin issues at the root.
(via iota)
KimChi Chic Beauty
You may know Kim Chi as a finalist from Season 8 of RuPaul's Drag Race, whose iconic makeup looks spoke for themselves. She's also a beauty founder, creating her own makeup brand, KimChi Chic Beauty. The company is all about colorful, sparkly and pastel-colored makeup looks that give you everything you need to turn your face into a work of art.
(via KimChi Chic Beauty)
Curious about even more AAPI-founded brands? Click HERE to check our some of our favorite Asian-American-owned style companies.