How Linda Wang Changed the Skincare Landscape With Her Skin-Healthy Brands, Karuna and Avatara
If you're like us and love to pamper yourself with sheet masks, you have entrepreneur Linda Wang to thank.
She's the founder and CEO of sister skincare brands Karuna and Avatara. The first is based in traditional Chinese medicine, which launched in 2009 to become the first company to bring sheet masks from Asia to the United States. Meanwhile, Avatara (founded in 2017) is a clean and cost-effective brand developed specifically for the needs of younger skin. Both brands filled market gaps with solutions that have since become mainstream—but we're still obsessed with the originals. We got the chance to chat with Linda to discover her story and learn more about both brands, and how they've gotten to where they are today, in the interview below.
1. Linda's always had a passion for beauty and skincare.
"I realized at a young age just how big of an impact our skin can have, not just on our physical appearance, but emotionally. As I entered adulthood, my passion for beauty and skincare continued when I was a makeup artist at Tricoci Salon & Spa while completing my fashion merchandising degree at Ohio State University. I quickly learned the importance of quality skincare and the difference it made with clients. My job was to ensure each client walked away looking and feeling their best and left with the esthetician-recommended skincare products carried by the salon. I immersed myself in ingredient knowledge, assessing each client's unique needs to build custom routines that best suited their individual concerns and goals. After I had finished college and worked my way up the retail buyer ladder, I realized I was greatly missing the beauty world. During a trip back home to Taiwan, I discovered a range of revolutionary sheet masks that left me feeling I had just received a facial—without the expense or time commitment. I was instantly inspired to bring this technology to the U.S. mainstream—and the idea for my first brand, Karuna, was born!"
-Linda Wang
(Image courtesy of Linda Wang)
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2. Her own struggles with her own skin growing up were also very informative for her.
"As a child, I struggled terribly with my skin—eczema, rashes, allergic reactions, you name it. My parents tried everything to help, including having me drink cobra soup (yes, that's a thing!), but nothing seemed to help. It was only by chance during a bad flare-up that a doctor who specialized in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) helped me find relief. It came in the form of an ointment with instructions to "wrap the rash with plastic wrap to push the medicine deeper." The results were miraculous; within a matter of days, my rash was gone. I didn't know it at the time, but it was my first experience with a sheet mask! When I found those sheet masks back home years later, I was instantly reminded of how similar the technique was to my childhood remedy."
-Linda Wang
3. She's created two different skincare brands, and while they have different audiences in mind, they're both based on delivering great results at affordable costs.
"My first brand, Karuna, was born through the melding of traditional Chinese medicine principles with modern clinical science, helping people everywhere find relief from the symptoms of imbalance and inflammatory response—the main culprits of most common skin concerns! Karuna launched in 2009 and is known today as the first to bring sheet masks from Asia to the U.S.
My second brand, Avatara, was inspired by my (at the time) preteen nieces. I looked at the products they were using and being marketed to and was really concerned by the ingredients found in them—especially because they were supposedly intended for younger skin. I founded Avatara in 2017 with one goal in mind: to offer safe, age-appropriate products designed specifically for tween, teen and younger skin needs with clean, non-toxic ingredients like fermented kombucha. Avatara doesn't just have a fun vibe and selfie-worthy products—it's gentle, effective and parent-approved! Both brands are intended to deliver quality and visible results without the high price tag. It's always been important to me that our brands are affordable and accessible but don't compromise on efficacy."
-Linda Wang
4. Her one must-have skincare product is Karuna's face masks—especially their Collagen Hydrogel Face Mask.
"I've actually started wearing it overnight and my skin is next-level in the morning—calm, nourished and glowing!"
-Linda Wang
(via Karuna)
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5. She also has a favorite Avatara product, The Simple Shield SPF moisturizer.
"SPF is a non-negotiable for any age and skin type, and this one acts like a two-in-one that moisturizes but never feels greasy or heavy on the skin."
-Linda Wang
(via Avatara)
6. The best advice she ever received came from her dad during a stressful moment.
"When I first launched Karuna, I had to recall a product while I was in Hong Kong doing my press appearance. Being so new in the industry, this incident really terrified me. I remember calling my dad at the subway station, and he said, 'Don't cry. Go fix it.' That was the best advice he gave me because he wanted me to focus on the solution rather than staying in the problem state, which wouldn't solve anything."
-Linda Wang
7. A few important habits have gotten her to where she is today.
"I'm lucky in that over the course of my career, I've been able to learn and cultivate many many habits, but if I had to narrow it down to the major ones, they'd have to be:
Be passionate! If you don't love what you're doing, it's always just going to feel like 'work.' When I first started my business, I underestimated just how much time it requiredm but because I'm passionate about creating and delivering the best products I can to our customers and seeing how they're helping people look and feel their best, it makes the lack of work-balance a little easier!
Also recognizing that 'no' is not always the final answer or end-all-be-all! I've been told no in the industry many times but have adopted the habit of spinning it to a motivation tactic—striving for other ways or avenues to accomplish what I had originally set out to do. You need to put yourself in the mindset of always staying active and curious, because more often than not, the 'no' just means the one saying it hasn't thought about what you're asking for yet. Looking for ways to challenge opposition gets you closer to finding a solution!"
-Linda Wang
(via Karuna)
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8. Her biggest skincare tip is to double-cleanse.
"Especially if you're an SPF or makeup lover. Proper cleansing is so important to set your skin up for success and keep it functioning at its best."
-Linda Wang
9. The most rewarding thing about the work she does is seeing her skincare brands touch peoples' lives.
"I love hearing people tell me how much their skin has changed because they started using our products. This keeps me going!"
-Linda Wang
(via Avatara)
10. One thing that's very important to Linda is always making it a habit to keep learning.
"The beauty industry (and the world in general!) is ever-changing, so continuing to educate yourself is crucial for staying on top of trends. I'm constantly researching, reading articles and taking notes of what customers are looking for including staying up to speed with new innovations and emerging trends to ensure I have a pulse on what's going on at any given time and prepared to take action."
-Linda Wang
For more insights from the founders who inspire us, click HERE to learn all about Mode Mischief Studios founder Mia Zotos.