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Taking the concept of conscious, and customized beauty to the next level
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A freewheeling conversation with Payal Thaker, Co-Founder, YBP Skin
Her commitment towards sustainability is more than just a word, it is a way of life to her, and her dedication to the same is evident through her line of natural, ethical and cruelty free skincare products that are conscious and customized. A line of clean and conscious skincare products that have been created with the commitment to sustainability in mind.
Her brand YBP Skin boasts of natural products, driven from whole-plant ingredients that are grown by the farmers on their lands yet they are backed by science. Even though she remains committed to veganism and sustainable practices, she recognizes that these terms are often misinterpreted and misused by many in the modern context.
Nevertheless, at the same time, she feels that advertising and marketing that makes tall claims such as aging backward, glass-like skin, etc., need to be stopped. She is firmly of the opinion that skin care is not about airbrushed pictures or skin that has been heavily filtered in order to appear flawless.
Her concept of skincare is about looking after your skin and following the concept of slow beauty. It is about not rushing the process because that is what adds integrity and quality to life, and it is all about looking after your skin and following environmental footprints.
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HOP: What brought you to the world of beauty and what drove you to become involved in it?
Ans:. I entered the world of clean skincare because I already had expertise in clean beauty and lifestyle. I wanted skincare made with the finest ingredients. the world that values integrity at every step of the process. From harvesting practices to following our environmental footprint as a company, every conscious choice we made has had an effect. In the 6 years since launching YBP Skin I’ve observed that words like “Natural” “Vegan” & “Sustainable” are thrown around so much that they’ve lost their significance.
HOP: What is the history of your brand and company, and how long has it been around?
Ans: As YBP Skin is about reconnecting with nature, we decided to launch in 2017. It’s the little things like personalised packages, being available through Instagram or email, and writing Newsletters on different subjects to connect with my customers is my way of ensuring that they feel loved and cared for. It’s a model for how I hope my clients will use these products to care for themselves.I wanted to create a line that utilizes the best of nature backed by science studied by the best in their respective fields.
HOP:. Could you please tell me how committed your brand is to offering vegan and natural solutions in order to achieve beauty?
Ans: Our line is transparent about everything, from listing every ingredient on our website to explaining our sources and studies behind our formulations. We really want to increase the standard of vegan and natural products with each formula by educating our consumers at every stage. Most of our whole-plant ingredients are grown by the farmers on their lands.
We have to be in contact with them regularly and let them know how much of each plant we will need for the year ahead. They plant, grow, harvest; and then send the ingredients straight to us so we can process them ourselves. Our processing typically includes macerations, drying, tincturing or distillation.
HOP: A lot of vegan natural herbal beauty brands have flooded the market these days, as well as homegrown brands. How stiff do you think the competition for your business is?
Ans: Our product range is cruelty-free and we do not use animal by products in our products. We use a small amount of organic Beeswax in some of our products which is again sourced locally and sustainably. The beauty market is just as saturated as any other market. We stick to what we know, we believe in educating our customers about the importance of our ingredients and ethical practices we follow at YBP Skin. Most of our customers have been with us from the start and from there on we have grown into a bigger community. I truly believe in Slow Beauty, Slow Living and not rushing the process because that’s what adds integrity and quality to our life.
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HOP; How do you cope with the challenges you face in your field?
Ans: My biggest challenge with the current beauty scenario is to debunk the unrealistic beauty goals that are set by the industry. Idealizing wrong beauty standards on social media, magazines showcasing unrealistic images of skin in their advertising and marketing efforts.
Professional photoshoots and editing portray skin as flawless, airbrushed with no blemishes or scars. Thick lips, thick lashes and thick eyebrows. Voluminous shiny hair. I could go on and on. “Glass like skin” “spotless skin” “Aging backwards” NEEDS TO STOP. Skin-care is not air-brushed pictures and heavily filtered skin. Skincare is looking after your skin so it can protect our body from external damage.
HOP;. How smooth has your entrepreneurial journey been so far?
Ans: The journey of an entrepreneur is never smooth. I’ve learned that panicking does not solve problems. I try to center myself by thinking about what really matters. It’s interesting, actually, how thethings you didn’t plan for can lead to your greatest achievements.
HOP: I would like to know how you promote your marketing and publicize your products?
Ans: We are currently focusing on brand awareness. Educating and sharing more about how we work around here with our customers on our social media platforms, through our website and newsletters. It is our goal to have YBP found in shops that are well-aligned with our philosophy of simple luxury. So that people can get the most out of these potent gifts from nature. We’ve also had a lot of international interest which has been encouraging because we don’t yet ship internationally. That’ll be one way we expand, eventually, when we’re confident we can do it right. We also just released a couple of new products: botanically- lip product called Rosé Lip Salve and Hydrating Chia Cream which is truly a boon for dry/dehydrated skin. We’re also toying with the idea of brand expansion. YBP Skin was always meant to be a lifestyle brand and more than just skincare.
HOP: Please tell us about your product portfolio?
Ans: We have a wide range of products in our portfolio, like Barrier Repair Tonic which is a multi-benefit brightening/exfoliating treatment that effectively works in reducing excess oiliness, redness and congestion. HYDRATING CHIA CREAM Packed with antioxidants and combined with Hyaluronic Acid, creating a moisturizer that instantly restores, balances and moisturizes skin without feeling sticky or oily. HYDRATING SERUM MIST which is a nutrient-dense essential skincare product, with our in-house extracts of Calendula, Hibiscus and Marshmallow Roots (botanical humectants) infused in our 100% pure and fresh Juniper Berry Hydrosol, Nicaraguan Cacao Butter for which we source our organic cacao butter from Nicaraguan cacao farms, which is traded fairly.Afterward, the raw butter slabs are carefully selected by hand to ensure the highest possible quality for our products, PLANT REMEDY Calendula Healing Salve, its a remedy for every skin condition, from extreme cases of eczema, rosacea, dermatitis, painful cystic acne, sensitive allergy-prone skin, to the occasional cut, scrape or rash Apart from these we have other products such as Exfoliating Cleanser, GUA SHA Amethyst Heart, GUA SHA Amethyst Pro, GUA SHA Rose Quartz Heart, GUA SHA Rose Quartz Sculpting Spoon, PLANT REMEDY Rosé Lip Salve, PLANT REMEDY Skin Elixir, PLANT REMEDY Skin Salve, PLANT REMEDY Vitamin C Face Mask, PURE ARGAN 10ml, SUN SALVE, Vitamin C Face Serum.
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HOP: One product which can tackle multiple skin problems?
I cycle through favorites constantly because the needs of my skin change with the seasons, with the weather and the diet I’m following at the time. It’s one reason I enjoy the line as much as I do. It’s versatile and can be varied to cater to the needs of the user. The product I use the most, though? Hydrating Serum Mist – it’s capable of so much! It balances pH after cleansing, preps skin for application of face oil, and sets makeup. When I first created it, it was for the skin I thought I had. Prone to dehydration, combination, and in need of something astringent. After just three months of using this excellent serum-mist, my skin changed dramatically.
HOP. If you were to give tips to budding entrepreneurs in your field, what would they be?
Ans: Don’t rush the process. People will find you if you are doing something extraordinary and wholeheartedly. It takes time to gain that kind of trust. You don’t want to lose your calm and force yourself into doing things you don’t align with. Trust your instincts and build a strong, efficient team.
HOP. Do you have any upcoming product launches coming up?
Ans: We are right now working on the final packaging of our Cleansing Salve which is getting released in December. It’s a very soothing cleansing balm made with some extraordinary ingredients like Seabuckthorn, cinnamon & cacao. I always wanted YBP to have a luxurious cleansing balm that can be used mornings and nights to deep massage the skin and cleanse without tugging and pulling. The scent is simply divine and the entire experience of using this product is one-of-a-kind.
All the products are available at: https://ybpskin.com/HOP:
