Purearth: A Beauty Brand Rooted In Ethics & Sustainability, A Founder Fighting For Female Dignity

We here at Green Queen take our skincare seriously. Our skin acts like a sponge – absorbing almost everything from the atmosphere (cough, polluted Hong Kong air, cough) to our skincare regime – it gives us the serious heebie jeebies when we stop to think about all the potentially toxic beauty ingredients we could be slathering on daily, which is why we are all about the natural products when it comes to what we put on our face. Natural beauty is currently having its moment in the spotlight, and rightfully so! But recently, we’ve fallen hard for one brand in particular: multi-award winning skincare line Purearth. Harnessing the pure potency of plant botanicals, flowers, herbs, and seeds from altitudes of over 7,000 feet in the Himalayas, Purearth gathers all their ingredients from the wild by local women self-help groups, to create a line of ethical, organic skincare that nourishes your skin safely and gently. Below we take a closer look at this inspiring wellness brand, the supremely talented woman behind it and the case she is championing for young women and girls. 

Ethical Beauty

Founded by Kavita Khosa, a corporate lawyer who traded her world of private equity law to clean beauty, Purearth is rooted in ancient Ayurvedic wisdom, in which Kavita holds a diploma from the Ayurvedic Institute founded by American author and renowned Ayurvedic physician, Dr. Vasant Lad. “Purearth came to be because I wanted to impact positive social change,” says the mom of two who divides her time between Hong Kong and India. “I wanted to do something where I could contribute to women, society, my country, and to the Earth.” Completely free from all the nasties you can think of: petrochemicals, parabens, phthalates, palm, formaldehyde, silicones, sulphates, carbomers tea, tea and GMOs, the Indian company takes it one step further by handcrafting all their products in small batches, fostering ethical consumption and addressing a growing consciousness toward clean, organic skincare.

Take their Mandarin Body Butter, for example. A rich moisturizer infused with oil extracted from the peel of the small citrus fruit with Himalayan cedar wood, marigold, frankincense, cinnamon bark and raw cacao seed butter, this full-bodied skin nourisher touts two coveted awards from fashion & beauty publications like Harpers Bazaar and Elle. Or their Wild Rosehip Supercritical Face Oil, another first-rate product complete in essential fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants extracted from its pulp into a singular treatment oil. The entire product line is hand blended and bottled in French Violetglass vials and jars to  block harmful sunlight and preserve the bio-activity energy of these invaluable ingredients. Moreover, it was astounding (and extremely refreshing) to hear Kavita list off where her ingredients came from: the wild sea buckthorn berries (that repairs UV sun damage and scarring) hail from the mountainous region of Ladakh, the lavender (which we all know to reduce anxiety but is also known to restore skin complexion and reduce acne) comes from Kashmir in the extreme east of the Himalayas, while the rosehip seeds (to correct dark spots and hydrate dry, itchy skin, all while reducing scars and fine lines) are from Bhutan. Gentle on the earth and its creatures, the environmental initiatives from Purearth support biodynamic and organic farming methods, carbon offsets and reforestation. In addition, their affiliate organization, The Pure Purpose Foundation, is committed to working with marginalized women to bridge the gender wage gap and pricing in urban markets.

The Eco-Pot Project

Compelled to improve the safety and sanitation for rural women and girls, Purearth launched a crowdfunding campaign, The Eco-Pot Project, to build eco-toilets in villages along the Himalayan belt. Shocking statistics show that 60% of people in India do not have access to a toilet and 48% defecate in the open. Setting aside the numbers, water-borne diseases, environmental degradation, and hygiene, it is the lack of proper hygiene facilities that put women’s health and safety at risk – both physically and mentally.

“This project is so close to my heart,” says Kavita who grew up in Pune, India. “Coming from a small city where it was common not to have a toilet in your home, I have always wanted to work on this particular undertaking because other than the startling facts or safety – there are a lot of girls who are sexually assaulted in such compromising positions, early in the morning or in dark, remote places – what about their dignity?” states Kavita, voice rife with emotion. Her voice trails off for a brief moment before tearfully exclaiming, “Every pubescent girl who is just entering puberty trying to understand the changes in her body…for her to have to go outside her house when men could be watching, what about the psychological aspect of it? What about the dignity of our human birthright to be able to do something private in a private manner? What about that?!”

Collaborating with a local NGO based in Uttarakhand, Himalayas, the Kickstarter initiative aims to build 40 twin-pit water seal eco-toilets using recycled environment waste material and pollutant. The construction of this endeavor will also tackle the local water and food contamination crisis by reducing the pollution of water supplies and transmission of water-borne diseases. But the fundamental matter at hand is that a successful campaign will mean safety, security and dignity to these young women and girls.

Purearth will be crowdfunding on Kickstarter. This project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by December 15, 2017. To have a look at all the luxury Purearth rewards, click here. Shop the entire Purearth range collection online here.

All images courtesy of Purearth.