Photo courtesy of Susie Wang.
I know I’m not the only one curious about celebs and influencers’ favorite beauty buys as well as who and what shape their view of beauty in the biz.
I’ve always believed in happy accidents — you know, those seemingly innocuous events that become the catalyst for something bigger, something that sets you on a completely different path from what you originally thought. It could be a product with an unexpected benefit or (unfortunately) a bad reaction or a beauty look that you might’ve questioned while you played but makes a splash on social media (or IRL). That’s essentially what happened to Susie Wang, founder and chief creative officer of 100% PURE. She famously purchased a Vitamin C serum when she was a freshman at UC Berkeley that oxidized, lost its potency, and converted to free radicals — the very thing the serum was meant to prevent!
It set her on the path to several patents to help stabilize those vitamins to prevent that oxidation from occurring, which led to a slew of job offers from a number of beauty brands. But it also led to another happy accident when she knocked over a chemical that corroded the table she was working off of and was meant to be part of an eye cream! The incident not only pushed her to look into product development practices and eventually launch the brand. The brand has become an authority when it comes to natural beauty, thanks to its effective plant-based formulations, like their fruit-based color cosmetics, but also its cruelty-free commitment. Plus it’s even received a dose of star power thanks to the likes of Big Little Lies’ Shailene Woodley (I can hardly wait for season two, can you?!).
I’ve already fallen in love with the brand’s new Tomato Lycopene SPF 20 Moisturizer that offers a physical blocker without the same grey cast that I’ve experienced with other formulas. KillaCrystal also introduced me to their natural base and top coat polishes! And after getting a chance to chat with Wang to learn more about her beauty journey and her brand’s latest array of innovations, I had to ask her to be the latest to show her stash. Not only to help everyone clean up their act (hey, it’s Earth Month, after all) but also to discover the people who inspire her (and 100% Pure’s) purpose and swipe a few of her natural beauty secrets.
On her approach to style: “My approach to beauty is all about healthy, glowing skin and minimal makeup. My fashion style is very casual, classic and easy. I’m pretty low maintenance but still prefer mostly high-quality products.”
On her idols: “I don’t necessarily have any beauty idols; however, I have a huge passion for helping animals, which is why 100% Pure is entirely cruelty-free, and I’m inspired by women who are doing great things for animal rights. For example, I’m a big fan of Ingrid Newkirk, the founder of PETA. I also admire a woman named Yang XiaoYun who rescues dogs from the Yulin Dog Meat Festival in China.”
On her first beauty memory: “My first beauty memory was wanting to buy a vitamin C serum so desperately that I skipped eating lunch for a week to buy it; however, once I did, the vitamin C serum oxidized. This was so disappointing but inspired me to figure out how to stabilize vitamins from oxidizing in skincare. My patent for this is what launched my career in the beauty industry.”
Photo: lola lenska via Pinterest
On her first beauty buy:“I bought my first beauty item when I was five years old, and it was a Rachel Perry strawberry lip balm. I was a child so I loved the fruit scent.”
On the best beauty advice she’s received: “Apply facial oil on damp skin to increase absorption.”
On her favorite beauty tip to share: “Visit steam rooms frequently and apply a facial mask while in the steam sauna.”
On her favorite beauty buys of 2018 (so far): “My favorite beauty buy has been the 100% Pure Retinol Restorative Overnight Balm. It gives me intense age correction plus deep moisture. We also have two great products coming out this month that I’m excited about — a purifying Charcoal Clay Cleanser and Tomato Lycopene SPF 20 Moisturizer.”
Check out Susie’s favorite beauty buys below:
Photo Courtesy of Susie Wang
- 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Lip & Cheek Tint: Peach Glow
“I love this fruit pigmented lip & cheek tint SO very, very much! It’s the most gorgeous, sheer coral pink that brightens up my face! I get tons of compliments each time I use it.” - 100% Pure Tomato Lycopene SPF 20 Moisturizer
“I wash my hands constantly so I need SPF in my bag to reapply on the backs of my hands. I love that it’s a lightweight SPF that not only protects me from the sun but also from the environmental free radicals that cause damage.” - 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Lip Butter Pomegranate
“It’s a moisturizing lip balm that gives me a beautiful wine-hued color to my lips! Also, it’s colored from fruit pigments!” - 100% Pure Cocoa Butter Matte Lipstick in Cassia
“Cassia is the most gorgeous nude pink lipstick shade! And again, colored from fruits!” - 100% Pure French Lavender Hand Buttercream
“I love having this with me at all times because I wash my hands so frequently, so I always need to moisturize!”