#purearth

Mitti Raw Honey Face Masque from Purearth - Secret Skin

Purearth Turmeric Sand Exfoliant Face Masque An ancient Ayurvedic recipe passed down over generations, this hand blended treat is a union of Vedic

#BEAUTYACCESS : Kavita Khosa 

For the last few years, “all things natural” is a lifestyle idea that has hit the world. People all over the world have been impressed by organic fashion, food, beauty and much more which has resulted in multiple brands coming up with organic products. But creating products from natural ingredients is a complex yet heart-fulfilling process and Kavita Khosa, founder of Purearth, agrees with this. Even before starting Purearth 6 years ago, Kavita has been an ardent advocate of an organic and ethical lifestyle. With Purearth, she brings us a promise of purity, promise of connecting us to the Earth and most importantly, a promise of empowering women. And in the following interview, she shares her ideas of beauty and her discoveries from the journey of Purearth.

1. How would you define beauty?

For me, beauty is raw, free of ornamentation and earthy. It reflects the true nature of our being and is true to our personal dharma. Beauty to me is kindness, compassion and character. It radiates from the inside out.

2. How did the idea of Purearth come about?

As a lawyer, I have been a women’s rights activist for long now. Sometime in 2010, I came across the concept of a social enterprise which advocates doing well by doing good, or doing good by doing well. It is based on principles of fair trade, dignified income and fair wages which are the cornerstone of any business. It’s about creating a collaborative partnership rather than giving charity. I wanted to establish an organization that could impact social change and enable women to earn a dignified means of livelihood. I didn’t want to set up a charity because I don’t believe that charity is empowering for the receiver.  I am a reluctant entrepreneur. There was no moment of epiphany or the discovery of a magical potion that led me to establish a skincare wellness brand. I was done with the corporate avatar I had donned, the adrenaline of doing high profile M&A transactions as a lawyer.  I wanted to return to my roots, to work with women, and to connect back to the Earth, and so I started my journey with just these three criteria. I honestly didn’t even know which part of India. I researched and took field trips into the Himalayas. I looked at the Nilgiris as a region I could work in. I researched the agrarian landscape in terms of botanicals and local farming across the country. I looked at setting up in Maharashtra which is terra firma to me because I am from Pune. But as destiny would have it, I somehow ended up doing what I do in the Himalayan belt. I had travelled to Tibet around 20 years ago. Then, it wasn’t what it is today. There was no internet, no cafés or anything. I had travelled across the Tibetan plateau, its air steeped in deep spirituality, later I travelled to Gangotri, Badrinath and I guess somewhere the Himalayas left a deep impact on me. So, I guess the universe conspired to make this choice happen. I ended up choosing the Himalayan ecosphere as the home for Purearth. I travelled extensively up in the remote mountain regions for around two years, conducting field trips, researching ingredients and meeting NGOs, CBOs and wonderful people along the way, I was on this quest to understand and unearth that which is raw, precious, and worth nurturing for both people and the planet. That is how Purearth was born.

3. So, in this journey, what has been your biggest learning about beauty and skincare?

The pristine Himalayan terrains are abundant with rare medicinal botanicals, like sea buckthorn and nettle and discovering their incredible phytonutrient profile and remarkable benefits for both skin and health have brought me so much joy and learning! That said, my greatest learning has come through the years of deep research, study and formulating with the commonest ubiquitous botanicals like neem, Indian senna, moonseed and moringa which grow along every footpath in urban India and are renowned in Ayurveda for their healing and nourishing properties. I am constantly learning, discovering and formulating with herbs, roots seeds, leaves!  Did you know Indian senna, or sonamukhi, is nature’s answer to hyaluronic acid, a rockstar ingredient in skincare. Choosing a natural alternative that is so easily available, discovering and experimenting with it, and its bio availability and cosmoceutical profile is so exciting. There are thousands of botanicals available in nature and it’s remarkable what they can do for our skin, for our health and wellness. So, this has been my biggest discovery and learning.

4. Now, if you had to choose one ingredient that in your opinion is the golden ingredient i.e. it probably works for every skin type and every skin concern?

Oh! It’s the sea buckthorn berry. I am obsessed with it. The more I learn, the more I use it, the more I formulate with it, the more feedback and reviews and results I receive from my clients, the more I am amazed. The sea buckthorn berry is found in glacier terrains and is native to the Himalayas, Canada and Scandinavian countries. But our Himalayan species is very special because of its higher content of essential fatty acids. I am up in Ladakh during harvest season, collecting the berries along with our women self-help groups, sorting, grading, cleaning and sun drying them. My sea buckthorn oil is supercritical CO2 extracted and retains almost 80% of its phytonutrient profile. You can ingest it or put it on your skin. Sea buckthorn berry has over 190 phytonutrients, and our contains around 59% Vitamin E and about 60% polyunsaturated fatty acids. It also contains superoxide dismutase that fights free radicals which are a major cause of skin degeneration. I recall when I had just launched it, a couple of clients with fresh burns and wounds used this oil and the healing has been nothing short of amazing. My clients who are battling cancer are using it regularly and have found immense relief. My father who suffers from acid reflux has been ingesting this oil for around 6 months now and he says he feels rejuvenated and his digestive tract feels strengthened. I receive so many messages and emails from clients who say their acne congested skin is transformed. Sea buckthorn oil is also the world’s richest known plant source of rare Omega-7. So, now you know why I am just obsessed with what it can do, both for our inner health and for our skin.

5. There’s been lot of craze around K-beauty and its multi-step skincare routine. So, do you prefer a multi-step routine like the K-beauty one or a simple skincare routine?

It’s human nature to get enamoured by fads. We like newness, especially if it’s exotic. K-beauty is new, plus it’s exotic because it’s not from California or London, it’s from Korea, an exciting country that the world is discovering today be it in food or K beauty skincare. I feel Ayurveda is all about rituals, while K beauty is all about regimens. Like the seven skin method which is about layering a toner seven times to plump and hydrate skin. These are just different approaches to skincare. Everything has its place and what matters is what works for you. I believe multi step routines are better suited for winter when skin needs more nourishment. I also feel too many products can confuse the skin and this craze about acids and toners has gone too far. Reading about girls experiencing burns, redness, skin irritation from misuse of acids is so worrying. Sun damage can get worse with skin thinning so I would urge women to be very careful and cautious with how they incorporate these recently launched products and multi step routines. For example, double cleansing. No doubt, you have to cleanse. But if you have dry or mature or rosacea prone skin do you need to double cleanse? Unless you have to take off makeup? If I am to advise on multi step routines in the Indian skin context, I’d say we don’t need so many layers. Indian skin is quite different from Korean, Chinese or Caucasian skin. I don’t think you can nourish your skin enough by layering on synthetic lab made products seven times. They contain things like carbomers which eventually strip your skin cells dry. If you tone, then make sure you bind the humectant into your skin by locking and seal it in with a light moisturiser on top. 

So as I said, the K Beauty trend is about regimens, steps and methods and on the other hand, Ayurveda is very much ritual based. Our rich traditions and the culture of skincare rituals like abhyanga, oil massages and ubtans with besan, honey, milk, turmeric, multani mitti etc. are still practised everywhere in India so, I feel Indian women don’t need to adopt  K-beauty trends for their skin health. 

6. What are the essential habits that one must follow for achieving a great skin?

First of all, lets understand that it starts from the inside out. Like, drinking water is so simple yet every one of us tends to overlook it. Think of a vase with tulips. If you forget to put water in the vase, the flowers droop. When you water them, have you noticed how they pump up, come back to life and blossom again? It’s the same with our skin. If we are not going to have enough water in our bodies, our skin is going to look very dehydrated, puffed up, tired and dry. Eat your water like Dr. Murad said, eat watermelon, cucumber and drink coconut water, and try and get your water in non-water forms as well. Understand your skin. It is your largest protective organ. Respect your skin. Maintain its acid mantle or ph barrier by using ph neutral skincare. Sunscreen with physical blockers is important. Eliminate toxic chemicals from your skincare. Read the labels and understand ingredients. Invest in quality green skincare. Give as much importance to your skin as you do to your gym or yoga time. Do yoga, inversions and backbends, and bring radiance and glow to your skin. Smile and be compassionate, it will show on your skin.

7. Lastly, would you like to share some thoughts on new products coming up?

I definitely want to come up with a sunscreen because I can’t find a safe one without nano particles, harmful chemical blockers anywhere. I make my own sunscreen for myself and my clients have been asking me for one so that is going to launch for sure. This Diwali, I have launched Sitara, a natural strobelighter serum which acts like skincare! You know, since it’s oil-based, it really sinks into your skin and it give you a sun kissed glow that looks lit from within like you have just come back from the beach.

Experience the ecological and ethical world of Purearth and imbibe some Ayurvedic wisdom by following them on Facebook and Instagram. And you can get a glimpse of Purearth products here.