Behind The Brand - Kanga Organics
I first came across Kanga Organics when looking for skin care products online. The moment I saw their website, I was immediately impressed by how transparent they are. Each skin care line is presented with the ingredient list right there for you to see! Full of detailed descriptions about the products and the companies who make them, the website is a fountain of information and a reflection of passion. I knew there was a story here and so I reached out.
Joey Lam, the owner of Kanga Organics, invited me over to her place of business for a chat. When I arrived, she had her two main lines - Ola Hawai’i and Skin Blossoms - all laid out so that I could smell and feel them for myself.
She opened up to me about her business, her products and why she chose this unconventional path into organic, natural skin care.
My personal reason for going organic is animal friendly first of all, then not toxic to my skin, and of course eco-friendly.
Joey’s love for beauty products started early. She remembers she would spend “hours in Watson’s reading product descriptions to see what they do.” It was an article on natural skin care that opened her eyes. She began to “read [labels] with much more focus on the ingredients.” Joey said, it was “shocking to read that all the products I used to buy contained certain amounts of ingredients that were listed in the article as bad for the skin.”
A search for organic products led to frustration - finding options in Singapore to be too expensive. She believed that organic skin care should not only be for the privileged - but a safe option for everyone. Lucky for us, she took the plunge and decided to bring her own skin care line to Singapore.
I had taken the decision to keep the prices affordable and low so more can afford them, and thus hopefully make their switch to go organic instead of using the commercial chemical-laden products in the market.
It’s not been easy though. She encounters a lot of consumers still holding misconceptions about the organic market. With Singapore not having stringent cosmetic regulations, Joey sees a lot of products marketing themselves as organic or natural, yet still containing those toxic chemicals that are bad for us and our planet. She spends a lot of time educating consumers because she believes in what she’s doing: “some people think they alone can’t make a difference, but they can!”
I was really interested to know how she came to choose her specific brands. She said she did a lot of research, tested the samples and fell in love!
We played with testers from her Skin Blossom and Ola Hawai’i lines, and talked about why she loved them so -
Skin Blossom
Joey told me a story about her experience with this line, which I think is a great indication of what you’re dealing with here. When she received her second batch from the manufacturer, Joey noticed the shade of color was slightly different from the first. Ever vigilant, she called up the creator of the skin care line herself! Right away she was put at ease - the creator explained that depending on when the fruit was harvested, and in which season, the color could vary slightly. Since it’s not something manufactured in a lab, not processed and manipulated - what you end up with is nature in all its varying shades. I love that!
Full of natural goodness and free of harmful chemicals, this is your everyday, daily-routine skin care line and with the low price point, it can afford to be! I think it’s also perfect for Singapore’s weather - it’s really light - moisturizing you from the inside without leaving that heavy or greasy feel on the outside.
The way my skin absorbed this product was really quite amazing - you have to feel it for yourself!
Ola Hawai’i
My first reaction when I smelled the bottle was exactly how Joey said everyone reacts: “The smell!” It was as if I were actually holding a jar of pure passion fruit pulp, or, for my favorite - real chocolate coffee! I seriously wanted to eat it. Check out the ingredients - so natural - it reads like a dessert menu!
And it’s in the ingredient list where you really appreciate this brand - and why Joey chose it. You won’t find synthetic chemicals here. Mostly organic, it supports small farms and is made naturally with botanicals, fruit, sea elements and oils. A look on the website will tell you to about how it’s grown in harmony with the land and carries with it a beautiful message. I encourage you all to read it.
When you’re on the Kanga Organics website, have a look around. Joey also carries another skin care line with some pretty impressive organic content! She supports a small community in Laos too by selling their hand made bags and talks a lot about some of the other charities that her sales support - there really is just a lot of good stuff there - go check it out!
Thanks Joey!
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Little Green Dot’s faves:
Ultra rich, ultra nourishing - but the way your skin soaks up this moisturizer is just pure magic!
Leaves a matte finish - great for Singapore!
I have a serious Pavlovian response to the smell of coffee. It makes me feel instantly happy - and that’s exactly how I felt when I smelled this scrub. Love!
You can see the full Kanga Organics’ range in person at Joey’s stockists:
