Greetings, beauty enthusiasts!Â
Today, we have a treat for you - a heartfelt conversation with Lynsey Lim, the founder of Handmade Heroes - a brand on a mission to make skincare that’s kind to your skin and the planet.Â
Grab a cup of tea, then join us as we explore their journey from humble beginnings to major milestones, and learn some fun and inspiring tidbits along the way.
GiftGood: Welcome, and thank you for joining us today. Before we get started, can you share some fun facts about yourself and your Handmade Heroes journey with our readers?Â
Linsey: Thank you for having me! I'm excited to share a bit about myself and the Handmade Heroes journey. One fun fact about our brand is that we started selling at pop-up markets and aim to create skincare that is inclusive and promotes self-love. We believe in celebrating unique beauty and empowering individuals to feel confident in their own skin.
Another interesting tidbit is that our Cocolicious Luscious Lip Scrub became the #1 best-selling lip scrub on Amazon, which was an incredible milestone for us. Additionally, we’re not just about skincare—we're also committed to sustainability. We engage in activities like ocean cleanups, produce in small batches to minimize waste, and are exploring ways to power our office and manufacturing with solar energy.
It's been an amazing journey from selling at local makers markets in Singapore to seeing our products loved by customers all over the world. Each step of this journey has been filled with learning, growth, and the joy of seeing our vision come to life.
(Image: Lynsey Lim - Founder of Handmade Heroes)
GiftGood: It's so refreshing to see Handmade Heroes' dedication to being kind to our planet and furry friends. What's the story that sparked this beautiful mission and the core values that guide your brand?
Linsey: The inspiration behind Handmade Heroes' mission came from our desire to create skincare products that are perfect for sensitive skin while being kind to our planet and animals. We started with the idea to craft gentle, effective skincare solutions that cater to delicate skin needs without compromising on our commitment to sustainability and ethical practices.
Our core values revolve around kindness, both to your skin and to the world around us. We use clean, toxic-free ingredients that are gentle on sensitive skin and ethically sourced materials that respect our planet. Proudly carbon and plastic-neutral, we strive to minimize our environmental footprint. And, of course, we’re 100% cruelty-free because we believe beauty should never come at the expense of our furry friends. At Handmade Heroes, we celebrate skincare that’s inclusive, mindful, and kind to all.
GiftGood: Going natural with ingredients sounds like a culinary adventure for the skin! What's been your favourite 'recipe' so far?
Linsey: My favourite recipe is definitely our OG product – the Cocolicious Luscious Lip Scrub in Coconut Sorbet. It's one of the first products I created and started selling when we launched. Made with real coconuts, it smells absolutely divine. If you’re a fan of ‘kuehs’ like I am, it smells (and tastes!) good enough to eat!Â
GiftGood: Moving away from micro plastics beads and synthetic chemicals is a bold move. Can you discuss the challenges and rewards of formulating skincare products with natural exfoliants like salt and sugar, and botanical oils and extracts?
Linsey: One of the main challenges is ensuring consistency and efficacy. Natural ingredients can vary in quality and potency depending on their source and harvest conditions. To address this, we conduct rigorous testing and quality control to maintain high standards and efficacy.
Another significant challenge involves the stability and shelf life of natural formulations. Unlike conventional products that often rely on strong preservatives, natural products require careful formulation to prevent early spoilage without compromising safety or effectiveness. To address this, our R&D team utilizes natural preservatives that help protect our formulas while maintaining product integrity. These preservatives undergo clinical testing, and our products are dermatologically tested and approved to ensure both quality and safety.
The rewards, however, are substantial. Natural exfoliants like sugar are highly effective in gently removing dead skin cells and are biodegradable and environmentally friendly. They are much less harmful to marine life compared to plastic microbeads. Additionally, botanical oils and extracts offer numerous skin benefits, from hydration to soothing properties.
GiftGood: Your packaging is as thoughtful as your products. How do you encourage your customers to get on board with recycling and reusing?
Linsey: At Handmade Heroes, we believe that less is more, and that includes our packaging! We’ve designed our packaging to be lightweight and minimalist, avoiding unnecessarily heavy plastics and keeping it simple yet practical. Our goal is to reduce waste and make it easy for our customers to recycle and reuse. Plus, who doesn't love a little decluttering?
To get everyone on board with recycling and reusing, we include fun tips and tricks on our website and social media. We encourage our customers to repurpose our containers—whether it’s turning a jar into a cute planter or a travel-friendly storage container. We love seeing the creative ways our community gives our packaging a second life and sharing those ideas with everyone. It’s all about making sustainability fun and accessible!
GiftGood: The ocean thanks you, and so do we! How do you envision the future of beauty and skincare evolving to embrace the planet more lovingly?
Linsey: I hope to see a shift towards more transparency and education, where consumers are informed about the environmental impact of their choices and encouraged to support brands that prioritise sustainability. With consumers being more educated, they can call for more action from brands, making practices like carbon offsetting and renewable energy use standard in the industry. It’s a long shot, but one can dream.
GiftGood: Dreaming big is part of who you are. Looking to the future, what's on the horizon for Handmade Heroes that gets you excited to jump out of bed in the morning?
Linsey: We have a lot of exciting new products in the pipeline that I can't wait to share. Expect an array of fun, colourful, and feel-good products designed to uplift your spirit and promote self-love. Each new creation is crafted with the goal of empowering our customers to embrace their unique beauty and practice self-care with joy and confidence.
GiftGood: Looking back, what's one piece of wisdom you wish someone had shared with you at the beginning of your Handmade Heroes journey?
Linsey: One piece of wisdom I wish someone had shared with me at the beginning of my Handmade Heroes journey is to embrace the unexpected and be adaptable. The path to building a successful brand is rarely a straight line; it's filled with unexpected challenges and opportunities. Early on, I often felt the pressure to have everything figured out, but I've learned that flexibility and resilience are just as important as planning. Embracing change, listening to feedback, and being willing to pivot when necessary have been crucial to our growth.
GiftGood: As we bring our conversation to a close, I’d love to open the floor to you for any last thoughts, stories, or messages you'd like to share with our audience. It's been such a pleasure learning about Handmade Heroes, and we're all ears for any final insights or inspirations you'd like to leave us with.
Linsey: Thank you so much for having me and for this wonderful conversation. As we wrap up, I’d like to remind everyone to take the time to care for yourself and to celebrate your individuality. It’s important to find what works best for you and your unique needs. Trends come and go, and there's no need to chase them. True beauty lies in embracing who you are and making choices that make you feel good inside and out.
At Handmade Heroes, we believe in creating products that empower you to feel confident and comfortable in your own skin. Thank you for being part of our community and for supporting our mission to bring sustainable, inclusive, and empowering skincare to the world. Remember, beauty is not just about appearance; it's about self-love and kindness to both yourself and the planet.
GiftGood: Thank you for sharing your story with us, Linsey. We wish you endless success and joy on your journey with Handmade Heroes!
So, looking for the ideal skincare gift for even the pickiest friend?
Handmade Heroes is your answer. Add them to your next customised gift box or explore our pre-curated gift sets to find the perfect sustainable match for yourself or someone special. Make your next gift one to remember with Handmade Heroes!
