The Pastels Shop Offers Korean Beauty Products Designed For M'sian Consumers

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Bernama) -- Believing that true beauty is more than skin deep, a chemical engineer, Sarini Zainal, left her job to establish The Pastels Shop in 2019, a distribution company for Korean beauty products.

The Pastels Shop offers a diverse selection of skincare products, including cleansers, toners, serums, moisturisers, and facial masks designed specifically for Malaysian consumers. 

According to Sarini, the brand makes use of local ingredients such as sea cucumber extract, yam bean extract, lemongrass, and tocotrienols derived from palm oil, and it incorporates local knowledge in the development of its products.

“Rather than blending in, we choose to emphasise our local identity. We offer not only Muslim-friendly cosmetics but also skincare specifically designed for Malaysia’s hot and humid climate,” Sarini said in a statement on an e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia, Lazada. 

Sarini said some consumers still have misconceptions that local skincare brands are unsafe or engage in unethical practices, adding that to overcome these biases, the degree holder in chemical and biological engineering from Korea University emphasises The Pastels Shop’s high quality and safety standards and her team’s commitment to a science-driven approach to beauty that includes meticulous research and development carried out by professional chemists.

Sarini is also committed to sharing the science behind her products, as she believes that knowledge is a key component to achieving long-lasting and effective beauty results, in addition to creating carefully formulated products that deliver tangible results without the use of harmful chemicals.

“We strive to educate our customers about the chemistry behind our skincare products, equipping them with the right knowledge to make informed decisions. Through detailed product descriptions, ingredient breakdowns, and accessible customer support, we empower our customers to choose products that work best for their skin,” Sarini said.

Sarini mentioned that she received support from Lazada to help her develop as an entrepreneur, adding that she had the opportunity to visit Alibaba’s campus in Huangzhou to learn more about e-commerce business.

In 2023, she joined the Selangor E-Commerce Xccelerator 2023 (ECX23) programme, which was organised by the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (SIDEC) in partnership with Lazada, which featured case studies and practical tips to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) reach the next level of success.

“It culminated with a business model presentation where SMEs could win cash prizes and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit Hangzhou, China – the birthplace for e-Commerce. The trip was very insightful for me and it changed my perspective on business,” she added.

-- BERNAMA