May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. This month, we celebrate all Asians and Pacific Islanders in the country as they have been enriching and strengthening the nation for generations.
If you're a beauty lover, you know the influence of AAPI-owned beauty brands. These iconic brands have created products that have won awards and the hearts of many people. We have to thank them for giving us glass skin and luscious, thick hair (thanks to the secret of generations of South Asians).
A New York Times beauty columnist Bee Sharipo created a line of nontoxic perfumes, Ellis Brooklyn, named after her daughter Ellis with the help of renowned perfumer Jerome Epinette.
My favorite is Ellis Brooklyn APRÈS Eau de Parfum because it's earthy and woody with the keynotes of bourbon and cedarwood with the richness of vanilla.
A New York licensed aesthetician Alicia Yoon launched Peach & Lily in 2018. The collection was inspired by Korean beauty culture, and its Glass Skin Refining Serum is considered one of the best serums of all time and is a favorite of Michelle Lee, who was Allure's Editor-In-Chief.
It has a beautiful blend of niacinamide, peptide complex, and hyaluronic acid to brighten, firm, and hydrate your skin.
Vietnamese American Patrick Ta was already a major celebrity makeup artist when he created his makeup line Patrick Ta Beauty so everyone could feel beautiful.
Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush gives you the best of both worlds with a pressed powder and cream blush for the rosiest cheeks of your life.
Created by Chinese-American Amy Liu, Tower 28 Beauty is 100% vegan, dermatologist, and allergy tested.
I love its MakeWaves Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara because it gives me the longest and thickest lashes like I am wearing falsies without irritating my sensitive eyes at all.
I love this mascara. The brand is all about community, healthy fun, and clean living.
Korean American Sarah Lee and Christine Chang used their grandmothers' holistic approach to skincare to create Glow Recipe inspired by their Korean culture.
If you're struggling with dark spots, try Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Brightening Treatment Serum, as it's a powerful yet gentle blend of vitamin C, guava, and tranexamic and ferulic acids to brighten and firm the skin.
The luxury brand Tatcha was created by Vicky Tsai, inspired by Japanese beauty culture. Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream Plumping & Hydrating Moisturizer is a one-stop shop for deeply hydrated and plump skin that looks and feels healthy because it has Japanese purple rice, Okinawa algae blend, and hyaluronic acid.
Selena Gomez is a fan of this brand.
Carmen Wong created Kàn Studio on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The soft cashmere face serum is perfect for minimalists as it's a toner, essence, exfoliator, and primer made with niacinamide, encapsulated azelaic acid, purple yam extract, and ginseng to give you glowy, smooth, and firm skin.
A portion of the sales goes to the Asian Mental Health Collective.
Fashion blogger Tina Craig created U Beauty to make skincare easy with products that deliver results as promised.
The PLASMA Lip Compound hydrates and softens your lips and makes them appear fuller after one use, as 97% of users reported that their lips looked more voluminous and felt hydrated.
Founder Michelle Ranavat created Ranavat based on the principles of Ayurveda. RANAVAT Restoring Moonseed Treatment - L'Immortale Empress is a splurge-worthy treatment proven to diminish fine lines and reduce redness and irritation. This balm infuses the magic of heart-leaved moonseed, bala, and Shatavari.
The original beauty blogger Michelle Plan created the skin-loving makeup brand EM Cosmetics.
The brush tip illustrative eyeliner is perfect for drawing precise lines so you can create the cat eye of your dreams and make it so easy you'll love it.
It’s the perfect K-Pop makeup tool.