It took a pandemic, climate change and rise in air pollution for us to take a step towards cleaner and greener choices. Lucky for us, quite a few beauty brands are bringing a positive impact and meeting the demands of rising conscious consumers. Asa happens to be one of them.
The newly launched homegrown brand promises to be a “clean” and sustainable makeup option. Safe for people and the planet? We’re on board! Apart from having a vegan and cruelty-free formulation, Asa also ensures their packaging is recyclable and offers the options of refills.
We talk to founders, Asha Jindal Khaitan and Sukriti Jindal Khaitan to get more insights on the range.
ELLE: What inspired you to start Asa?
Asha Jindal Khaitan: There is a wave of consciousness in today’s women seeking a more purposeful and conscientious existence. Asa allows them to choose better and supports their commitment to wellness, sustainability and the environment. We wanted to create a brand with the ideology of ‘clean awakening,’ which means our products are performance-driven and safe for the environment. Our range of makeup comes without any ecological or ethical costs.
ELLE: According to you, what is wrong with the current beauty industry and how is Asa bringing a change?
Sukriti Jindal Khaitan: There has been continuous spotlight and numerous discussions on the fashion industry being the biggest polluter. But, not much has been said on the environmental effects of the beauty industry’s waste. India ranked eighth globally, with sales worth $14 billion in beauty and personal care. There has been indiscriminate use of palm oil in 70 per cent of cosmetics, which has led to massive deforestation. The use of beauty and personal care products contributed to 142 billion packaging units in 2018. It takes an incredibly long amount of time and resources to segregate the waste the beauty industry creates alone. To make recycling efficient, glass jars, metal lids and cardboard packaging are widely accepted for reprocessing. In contrast, plastic pumps, perfume tubes and items made of a combination of materials pose a recycling challenge and need to be separated from the other waste. The beauty industry has been self-regulated so far, functioning on the claims of being natural often by either eliminating or including a single ingredient and without the required verifications of any governing body.
We wanted to make sure that Asa is not just a natural makeup brand. Its purpose is to inspire a conscious lifestyle that includes eliminating plastic usage as much as possible, right from our internal processes to the product packaging. Moreover, the beauty industry tends to include ingredients that can be harmful for various reasons. We have ensured that we adhere to strict protocols while formulating our products, to ensure there is no downside to your skin and the environment. Along with that, our refill programme ensures that our customers can sustainably replenish their products again and again without increasing their carbon footprint.
ELLE: Tell us about the ingredients used in the formulation?
ASJ: We believe in simple living which reflects in our products. We use eco-friendly ingredients out of which 92 per cent is natural. With sizable research, our products are made using active botanicals and safe synthetics. Our key ingredients are vitamin E, tea tree oil, squalene, shea butter, rosehip oil, rosemary, oatmeal, olive oil, kaolin, iron oxides, hyaluronic acid, grape seed oil, cocoa butter, candelilla wax, calendula, bakuchiol and aloe vera.
ELLE: Which is your favourite product from the range?
AJK: It’s hard to pick one, but if I had to, it would be the lip and cheek tint. It’s versatile and can be applied on-the-go. I prefer light makeup, and hence, the tint adds the right amount of colour to my face.
