It's clear upon closer inspection that Kushan (@kushan.earth) dabbles in much more than just skincare products. Formed by Kush Linfield and Shan Shan Lim, the eponymous lifestyle brand adopts ancient Indian rituals from skincare and artisanal goods to jewelry and fine art prints. Their products are coded with elements of spirituality, philosophy and wellness that bring customers on a journey through history. With Kushan, your daily rituals will never look the same again.
How did it all begin with Kushan?
Kushan came into being out of a desire for a shared space between us. A space to keep learning, discover beautiful things, bring artists and artisans together and promote self-love. It was a reason to align our paths.
What is Kushan's brand philosophy?
Our philosophy can be summed up in two words – slow beauty. We hope that our products encourage a slower pace and help people to find moments of peace within their busy lives. To use a common expression: remember to stop and smell the roses.
Natural skincare has been popular in recent years — how does Kushan intend to contribute to this growing market?
Everything that we sell, we use in our daily routines. Our aim is to not only provide natural skincare, but encourage slow beauty. Our cleansing powders, clays and oils encourage you to slow down as you have to mix the ingredients to form a paste, then take the time to mindfully apply it into your daily cleansing rituals.
You offer a range of products from beauty care to homeware. In your own words, what makes Kushan products unique?
Our beauty care products are inspired by Ayurveda – ancient Indian rituals and clean ingredients. We value simplicity and purity with regards to what we use for our skin.
We hope that our products encourage a slower pace and help people to find moments of peace within their busy lives.
What was the biggest challenge you faced as a brand and how did you overcome it?
An ongoing challenge is finding a balance between promoting our products and simply sharing beautiful things that we love. We believe in promoting an all-encompassing lifestyle rather than individual products. We recently started a journal dedicated to people we love and topics that we find fascinating which has proven the perfect creative outlet for us.
Can you share with us how your products are made and sourced?
Our Pure Series is sourced from small-scale beauty clay and powder suppliers in India. Our soaps are made by local soapmaker, Christyn Chew.
Our “midnight blue” cups are made by Tunku Ann (@mud.dala.seramik) and our plates are made by YiHua from 22 Craft Studio (@22tutucraft). Click here for Cult Creative's interview with the pottery studio.
Many of the ingredients you feature are part of ancient beauty rituals — what is the most surprising ancient beauty ritual you've come across?
Many would be surprised to learn that yoghurt is an activating agent for Wild Turmeric. Mix 1/2 cup yogurt, a teaspoon of our Wild Turmeric, a squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon of honey and apply it as a face mask. The result is a powerful anti-acne treatment that you can incorporate into your weekly routine.
Any big goals for Kushan in 2021?
Introducing Ayurvedic skincare to Malaysia. We both spent our formative years in India where it was common to incorporate small Ayurveda practices into our daily lives. Our forthcoming range will pay tribute to these rituals and we’re excited to raise awareness of these ancient ingredients.
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