Behind the Brand: Pai Skincare

If you don’t already know Pai Skincare and their incredible line of vegan & organic skincare products, then you should probably brace yourself… because you’re about to fall in love ?? Just how has Pai won the hearts of so many in the green beauty world? Well, Sarah Brown – who founded Pai back in 2006 – shares a bit of her perspective (& genius) in this edition of Behind the Brand, and she says that it all started with one goal in mind: integrity.

Pai Skincare Founder - Sarah Brown


What is the essence of Pai Skincare?



“Pai” means “goodness” in Maori (I’m half-Kiwi) – and it sums up how I wanted to run the business: I wanted to run it with integrity. Our customer is always in our hearts – but that ‘good’ mantra stretches beyond them, to how we treat our environment and local communities, too.

How has Pai’s philosophy & vision changed over time? In what ways has the brand grown?



Actually, I think our growth has come from the fact that we’ve never deviated from our very simple philosophy. We have always strived to be a truly authentic brand, and our growth has come from the increasing demand for ingredient integrity & purity. As well as customers who are looking for brands whose values align with their own.

What was the most difficult part of your skincare journey?



My condition (I developed a condition called chronic urticaria in my mid-twenties) is idiopathic, meaning that the cause & treatment are unknown, which made it feel really unpredictable. Numerous visits to the hospital provided no real solution and, in desperation, I turned to natural & organic products. It proved a shopping minefield – most products weren’t nearly as natural as they claimed, and my skin couldn’t tolerate those that were! I hit a brick wall.

I finally took matters into my own hands – after keeping many product & food diaries, I started to learn what my triggers were and how to manage my skin better. I knew there must be other people in the same boat as me, so I set about to create a line of truly organic products that was backed up by certification and underpinned by a brilliant customer support service. And hence Pai was born.

Pai Skincare - Skin Journal + Toolkit


What is some advice you’d like to share with those experiencing chronic skin problems?



Knowledge is power. To clear or improve your skin you really need to understand it first. Taking the time to map the root of the problem and learn what is causing the irritation is everything. That’s what I did and it transformed my life, and led me to start a Skin Journal – listen to your skin and write down what it’s telling you.

Diarising your skin’s good & bad days is so helpful, as you’ll start to see patterns emerge. Documenting which products you are using, your diet and even sleep patterns are all really important to do, too, in unison. Tuning into your skin and becoming informed about what it likes and doesn’t like will help you build a long-term skincare regime that’s perfect for you – and just you.

My top tips would be:

  • Ditch all cleansing wipes or any cleanser that foams. Resist the urge to try lots of different products, as this brings on skin confusion.
  • Strip your regime back to a gentle detergent-free cream cleanser and very gradually build from there. Look beyond the skin itself.
  • Investing in a nutritionist & naturopath consultation can be really beneficial.

Which Pai Skincare product would you consider your “holy grail”?



It would have to be our Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil. I just love its simplicity & purity. The ingredients are of such high quality and they’re not adulterated or diluted – so they really sing on the skin. Plus, it’s really versatile and can be used on all manner of ailments – dry skin, blemishes, scars, sun exposure, etc.

Where might you pull inspiration from when coming up with new ideas?



For the most part our inspiration comes from our customers. We pay really close attention to what they are saying, and the products they are asking us for. A really good example is our Hello Sunshine Sensitive Sunscreen SPF 30 – something our customers have been telling us they wanted for a long time. It took us a little while to make it, as we wanted a mineral formula without the whitening effect. But it was worth it for the customer feedback.

Pai Skincare - Hello Sunshine - Sensitive Sunscreen SPF 30


Another source of inspiration is looking at the remedial properties of the ingredients we use. We knew how much everyone loved our Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil, so we looked at that particular ingredient and thought about how we might be able to include it in other products as part of a routine. And so, our Light Work Rosehip Cleansing Oil was born. It’s amazing for makeup removal, without causing any irritation – and it eliminates the need for any facial cleansing wipes, cotton pads or other excess waste.

Do you have a rule of thumb when it comes to picking the right skincare product?



My #1 rule is to turn the bottle round if you’re thinking of making a purchase and read the ingredients list before you buy. There’s a host of ingredients you might want to avoid, but key culprits include phenoxyethanol, sulphates, alcohol (denat.) and ‘parfum’ – the latter can be used as a labelling loophole to conceal up to 200 ingredients.

I also always encourage people to look for independently certified organic / natural products, particularly if they have sensitive skin. Pai products are certified by Soil Association / COSMOS, which demand the cleanest ingredients – with 70% of their non-water ingredients having to be organic / natural.

Related article: Cleaner Cosmetics — #toxicfreebathroomchallenge

Pai Skincare - Light Work Rosehip Cleansing Oil & BioRegenerate Rosehip Oil


In what ways does sustainability play a role in your overall process?



We have a lot of our sustainable practices within the business – from how we package our products to how we ship them out the door. We choose to make and manufacture all Pai products in-house (instead of contract manufacturing) which gives us oversight and control. It’s the right thing to do to protect and sustain the integrity of our products. It’s one of the things we’re most proud of, and Pai is one of only a handful of brands doing it.

Our robust organic certification ensures ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides and solvents and are sustainably cultivated and harvested. In terms of our packaging, we use a lot of glass and have moved to plastic tubes made from sugar cane. Our outer cartons are also non-laminated – the vast majority of premium beauty products use lamination to keep them pristine on-shelf. It renders the boxes unrecyclable, sadly. To protect our products in transit we use paper and biodegradable, compostable chips made from maize starch. Pai’s philosophy is that all these little things quickly add up to something quite sizeable and meaningful from an environmental perspective.

What lies in Pai’s near future?



Future plans are big with lots in play for 2020. This year will be a crucial year for us. We have new products launching and lots of exciting plans in the pipeline.

Any final words for our readers?



The wellness movement is being driven by a whole generation, so it is here to stay – and we feel proud to have been at the forefront of that movement in the early days.



Enjoyed reading this article about Pai Skincare? Sign up here for our newsletter and get updates, sustainable health & beauty tips, and special offers from our shop – dropped right into your inbox!

– and if you’re still craving to know more about Pai, you can watch our short video interview with Sarah Brown below:

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