Kari Gran - Pioneer in the Clean Beauty Business

Stories,Beauty

Kari Gran – Pioneer in the Clean Beauty Business

USA

Mood of Living July 20, 2023

Seattle-based beauty company Kari Gran is a women-owned organic skincare brand that prioritizes sustainability.

Kari Gran and Lisa Strain co-founded Kari Gran Skincare in 2010, seeking to put safe and sustainable beauty products on the market. The co-founders met while working at the same real estate office in Seattle, Washington. Gran and Strain both worked in real estate for over fifteen years and formed a close relationship through volunteering for their company’s charity, the Windermere Foundation. However, when Gran was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in her 20s, she began paying more attention to the products she used on her skin. After researching beauty products, Gran found a passion for creating her own skincare, made with ingredients she knew she could trust. Despite their long careers in real estate, Gran and Strain decided to switch gears to start the Kari Gran Skincare brand together. They created the clean beauty business from the ground up, with Gran formulating safe products and Strain developing the business side.

The Seattle-based brand has been inspired by the value of sustainability, which is ingrained in Seattle’s culture. Kari Gran Skincare aims to treat both the planet and customers’ skin with the highest respect and care. The products contain organic, non-GMO oils and responsibly sourced ingredients, and they are packaged into glass bottles and jars. The company is currently partnered with PACT, an organization that recycles hard-to-recycle beauty products and contributes to Plastic Bank, making Kari Gran Skincare 100% plastic neutral. The company also donates $10 for each purchase of Wonder Whip lip balm to women-led and other urgent charities, expanding their positive impact on external causes.

Sustainability and healthy skin are Gran’s top priorities. Rather than promoting the unrealistic ideal of anti-aging formulas, Gran is committed to creating products that nourish and enhance skin for all ages. Although co-founding a business has not been an easy endeavor, Gran stays motivated through her mission of creating skincare that is environmentally and skin-friendly.

Mood of Living Questionnaire with Kari Gran

Mood of Living: Where are you from? Where did you grow up?

Kari Gran: I was born and raised in the Seattle area. I grew up just south of Seattle in a suburb called Renton.

MoL: Where are you currently based?

KG: Our offices are located on Lake Union in Seattle, but I’m personally based in West Seattle.

MoL: Where did you go to school and what did you study?

KG: I studied Social Science and Communications at the University of Washington while working full time as a real estate agent.

MoL: What profession did you have before creating the Kari Gran Skincare company?

KG: I was a real estate agent for 20 years. I fell into it after working as a receptionist at a real estate office. One thing led to another, and I found myself specializing in downtown Seattle high-rise condos.

MoL: When did you meet your co-founder, Lisa Strain, and what influenced you to create a clean beauty business together?

KG: We were real estate agents at the same office. But we really connected during our time volunteering for the Windermere Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Windermere Real Estate. Our story is that I was the inventor and Lisa was the instigator. I’m a recovering makeup junkie. I loved buying everything that was “new” and testing how it worked on my skin. Unfortunately, in my late 20’s I was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases. This ended my beauty junkie days as I started focusing on what I ate and put on my skin. My research led me to start making my own lip balm and skincare that I would give to friends as gifts. Lisa loved the product and thought we had something to share.

MoL: How do you define ‘clean’ and ‘green’ beauty? What are the benefits?

KG: ‘Clean’ and ‘green’ beauty mean very similar things to me because our goal is to have products that feel good, look good and are good for you and the planet. This means sourcing ingredients that are organic, non-GMO and wild-harvested, using packaging that can be recycled or repurposed, and shipping in appropriately sized boxes with materials that can easily be recycled or composted.

MoL: What prior knowledge did you both have in creating a green beauty company? What was the process of starting your own business?

KG: Zero. We had many learning lessons in our first couple of years from how to build a website to how to ship products. Due to our real estate backgrounds, Lisa and I are both self-sufficient. We rolled up our sleeves, figured it out and did everything. Our first office was up five flights of stairs with no elevator, but we would have to run downstairs for shipping. I climbed stairs all day which was great for my butt and that’s about it. When we started, the indie and clean beauty industry was very small and collaborative. It was a great community to bounce ideas off of, learn from and ask questions.

MoL: What were the challenges of creating your company from concept to product as co-founders? What skills did you each bring into the business? How do you divide your responsibilities?

KG: We’ve hit every challenge you can imagine. What we did know was our roles in the company. I enjoy creating formulas, researching new ingredients and producing. Lisa was the one that came from an entrepreneurial family. So, not only did she know it was possible to start your own business, but also how to keep it humming along.

MoL: What sustainable initiatives do you implement in your business?

KG: Being sustainable has always been a part of the conversation here in Seattle. Our aim is to be as kind to our planet as we are to our skin. Since the beginning, we have used glass bottles and jars, responsibly sourced our ingredients, never offered sample packettes, and worked hard to have low-impact shipping. We have also partnered with companies who are doing good for our communities and planet by helping keep waste out of landfills. We are a founding member of PACT Collection, a non-profit that recycles hard-to-recycle beauty products. We are 100% Plastic Neutral through our partnership with Plastic Bank. We also use Ridwell, a local company that collects hard-to-recycle things like plastic film, bags, batteries, light bulbs and more.

MoL: Who are you making your products for? What sets you apart from other green beauty brands?

KG: We make products for women like us. Women who are experiencing dry, sensitive skin as we age and who want to take care of their skin with a simple and effective line that covers the basics of healthy, hydrated skin. ‘Cleanse, hydrate, protect, and then go’ on with your life is more than a tagline for us. I’ve wasted a lot of time and money chasing false promises offered up by conventional beauty.

MoL: Where do you manufacture your products? What are the main ingredients that you utilize in your products? How do you determine what ingredients are safe to use?

KG:: We manufacture most products in our Seattle facility, but we do work with a few outside labs when necessary. We use organic, non-GMO or wild-harvested oils for our ingredients. Facial oils were the first thing that finally gave my dry, sensitive skin relief and made a difference. We are an oil-based company and don’t formulate with water. Every ingredient and supplier is personally vetted by me. We test products for safety and efficacy and adhere to the EU guidelines for ingredients as they are the strictest.

MoL: What organizations do you partner with? How are these organizations helping the environment and people?

KG: We are currently partnered with PACT Collective and Plastic Bank. Through our financial contribution to Plastic Bank, we are 100% plastic neutral, preventing 1 million plastic bottles from polluting the oceans and in turn, are also helping create good-paying jobs for folks in still developing countries. And then for our furry friends, we are Leaping Bunny and PETA certified.

MoL: You donate $10 of each purchase of the Wonder Whip lip balm. What charities do you donate to?

KG: We launched Wonder Whip as our ongoing effort to give back. Currently, we’re partnering with Dress for Success Seattle, whose focus is enabling women to be economically independent through digital and financial literacy programs. It’s much more than clothes and they are really making a difference in the lives of the women they support. Before this, we have given to Rest (Real Escape from the Sex Trade), Fair Fight, WELD and Plymouth Housing. We typically give to organizations that work with women, but also give when an emergency strikes and help is needed. Regardless of the organization, we vet thoroughly to ensure that the majority of dollars have a direct and positive impact.

MoL: What is PACT, and what problem is this non-profit solving? What commitment do you and other organizations have as members?

KG:: The beauty industry has an ugly side with packaging. Beauty and wellness companies generate over 120 billion packages each year and only a fraction gets recycled. PACT was created to unite the industry to take responsibility for the impact of our packaging. PACT collects hard-to-recycle beauty packaging so it can be diverted from a landfill and processed properly. Anyone can drop off their used beauty components at our Seattle HQ or go online, where customers are able to mail directly to a PACT facility.

MoL: What are your future goals for your company?

KG: We want to continue to grow our brand while keeping our high standards for ingredients and sustainability. In addition, we want to share realistic beauty standards. No eye cream will erase 20 years, but we still want to nourish and support our skin to be its very best. Healthy skin never gets old.

MoL: What advice can you give to someone who is interested in starting their own clean/green beauty line?

KG: Owning any business is not for the faint of heart. You must love “the win” but still be able to pick yourself up after a real trouncing and try again. Yes, we can certainly learn from our mistakes, but you can’t keep your failures a secret because that will eat away at your confidence. Own it and move on. For a clean and green beauty line, you must keep your mission and values top priority and take an unapologetic approach.