Our M knows skincare. So when a product line like Pai comes along, once she stops clicking her heels with joy, she has to learn all about it. What better way to do that then interview the Founder!
Read on to learn why Pai Skincare Founder, Sarah Brown, started the line and what ingredients she thinks are passing fads.
1) Please describe your line for us using three words.
Sensitive Skin Salvation
2) What was the market need you wanted to fill when you decided to create Pai Skincare?
I wanted to help people like me, with challenging skin.
In my mid-twenties I developed a condition called chronic urticaria, I turned to natural and organic products to help calm my hyper-reactive skin, but found that most products weren’t nearly as natural as they claimed.
I wanted to create a range of truly organic products that was backed up by certification.
I also wanted them to be a joy to use. So many products for sensitive skin can feel functional and pharmaceutical. I wanted Pai products to have a sensory benefit too and that you could feel happy about having on your bathroom shelves.
3) What products do you use in your day and night routines?
In the morning I keep it simple, because of limited time. I rinse my face with water and then apply our Geranium & Thistle Rebalancing Day Cream. It provides the perfect level of moisture for my skin while being a great non-greasy base for makeup.
I use Lily Lolo mineral powder, Kjaer Weiss cream blush and Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes mascara.
I invest more time in the evening. I use our Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser then follow with a spritz of our Rice Plant & Rosemary BioAffinity Tonic – it helps to cool and rebalance skin after a long day. Then I switch between our Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil and our Echium & Amaranth Age Confidence Oil for overnight nourishment.
4) If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring one item from your line, which would it be and why?
It would have to be our Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil. Rosehip, when extracted well (never cold pressed!), has magical powers.
We are unusual in extracting the whole hip (not just the seeds) and don’t dilute it or add fragrance. We just leave it to sing on the skin. I use it for everything, from skin conditioning and after-sun repair to healing up stubborn blemishes and scars.
5) Which products from your line do you recommend for aging skin?
We have an Age Confidence capsule range, which includes a facial oil, cream and eye cream. They all contain Echium which is an extraordinary ingredient that simultaneously nourishes and calms skin.
I’m really against the term ‘anti aging’. I think it’s profoundly negative and archaic. It’s banned in our office! Getting older is a privilege and something to be celebrated.
6) Our Canadian readers deal with all types of climates and humidity levels, which climate-agnostic product do you recommend for Canadians?
Exfoliation is key to skin that’s going through changes in climate. Although it’s especially common in the winter months dry skin can occur all year round.
In the Summer, air conditioning and sun exposure can contribute to stripped, dehydrated skin.
In the colder months, humidity levels drop and there is literally less water in the air. This colder drier air sucks the moisture out of our cells, and can leave skin dull and flakey.
Exfoliating regularly helps shift the build up of dead skin cells and enables your moisturiser to absorb more efficiently. Crucial to tackling skin dehydration and dryness.
Make sure you use a non-abrasive exfoliator, that polishes rather than scrubs, like our Kukui & Jojoba Bead Skin Brightening Exfoliator. It has perfectly round jojoba wax beads, which gently buff the skin without tearing skin cells.
7) Which ingredients do you think are passing fads?
I am yet to be convinced about the use of probiotics in skincare.
8) What is your top tip for healthy skin?
My number one tip is less is more. Get back to basics and stick to a simple routine.
Happy, healthy skin is balanced skin. It all starts with good cleansing. Most of the sensitised skin we help with is easily fixed by switching people over to an alcohol and detergent-free Cleanser that keeps pH in check and doesn’t strip their natural oils. Our Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser is our second best seller for a reason!
M Fab
