Today we’d like to introduce you to Sravya Kalyanapu.
Sravya, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am a person that’s very mindful of my skincare and of what I put in my body. When it comes to makeup, I’ve struggled to find a brand that’s truly clean and with shades that are actually flattering on my skin tone. I’ve spent countless hours reading and researching the ingredients of the so called clean beauty brands. Even with a chemical engineering background, I was unable to understand most of the ingredients. Many leading beauty brands labels boast “clean” products, even though the pigments used to color their cosmetics are filled with petroleum by-products and other chemicals. Due to poor regulations, their marketing teams can take creative liberties as to what constitutes a “clean” product.
My solution to this problem is Mango People. I strived to create a line of products that is inclusive of all skin shades without compromising on ingredients or performance. I began by going back to my South Asian roots, where our ancestors have often used elements in nature to beautify themselves. I started experimenting with clays and pigment rich fruits and flowers such as cherries and hibiscus. I researched Ayurvedic principles and its teachings of using powerful plants and herbs to heal the body, mind and spirit. After five years of research and formulation, Mango People was born. Today, we have a line of multi-use beauty essentials colored from vitamin and antioxidant rich fruit and vegetable pigments such as cherries, apples and carrots. All the products are formulated with high quality organic, Ayurvedic oils that feel incredible on the skin.
Beyond the products, I hope for the brand to be a place for equal representation, sustainability and transparency within the industry.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, definitely not! There were so many hurdles along the way but the most challenging was developing the formulation, specifically the colorants. Cosmetic companies commonly use FD&C artificial colorants such as FD&C Blue No. 1, Red. No. 40 and Yellow No. 5 to pigment their products. These dyes are created from chemically refined petroleum oil or coal tar. I was absolutely shocked to learn about this. To avoid using FD&C and other toxic dyes, I researched natural alternatives such as plant pigments. I committed to only using ingredients that are pure, effective, multifunctional, and kind to our skin and planet. I experimented with pigments from flowers such as hibiscus and roses, fruits such as cherries and apples, and clays such as red reef and pink clay. It took endless hours of experimenting and countless formulations to successfully incorporate these natural pigments as colorants for our products.
Please tell us about Mango People.
Mango People is a line of multi-use makeup essentials formulated with natural elements that are designed to nourish and elevate the skin while adding rich and long-wearing pigments.
The entire collection is made with high quality natural and certified organic botanical oils in small batches to ensure premium quality and maintain freshness. The pigments are entirely extracted from fruits, vegetables, flowers, iron oxides and clays. The products are also infused with a powerful blend of adaptogenic herbs that are known to protect the skin from external stressors and exhaustion.
The entire line is non-toxic, vegan and cruelty-free.
There is so much I’m proud of! I am proud of our products’ ingredients and formulation, our honest and transparent marketing, and most importantly, for creating a range of shades that is inclusive of all skin tones. Mango People offers a diverse range of shades where anyone can find the perfect product that accentuates their natural beauty, no matter the skin tone. Whether light, tanned or dark-toned, I hope everyone can find their perfect match at Mango People. I will continue to maintain the brand as inclusive as possible and for it to be a place to celebrate infinite conventions of beauty.
Our evolved approach to use plant-based pigments that add beautiful hues, while the organic, active botanical oils nourish and elevate the skin from within. We carefully selected high performance, multitasking, active ingredients to ensure the most effective results for the skin. Our philosophy – “if you cannot eat it, it does not belong on the skin.” That is why our ingredient labels read more like a grocery list than a makeup label. We’ve also incorporated Adaptogens, powerful healing plants and herbs used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years, into all of our products. These bio-adaptive botanicals protect, stabilize and calm skin from external stress and exhaustion.
We also created a Refill program, unique to the makeup world, to help keep our home a little more cleaner and greener. Our containers are responsibly designed to be reusable, durable and hygienic. Through our refill program, our customers can give their containers multiple lives and reduce single-use plastic waste. We refill their empty containers with ANY product of their choice and give an extra 20 percent off the original price.
Pricing:
- Multi Sticks – 24 USD
- Highlighters – 24 USD
- Bronzers – 24 USD
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mangopeopleofficial.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mangopeoplecosmetics/
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