ESW BEAUTY // Raw Juice Skincare

ESW Beauty makes vegan and cruelty-free skincare that mixes clean ingredients and healthy foods with sustainable and fun “bottle” packaging. ESW Beauty was founded by Elina Wang, who after struggling with health issues for many years, decided to start living a cleaner lifestyle.

Initially, it started with just her food choices but it quickly spread into her beauty cabinet too. The fact is, what you put ON your body is just as important as what you put IN it. Elina found that there weren’t any sheet masks on the market that not only used non-toxic formulas, but also had healthier ingredients, so she decided to start her own line to fill this void.

I had the amazing opportunity to interview Elina Wang, CEO and Co-Founder of ESW Beauty, to learn how she started this company and where she hopes it will go in the future.

Elina Wang, CEO & Co-Founder of ESW Beauty — Elina Wang, CEO and Co-Founder of ESW Beauty

EE: Tell us a little about yourself

Elina: I was born and raised in New Jersey and am a first-generation Taiwanese American. Growing up, I watched my mother become a successful entrepreneur, which inspired me at a young age to do the same one day. I always knew I wanted to create something of my own. Fast forward years later, I went to Babson College (a business school specializing in entrepreneurship) in the Boston area.

EE: How and why did you start your company?

Elina: ESW Beauty was founded in the summer of 2019 after a much-needed wellness journey. For years, I had struggled with stomach ulcers and in 2018, I started to live a cleaner lifestyle. I began to pay more attention to the ingredients that I would cook with and try to keep a more wholesome meal plan. Instead of drinking beverages that were overly sugary and had lots of chemicals, I transitioned to raw juices & teas.

Besides my change in my food choices, I also began to transition my vanity to clean beauty products. This kickstarted my passion for skincare and along the way, I found that there was no sheet mask line on the market that not only had non-toxic formulas, but also had a focus on healthier ingredients. This sparked the idea of the Raw Juice Cleanse Sheet Masks (now, our hero line) and then ESW Beauty was born.

EE: How and Where are your products made?

Elina: Our products are made in South Korea. We love their strong technology, constant developing and R&D. A new product always starts in my head first. Every day I am absorbing knowledge from what I see in stores and online. I am always listening to what my friends say about the skincare products they use and what they wish they saw more of. This helps me come up with a new idea that I then share with my team.

We work together on the concept & build an ingredient list. I take this to our contract manufacturers who then work with us to make it a reality. During the journey of creating a product, I always send surveys to some of our closest friends and our friends & family to get feedback.

EE: Has this journey taught you anything?

Elina: It has taught me to be “comfortable with being uncomfortable.” As a young entrepreneur building a brand during a time of constant change, I have learned how to be adaptable. The industry changes quickly, but the world moves even faster. Knowing what works today may not tomorrow and having to embrace change fast has been a big lesson in the last few years. However, this has made both ESW Beauty and myself even stronger.

EE: What are you most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others?

Elina: When I hear people share their experiences of using our sheet masks and how they have become their staple skincare product because of the results, I feel so proud. We have come a long way and these real anecdotes make it all worthwhile and motivate me to continue creating better products. Our unique branding sets us apart. We create products that are different from what has been seen before and always work hard to create a storytelling experience, but most importantly, the formula is first.

EE: Is your company sustainable in any other ways?

Elina: Yes, our sheet masks are biodegradable & compostable and the packaging is recyclable. Our facial tools’ packaging is made with post-consumer recycled paper and printed with soy ink. Our mask boxes are FSC certified. We are very selective and careful in every step of the product development process to ensure we always choose a more sustainable alternative.

EE: What do you ultimately hope to achieve through your brand?

Elina: I want to create a storytelling skincare brand that focuses on only using non-toxic ingredients with sustainable packaging that drives real results. I think there is a stigma in the beauty industry that if a product’s packaging is “fun and more expressive,, there aren’t lasting effects on your skin. However, I don’t believe that and want to create products that have color and a personality with a strong formula. Each line is inspired by a different healthy beverage such as our Raw Juice Sheet Masks & Soothing Tea Facial Tools.