AAPI-owned Brands to Support This Month and Always

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As May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, there are plenty of Asian-owned and women-founded brands in the beauty and fashion industry to highlight.

Over the years, many of these brands have climbed the ranks to become some of the most popular and sought-after products. Some of the brands may already sound familiar, like the popular hair accessories brand Emi Jay or the bestselling beauty company Tatcha.

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Here, WWD breaks down AAPI-owned beauty brands to shop this month and always.

JW Pei

The celebrity-favorite vegan handbag label JW Pei, created by husband-and-wife duo Yang Pei and Stephanie Li, has become a closet staple for many, offering high-quality purses at reasonable pricing. Bags have been seen on celebrities like Megan Fox, Emily Ratajkowski and Gigi Hadid, among others.

Emi Jay

Emi Jay, founded by Julianne Goldmark, has emerged as one of the go-to labels for hair accessories, seen on big names such as Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber, Emma Chamberlain, Matilda Djerf and more. Since its creation in 2009, Emi Jay has collaborated with Alo Yoga, Frankies Bikinis, Juicy Couture and Revolve, among others.

Glow Recipe

Beauty brand Glow Recipe may sound familiar due to its popular TikTok viral Watermelon Dew Drops. Created by Sarah Lee and Christine Chang, Glow Recipe creates products with fruit-forward and clean formulas.

Tower 28

Los Angeles-based clean beauty brand Tower 28 has also experienced bouts of fame on TikTok, with its SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation, giving users the look of “glass skin.”

Founded by Amy Liu and named after a real lifeguard tower in Santa Monica, Calif., the brand offers vegan and cruelty-free products for sensitive skin.

Hero Cosmetics

For Ju Rhyu, Hero Cosmetics started off with a pimple. She then created a hydrocolloid pimple patch she originally founded in South Korea, and from there, the brand was born. Made for sensitive skin, Hero Cosmetics offers products that restrict more than 2,400 ingredients prone to cause irritation.

Fur

Unisex body care line Fur, founded by Lillian Tung and Laura Schubert, focuses specifically on pubic hair, creating oils, serums, concentrates and more to treat and prevent ingrown hair as well as softening hair regrowth.

Products are made from vegan, cruelty-free and nontoxic ingredients that are dermatologically and gynecologically tested.

Tatcha

Founded by Vicky Tsai, a Taiwanese-American, Tatcha’s products are made from Japanese ingredients, with every formula crafted at the Tatcha Institute in Tokyo. Some of its most popular products include the Dewy Skin Cream, the Rice Wash and the Water Cream.

Insert Name Here

Insert Name Here, the hair brand founded by Sharon Pak and Jordynn Wynn in 2018, offers extensions, clip-bangs, wigs, hair tools, hair clips and more.

Soko Glam

If you’re looking for Korean beauty products, Soko Glam is one of the go-to online marketplace websites. Founded by Charlotte Cho and David K. Cho, the company is considered one of the largest providers of K-beauty brands in the country.

Dagne Dover

Dagne Dover, the popular bag brand, offers styles perfect for work, travel, gymming and more. It was founded by Melissa Shin Mash, Deepa Gandhi and Jessy Dover in 2012, with many of its products selling out quickly.

M.M.LaFleur

The professional womenswear company M.M. LaFleur was founded by Sarah LaFleur and Miyako Nakamura, offering clothing perfect for the workplace or any professional occasions. According to the brand’s website, its items are easy to style and 100 percent machine-washable.

Chunks

If you can’t get enough of fun claw clips for hair, look no further than Chunks. Founded by Tiffany Ju, its products have become extremely popular, even overseas in South Korea where Blackpink’s Jisoo confessed she has a certain style in all of its colors.

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