When I started this skincare line, I was caregiving for my dad. Since he was my inspiration, it seemed natural to use his middle name, Chuan, in my line. Looking back at our first 18 months, I wanted to update our brand to better represent what I learned from my caregiving experience.
I remembered that my dad had a special way of saying goodbye. A typical Taiwanese immigrant parent, he wasn’t one to say things like “I love you” or “I miss you”. Any time we were together in person or talking on the phone, instead of saying ‘bye’, he’d make me promise to take care of myself.
While I was caregiving, I stopped taking care of myself. The stress nearly ruined my skin and impacted my confidence. So when I couldn’t find options to treat and soothe my sensitive skin, I created them and this line was born. It was also this process and experience that taught me about the true importance of empathy and self-care. After all, I could not be an effective caregiver without taking care of myself first. When my dad passed, I thought a lot about our final few conversations and meals and how he would always end them.
Chuan’s Promise is named as a continued dedication to my dad and his request for a promise: for all of us to take care of ourselves.
With our new brand identity, we’re also taking steps towards being an even more sustainable business. We’re introducing carbon neutral shipping options in checkout, and are getting some new, more environmentally friendly packaging. Our compostable packaging, launching later this week, features self-care and mindfulness prompts to remind you to check in with yourself when you see them on your bathroom counter (#shelfie) every day.
Thank you for supporting me on this caregiving, grief and entrepreneurial journey so far. There’s so much more that I’m working on, and I cannot wait to share it with you.
Yours,
Ada
FAQ:
Do I have to re-follow or re-subscribe to you now?
Nope, we’ve made it as easy as possible for you to keep getting skincare tips & information from us! You’ll see that our emails and social media now come from Chuan’s Promise instead. You can help us get the word out by following @chuanspromise on Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest.
I just placed an order, which packaging will I receive?
If your order was placed before April 20th, you’ll receive products in our old packaging and branding. Orders placed on and after April 20th will receive products in our updated packaging. We believe in minimizing waste and the carbon impact of shipping, so we encourage you to use up any products you already have in our old packaging before switching to the new stuff!
What about your product in-stores?
In an effort to be as sustainable as possible, we are asking current retailers to sell through their existing inventory as-is and will not be sending out new branding or packaging materials, unless requested. So, you might see some of our old packaging floating around as we transition. We will always encourage you to support small, local businesses, and you can find our full list of retailers here.
How is your new packaging more environmentally friendly or sustainable?
We are phasing out our clear glass jars and rust-resistant tins in favor of paper tubes. Our paper tubes are made in the US with FSC-certified paper, rice glue and soybean wax, and they’re printed with vegetable ink. These tubes are lightweight and fully compostable, too. This means they’re more environmentally friendly to ship, since they’re lighter and more compact than our old packaging. Switching to a compostable option also cuts down the amount of energy needed to dispose of the packaging once it’s empty. After all, recycling glass and metal still requires a lot of energy.
That’s great, but I like to use your products in the shower. Can I bring this paper tube into the shower?
Unfortunately, paper and showers don’t really mix! We suggest shaking out a little product into your hands before stepping into the shower, or using a separate waterproof container. We will be offering additional glass jars and tins as add-ons, if you’d like to add one to your order.
What’s happening to the rest of your old packaging?
We've partnered with Ruby's Market in Denver to sell our remaining inventory, aka oldies but goodies. From April 2022 until we sell out, 100% of proceeds from all Chuan Skincare-branded products purchased at Ruby's Market will be going to R Bazaar, their non-profit organization, to support their Afghan Refugee Support Drive. If you're not local to the Denver area and would like to purchase or support this project, please get in touch!
Got a question that wasn’t covered here? Reach out to us at hello(at)chuanspromise(dot)com.