Linda Wang is savvy about difficult skin. At a young age, she was plagued with eczema, a condition remedied by wrapping layers of cream under gauze. Years later as a fashion buyer, she spent a lot of time researching travel-friendly sheet masks to improve her skin post-flight. This led to the creation of Karuna – a userfriendly biodegradable hydration mask that marries innovative technology, natural ingredients and passion (which is what ‘Karuna’ translates to).
“Karuna masks work the same way as a Band-Aid: they push the serum under the skin, where deep conditioning is most needed” ~ Linda Wang.
Quality hydration in a snap.
Linda Wang is savvy about difficult skin. At a young age, she was plagued with eczema, a condition remedied by wrapping layers of cream under gauze. Years later as a fashion buyer, she spent a lot of time researching travel-friendly sheet masks to improve her skin post-flight. This led to the creation of Karuna – a userfriendly biodegradable hydration mask that marries innovative technology, natural ingredients and passion (which is what ‘Karuna’ translates to).
“Karuna masks work the same way as a Band-Aid: they push the serum under the skin, where deep conditioning is most needed. The mask-and-serum duo offers much more than mud, clay or gel on its own,” she says, adding that her products are clinically proven to improve hydration by 40 per cent after one use. In addition, its anti-ageing, hydrating and calming effects explain why Karuna is a must-have for celebrity red-carpet preparation.
And with the slogan ‘Apply, Throw and Glow’, her masks are also travel-friendly and fuss-free. When the brand debuted in 2009, there were six masks. Clarifying unclogs acne by deep cleansing pores, controlling excess oil and minimising breakouts with ingredients like shiso leaf, ginger and honey. Brightening was designed for sun-damaged skin and dark spots with grapefruit seed, Asian plant extracts and salicylic acid.
Age Defying restores moisture to dry, mature skin with wild yam, elderberry and hyaluronic acid. In the more prestigious Luxe line, Skin Restoration hydrates dry skin, while Generating caters to ageing and sensitive skin, and Skin Regenerating Neck Mask smoothes and moisturises.
Though Asian ingredients are prominent in her products, Wang says Karuna initially targeted a Western clientele by honing in on the popularity of face cleansing wipes. “In the US at that time, face cleansing wipes were a huge seller, and in the same marketing category of ‘convenient application’ as sheet masks,” she says. “Although Eastern and Western skincare concerns are different, Karuna masks are tailored to all the common skin concerns, which makes them easy to shop globally."
Aside from the quality of Karuna serums, what sets Wang’s products apart from other sheet masks is the standard of cloth used. For example, its Skin Restoration Face Mask
looks practically invisible because the 100 per cent sheer Japanese cotton mask is infused with an exclusive small-molecule serum to push the ingredients deeper into the skin. “I evaluated all the sheet mask cloths available by looking at their hydration retention, how it fits on the skin, and I found wood-pulp fibre the most comfortable,” she says.
“Working with natural fibres is always best.” Wang is certain Karuna users will be hooked after the first time, confidence that stems from the brand’s quick expansion. After extending coverage from the face and neck to foot and hands with masks that exfoliate, hydrate and rejuvenate last summer, she will launch the Boost Collection this autumn – a new series to pair with the masks, featuring an additional step to intensify product performance.
“After you use a Karuna mask, you’ll know when you need another one. Your skin sees such great results after one-time use that you will be able to tell,” she says. www.karunaskin.com.
