December is here which means the 12 days of teapigs is back - yipee! If you didn't already know, this is a series of giveaways we run over on Instagram from the 1st - 12th December, where we partner up with different brands that we've been loving to give you the chance to win an awesome bundle.
One of our partners is Lani, a skin & hair care brand which we discovered earlier this year. Not only do the products smell amazing, but they are also natural, cruelty-free and vegan. They are packaged into recyclable glass bottles too (which are sure to get some attention on your bathroom shelf from guests!)
To find out more about the Lani, we chatted to Viola, the founder...
how did lani begin?
My interest in setting up a vegan, cruelty free beauty brand started after I went vegan in 2013. I found that most of my products that I used daily, were neither vegan, cruelty-free or made with ingredients I could even pronounce. I wanted simple, affordable, cruelty-free products that smelt and felt amazing, and really worked, so I set out to make my own. I have always loved the simplicity and efficacy of natural cold-pressed oils, and spent a year researching, playing, testing and trialling before I was happy with my first product: The Tropical Hair Treatment.
where does the name 'lani' come from?
The name Lani is Hawaiian and means ‘heavenly’. When I first created the Hair Treatment I wanted to name it ‘Heavenly Hair Treatment’, I quickly changed my mind and Lani became the brand name.
the product packaging is really lovely - what was your inspiration for the design and colours?
I wanted the range to look bright and colourful to reflect the tropical ingredients within. The bottles and jars not only look pretty on the bathroom shelf, many customers reuse them when they’ve finished with the product. Of course, all the bottles and jars are made of glass. Glass has a sturdy feel and of course most of us are aware of the impact single use plastics have on our planet so I think it’s really important to not just look for recyclable packaging alternatives when it comes to water bottles, food containers and the likes. Not only is glass better for Mother Earth but it’s also better for your skin since certain types of plastic can leach into products. Glass is also a perfect barrier against oxygen and light and ingredients such as antioxidants are very sensitive to both.
what is an average day for you like?
I have a young daughter so balancing motherhood with running a business is super important. On the days when my daughter goes to her childminder, I work nonstop on Lani but on the days when she’s with me she gets my full attention. I’m usually able to sneak in a little time for myself too on the days she’s at childcare. I do a workout, have a long shower, make a fancy lunch and so on. I also always carry a notebook with me; all my to do’s get written down which helps me to stay on top of things.
can you tell us a bit more about the ethical/sustainable side to lani?
I always knew I wanted the products to be 100% vegan, natural and cruelty-free. The range is also partially organic so I’ve chosen suppliers very carefully and work closely with them to ensure the ingredients continue to meet my standards. Lani is also one of the few beauty brands that uses its voice to campaign for animal rights and highlight the reality of animal exploitation. I am very passionate about trying to help end the use of animals for products, food, entertainment and experiments, and I use the business as a platform to inform and inspire people to choose ethical products in general, not just beauty products. Our Instagram feed is really varied in content and aims to give people a real perspective and help them to make fairer purchasing decisions.
what’s your most popular product?
The award-winning Tropical Super Serum is the all-time bestseller, followed closely by the also award winning Hair Treatment and the new and super unique Blue Mint Facial Cleansing Powder.
...and what about your personal favourite?
It’s hard to choose a personal favourite since I truly love all the products but I’m going to go with the Hair Treatment. Not only because it’s the product I launched the brand with, but because it truly is a miracle product that transforms hair in just 20 minutes.
you might also like
- find out more about lani, here
- 6 ways to have a more sustainable christmas
- find out about our ethical scheme, here
- head over to our Instagram to get involved in the 12 days of teapigs!