Who Dreamed Up HiKawan

When I was a teen, my acne was so severe that it made me shy around people.
I grew up in an underprivileged family; seeing a dermatologist was not an option.

Back in the early 2010s, I tried everything from the kitchen: lemons, yogurt, egg whites. I used products pushed by sales aunties in shopping malls, which I later realized were loaded with denatured alcohol and fragrance. None worked.

It still breaks my heart today to think how easy it is to be misled when you know nothing but need help.

From the Books to the Lab

What finally worked was reading about cosmetic science.

I am forever thankful to Paula Begoun. Her book, “Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me,” became my first guide. Her 2% BHA Gel and Clear Extra Strength 5% Benzoyl Peroxide Treatment healed my acne.

After university, I even became Paula’s Choice distributor in Malaysia. I also started Worthee (read: Worthy) Cosmetics to share more brands that truly care about skin and people, not just profit.

But my passion didn’t stop at sharing products.

I spent the last ten years studying formulations more deeply. I completed my Diploma in Personal Care Formulation and Certificate in Organic Formulation from the Institute of Personal Care Science in Australia, the Certificate in Practical Cosmetic Formulating by Perry Romanowski (the founder of Chemist Corner), and the Cosmetic Science and Ingredients Course by OLAY. I am now a qualified member of the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC).

To put knowledge into practice, I started my own lab, formulating for other brands as an independent chemist.

The "Aha!" Moment

In my lab, I enjoy making formulas with generous amounts of active ingredients to give to my friends. More often than not, they came back quickly asking for more because they see the results.

One by one, I asked, “Eh, how did you use it?” My kawan2 had the same reply: "Everywhere. Face, body, all lah!"

That was my "AHA" moment. Why don’t we have more good products for the face AND body?

Birth of HiKawan

My chemist kawan and I put in years of lab work into HiKawan. We wanted to make sure our products feel beautiful and work safely from face to toe.

It would be so much easier to pay an OEM factory to just “make something”, while we sit back and make money. But we are cosmetic chemists.

I promise you, we do it all ourselves.

We pick the purest raw materials. We craft them in our own GMP-certified facility. We deliver them straight to your skin.

Lastly, thank you so much for reading and being here. We give our best to every HiKawan bottle we fill. My only hope is that you feel the same happiness using them as we felt making them for you.

 

Qaph
Cosmetic Chemist