KNC Beauty’s Founder Talks Multi-Masking, Skincare And Natural Beauty
Responsible for creating the lip masks that have taken Instagram by storm, Kristen Noel Crawley shares the story behind the Japanese-inspired brand’s success
Kristen Noel Crawley spent two years perfecting the first all natural, collagen-infused lip mask that’s now on every A-lister’s radar. KNC Beauty has revolutionized clean beauty and created the skincare line our skin deserves. Bazaar spoke to Kristen about the journey, her top beauty hacks and the best way to prep your skin for KNC products…
Harper’s Bazaar Arabia (HBA): You’ve mentioned that Tokyo was where you first fell in love with the idea of creating a lip product. What was it about the city that gave you this epiphany?
Kristen Noel Crawley (KNC): I was lucky enough to visit Tokyo on a beauty trip with my longtime partner Dior. While sightseeing, I stumbled across Don Quijote which, if you know, is practically the Target of Japan. From perusing the endless aisles of skincare and cosmetics, I discovered classic Japanese lip masks, which are a major trend over there!
The packaging and graphics I saw were so inspiring and represented the culture beautifully; I really just fell in love with the look of the product and wanted to create something unique around it. I would never have imagined that I was going to develop an entire skincare line from that experience, but here we are!
HBA: Why was it so important to you to create a natural products?
KNC: The lip masks I discovered in Tokyo were absolutely adorable, but not a single one of them contained all-natural ingredients. The majority of products I picked up had synthetic qualities that can be harsh and irritating to the skin. I was so in love with the concept that I wanted to develop a natural alternative which would resonate with customers here in the US.
HBA: Why do you think the gap in the market for all-natural lip masks was never filled before KNC beauty?
KNC: I think that many of the skincare brands available now are solely focused on making a profit and flooding the market. I really pride myself on the fact that I’ve taken a slow and steady approach, using only the best all-natural ingredients to develop my products with care; I think the reason I’ve been successful is that I’ve been willing to invest in a more expensive process to create a lip mask that really works.
HBA: Aside from the natural beauty aspect, do you think there is another reason why your lip mask (and products, in general) have become so popular?
KNC: They’ve been very popular on Instagram, which is exciting for me because I’ve always put so much time and effort into developing both my products and my packaging. I want my brand to be visually-pleasing; KNC aesthetic resonates with a lot of customers in the beauty space.
HBA: How do you recommend prepping your skin for KNC Beauty products?
KNC: Make sure that you’ve cleansed your skin thoroughly before applying KNC Beauty, and don’t be afraid to multi-mask for the full effect. I like to apply the Star Eye Mask and Lip Mask underneath my new Big Set Face Mask to save time and maximize the effectiveness of each product.
HBA: What are your favourite beauty hacks?
KNC: Multi-masking is definitely a beauty hack that can save a lot of time. KNC Beauty’s products adhere perfectly to the skin, and you can mix and layer them however you’d like. I also always keep my Supa Balm with me to help hydrate my lips throughout the day. A little goes a long way so make it last!
HBA: What’s next for you and KNC Beauty?
KNC: I want to continue to grow at a steady pace, supporting the people and communities that have shown me love over the years. I hope to lift others up while still releasing products they can truly carry with them forever.
KNC Beauty can be shopped online in the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman at powder.ae
Images supplied.