Today we’d like to introduce you to Htwe.
Hi Htwe, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up in Burma (Myanmar), I used Thanaka on a daily basis. It is a part of my culture and skincare tradition for over 2,000 years now. Thanaka is a tree and we use the bark combined with water for protection from the sun and for cooling and hydration. In Burma, you have a small log of Thanaka and you grind it on a stone slab with water. The paste is applied directly to the skin. It stays on all day until it is rinsed off. It is used by everyone, from babies, men and women, to the elderly. It is a strong tradition today as well.
Five years ago we decided, with our friends, to bring Thanaka to the US. We went to Burma to source high-quality Thanaka. Only branches are harvested while the trees continue to grow. We trained people in Burma to harvest, dry, grind and ship Thanaka to us in the US. We have a lab, the US Botanical Safety Lab, that has made an extract from our ground Thanaka. They have also made our first product, a moisturizing face cream, as well as our second product – a bar soap.
Thanaka has been analyzed to be high in antioxidants, Vitamin E and has astringent properties. It is light and moisturizing and good for all skin types, especially sensitive skin. In Burma Thanaka is also used for acne but we can not advertise that medical claim here. Our Ultra Rich Moisturizing Face Cream is very popular with young adults for its clarifying property.
We have benefitted from the support of our local community. StartME: Atlanta, an Emory accelerator program, continues to support and promote our work. We were also a part of the Decatur Retail Incubator Program and had a shop in Decatur for several months. The founders met at the International Community School in Decatur. The school community continues to be a strong support for our work.
We are committed to giving back to the community. With our first product, our Ultra Rich Moisturizing Cream, we donate a portion of each sale to the International Community School. We will continue supporting organizations like ICS as we develop more products.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
This venture was a whole new world for us. We didn’t know what we didn’t know and our learning curve was high. Our first lab was a contract manufacturing lab and we did not know what that was. We were fortunate to get into the US Botanical Safety Lab, a formulating lab with manufacturing capabilities.
We are committed to sustainability and do not want to put more plastic into the environment. We searched far and wide for glass containers where we did not have to buy 20,000 upfront. We found excellent choices in Italy and were able to purchase 1,000 at a time.
Marketing and social media continue to be a challenge. Shark Tank reached out to us twice because they said that we are introducing a ‘new’ ingredient to the US market and we have an amazing story. We need to work on our branding and are currently looking for people in these areas. We are also looking for an equity investor with experience in the skincare market.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In Burma, I was a realtor and had a jewelry business. Then my husband and I built a seaside hotel with cottages dotting the shore. We also created a local bus system for our city. We are committed to excellence in all that we do and we love working with people from around the world. We do like to share our Burmese cuisine with others. Over the years, we have thought of opening a restaurant to specialize in Burmese food. Hospitality and spending time with family and friends give us joy.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love the diversity and the opportunities. There is so much going on in such a small metropolitan area. I have met so many people from around the world, especially at ICS (the International Community School) and RWN (Refugee Women’s Network). There is much enthusiasm about the possibilities for the future. Our children have all graduated from college and are very successful in their careers.
Pricing:
- Ultra Rich Moisturizing Cream 50 ml, $48.00
- Ultra Rich Moisturizing Cream 15 ml, $18.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.royalthanaka.com
- Instagram: @royalthanaka
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/royalthanaka
Image Credits
Greg Harding
