Entrepreneurs and siblings Arati and Varun Sharma are putting ghee front and centre in their Toronto-based skin care brand Ghlee.
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A type of clarified butter, ghee is widely considered to be a staple in South Asian cuisine.
We caught up with the co-founders to learn more:
Q: For those who aren’t familiar, what is Ghlee?
A: Ghlee is the first ghee-based skin care brand. We’re on a mission to use ghee where it is the most effective. We actually never set out to be skin-care founders — what we were more passionate about was innovating and working on the science behind ghee and its effectiveness on skin. So you won’t see us force-fitting ghee into products that won’t produce results for our customers.
Q: What makes it unique?
A: Ghee offers a wealth of unique wellness and skin-care benefits. In Ayurvedic practices, ghee is prescribed topically for dry skin, burns, and is beneficial for hyperpigmentation.
The challenge to bring it into modern skin care that can be used in a lip balm, or other forms, is shelf stability. This is why we at the Ghlee team worked with our lab and skin-care chemist to create a first-of-its-kind formula that keeps ghee stable and a 12 month shelf life, comparable or higher than most skin-care products.
Q: What makes ghee such a powerhouse ingredient for skin/beauty products?
A: Ghee is a type of clarified butter found in most South Asian kitchens around the world. Typically, ghee is used as a cooking oil and condiment — it is an extremely nourishing fat that is rich in fatty acids like Omega 3, 6 and 9 and Vitamins A, D, E and K. In Ayurveda, ghee is prescribed as a cooling food that lowers the body’s temperature and is a digestive aid. Ayurveda goes further and designates ghee as a salve to soothe burns and a potent moisturizer to heal dry skin and hair. Ghee has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been shown to reduce hyperpigmentation.
Q: Is there a ‘hero’ product in the collection?
A: Our lip mask is a cult favourite and has sold out multiple times. We’ve supercharged this mask with Squalane and Kahai oil to hydrate and nourish lips while repairing UV damage and targeting pigmentation. The addition of Camellia oil paired with ghee gives this mask a smooth texture, nothing like you’ve tried before, leaving lips moisturized and supple.
Q: What is the price range for your products?
A: The Lip Balm is $16 each or $64 for all five flavours (Mint, Rose, Mango-Papaya, Chai and Original). The Lip Mask is $30, and the Lip Scrub is $20.
Q: And where can people check them out?