Career Confessions: The founder of Handmade Heroes is redefining beauty standards with a sustainable vision

Do you like your job? Or wonder what it would be like if you’d gone against your parents’ advice and pursued your dream career? Her World’s Career Confessions column spotlights the professional journeys of its subjects and reveals how each individual’s career path and the choices they have made can have an impact on their personal finances, psychological health, and interpersonal relationships.

With today’s beauty scene brimming with skincare options, you would expect to be able to find more than one product that would solve any of your skin concerns. But, for Lynsey Lim, the woman behind Singapore’s home-grown vegan skincare brand Handmade Heroes, her sensitive skin proved to be quite the challenge when it came to finding the right skincare products. That being said, she decided to take matters into her own hands and decided to craft her own range of skincare – a decision which marked the first step towards the building of her own brand. 

Handmade Heroes goes beyond offering effective, sustainable and clean skincare. Lynsey’s vision extends to fostering self-love and confidence in her customers. The brand has also worked towards building customers’ trust and confidence in their products through third-party testing, as well as being transparent about what goes into their products. They often gather feedback from customers as well to further improve their products. 

Sustainability is also deeply woven into Handmade Heroes’ ethos – they use clean, cruelty-free, vegan formulas in their products, and their packaging is plastic-neutral. Their commitment extends beyond products; having participated in ocean cleanups, and looking to further minimise their carbon footprint as well.

Lynsey’s genuine care for the environment and wish to empower individuals is what sets her and her brand apart. Here, she shares more about her career journey, the humble beginnings of Handmade Heroes, as well as her personal favourites from the brand.

Name: Lynsey Lim
Job Title: CEO and co-founder of Handmade Heroes
Years of Work Experience: 10 years

1. What do you do, and how would you describe your career? Would you describe it as a job, a career, or a calling that you’re extremely passionate about?

“As the CEO and co-founder of Handmade Heroes, I focus on creating sustainable, vegan, and clean skincare products. My role involves everything from product development and quality control to marketing and distribution.

I like to think of it as more than just a job or a career; it’s an opportunity to redefine beauty standards and promote self-love in this fast-paced, self-critical world that we live in. Through self-care, I strive to remind people to take time for themselves and embrace their unique beauty. This mission fuels my dedication and inspires me to create products that not only enhance physical beauty but also nurture inner confidence and well-being.”

2. What first sparked your passion for creating sustainable beauty products? Were there any personal experiences or role models that inspired you?

“I initially started making products for my own use because it was challenging to find skincare that was suitable for my sensitive skin. The brand has come a long way since then, and we are constantly thinking about how we can be more sustainable and eco-friendly. We engage in ocean cleanups, engage small-batch manufacturing to minimise excess stock waste and offset our carbon emissions, and we are looking to power our office and manufacturing facilities with solar energy by 2025.”

3. Could you walk us through your journey from having the idea for Handmade Heroes to launching the brand? What were some of the initial challenges you faced?

“We started selling our products at local makers’ markets in Singapore. It was a great way to test our products and see if there was a demand, and we haven’t stopped ever since.

Today, our products are available all across the globe, and our Cocolicious Luscious Lip Scrub is the #1 best-selling lip scrub on Amazon. However, it was not an easy journey. Gaining trust and brand recognition in the crowded beauty market was a significant challenge. We got here by actively listening to customers’ feedback and constantly making improvements to our products. This iterative process of refining our offerings based on real customer experiences was crucial in building the credibility and trust that we enjoy today.”

4. Handmade Heroes prioritises creating cruelty-free, vegan, and natural skincare products. Could you elaborate on this philosophy and why these values are important to you?

“Our philosophy centres on empowering individuals to embrace their unique beauty with confidence. We believe in being kind and gentle to ourselves, our environment, and animals, and we are committed to ethical practices and environmental stewardship.”

5. Some consumers might be sceptical about the effectiveness or affordability of vegan skincare. Have you encountered this, and if so, how do you address those concerns?

“We place importance on conducting thorough R&D and third-party testing to ensure they meet high standards of performance and efficacy. Our products are also dermatologically tested and approved. This helps overcome any scepticism about clean and vegan skincare our customers may have.

Transparency is also key; we educate our customers about the benefits of vegan skincare and the science behind our formulations, helping to build trust and confidence in our brand.”

6. You partnered with Seven Clean Seas in 2020 to help with an ocean cleanup. How did this collaboration come about and what impact has it had?

“We are always looking for ways to make a positive change and give back to the community. Our partnership with Seven Clean Seas was a natural fit for our commitment to environmental sustainability. Through this collaboration, we were able to recover a total of 1,630kg of plastic from the marine environment, significantly contributing to ocean conservation.

In addition to our efforts in plastic recovery, we are dedicated to reducing our carbon footprint. We have offset 268,944kg of CO2 through wind energy initiatives.”

7. Beyond partnerships, how does Handmade Heroes build a community around its brand and values?

“Handmade Heroes resonates with the idea that skincare fosters confidence and embraces unique beauty. We have campaigns in the community spotlighting everyday women as heroes of their lives. For instance, our “Heroes like Her” and “Beauty Warrior” campaigns emphasise self-care’s strength and the hero within everyone.”

8. If someone in Singapore is passionate about creating sustainable beauty products, what advice would you give them?

“Stay true to your values but at the same time, don’t underestimate the power of community feedback — listen to your potential customers, refine your products based on their input, and be transparent about your processes. Building a trusted brand takes time and dedication, but staying authentic and responsive to your community will help you make a meaningful impact.”

9. Looking back on your journey with Handmade Heroes, what stands out as a particularly rewarding or challenging moment?

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“One particularly rewarding moment was when I saw Lily Collins using our Cocolicious Luscious Lip Scrub in her Vogue Get Ready with Me video. Seeing her use our product gave me a sense of validation and recognition for all the hard work and effort that my team and I have put in over the years. It was not just about the exposure, but also that she loved our product enough to use it as part of her daily routine.”

10. What are some of your personal favourite Handmade Heroes products and why?

“I personally use our products on a daily basis, but one of my favourites is The Ultimate Bakuchiol Booster Oil and Lip Mask. I love bakuchiol for its gentle yet effective renewing properties. It’s an excellent preventive ageing ingredient and a great alternative to retinol for those who are avoiding it. Our oil contains 2% bakuchiol, which is one of the highest concentrations available on the market, and the glow I get from using it is unmatched.”