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Welcome to The Quality Makers, an interview series highlighting pioneers in the direct-to-consumer space. Join us as we get an inside look at the world of digital shopping through the eyes of the individuals shaping it…
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Founder of Pink Moon, Lin Chen was born and raised in Southern California, and now based in New York City. Although she considers herself a New Yorker, she still feels like a Cali girl at heart. Chen is a self-love advocate and Reiki healer, who aspires to help others cultivate joy and bloom into their fullest potential.
Every April there is a full moon named Pink Moon: an event that signals a time of change, growth, renewal, and reflection. In using this as inspiration, Lin created her own sanctuary: a space that embodies the essence of holistic self-care by incorporating Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Reiki, Aromatherapy, Crystals, and Astrology into the brand’s products. Her mission is to spread the joy and comfort she found in these ancient wisdom practices with a greater community, while preserving the legacy of her ancestors. Pink Moon makes these ancient modalities more accessible by translating them into tangible products, so that you can incorporate mindful self-nourishment rituals, based on time-honored practices, into your daily life. Read below for more on Lin!
How is your personal journey related to the creation of this brand?
I’m a second generation Taiwanese-American and I grew up with TCM. In my household, my parents used and still use, all sorts of tools and herbs to treat different ailments – from headaches and colds to flus and coughs. Pink Moon is definitely a celebration of my heritage. We also integrate other holistic modalities like Reiki, Crystal Healing, Astrology and Aromatherapy. These modalities were a very crucial part of my own self love journey.
I started the company after being in a series of toxic relationships that really affected my mental, emotional and physical well being. After experiencing depression, insomnia, anxiety and a host of other health issues, I eventually turned to TCM for help. I started doing acupuncture weekly, which significantly changed my sleep schedule, I tried Reiki for the first time, and I started carrying a rose quartz crystal in my pocket. These tools and practices really helped bring me back to a place of self-love, empowerment and joy. Our mission at Pink Moon is to translate holistic modalities into tangible products, so that essentially anyone on the go can access their healing benefits.
I’d love to hear more about your thoughts on Western vs. Eastern medicine.
What I really love about Eastern medicine is that it's holistic, integrative and collaborative. In Western medicine, you have the doctor and you have the patient. The doctor is seen as the one in power, the aggressor, whereas the patient is seen as the passive one, the one that’s supposed to wholeheartedly trust what the doctor is saying. In Eastern medicine, the patient’s message is just as important – it’s a collaborative effort in which you're working together with the practitioner to find the root cause of certain health issues.
I also love that Eastern medicine includes energy healing within its practices. So astrology, crystals and even aspects of Reiki, where you're moving stagnant energy out, are all part of Traditional Chinese medicine. Western medicine tends to be a band aid approach – over the counter or prescription drugs, they're essentially a bandaid for your symptoms. I want medical practices that dig deep into the root cause of an issue. For example, if you're having chronic headaches, you can treat the root cause by changing your lifestyle or your diet, which prevents those headaches from returning. But if you just take an Advil, the headaches will keep coming back.
Tell me how all of those different Eastern practices translate into the products that you offer.
Our Rose Quartz Gua Sha Tool ($38) is what we're most known for, which combines crystal healing and TCM, and our Over the Moon Gua Sha Facial Oil ($58) complements the tool. The facial oil has moringa and rose oil, which are common herbs used in other indigenous/folk medicine, and are staple herbs within TCM as well. We also have our Over the Moon Lunar Rose Mist ($38), which combines aromatherapy with crystal healing, due to the Rose Quartz essence in there, and TCM due to the hibiscus and gromwell (purple grass) root in there. The herbs are specifically used to release heat and cool the skin, which is why our customers love it so much. Lastly, we have our Perfume Oils Collection ($45) that combines crystal healing, Reiki and aromatherapy.
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What's your creation process like? How do you combine different practices into each product?
Our facial oil was the very first product that I launched after our Gua Sha tool, and that production process started out in my own kitchen. Initially, I was researching different oils and combining them. I made four different versions of the facial oil and sent it out to a group of 10 people, family and friends. A friend of mine is a beauty influencer and another friend is a TCM practitioner who uses oils in her treatments, so I was eager to get their feedback. I eventually landed on one formula and one scent blend.
For most of our products, there was a lot of trial, error and testing that took place. For our Rose Mist and our astrology skincare collection, the products were created by a chemist whom I worked really closely with. I wanted the Rose Mist to have this pinky hue and evoke feelings of love when you use it. I told the chemist I wanted to have a crystal healing element in there too. For the astrology pieces, I also worked with an AAPI astrologer to help develop the products. She looked at the elements and I told her I wanted to have key ingredients in there that resonate with each specific element, whether that’s Air, Fire, Water or Earth.
How do you communicate these Eastern, ancient healing practices to an audience that might be unfamiliar with this world?
We've done a lot of education around these different modalities through our series of blog posts, which is written by a TCM practitioner. We also partnered with a lot of different astrologists and TCM acupuncturists and herbalists, to do educational reels and TikTok videos on our social media platforms. We’ve pulled data from and surveyed our customers within the past 2 years, and many seem to be interested in a more holistic healing approach, so they’re eager to learn more about our herbs and practices.
Your website says: “everything we create is thoughtfully priced and made with your well-being + planet in mind.” I'd love to hear how you're making your products accessible and affordable.
When I first tried Reiki and started getting acupuncture, I noticed that it’s just so costly. Who can afford to spend $200 a session, especially for someone who's so new to energetic healing? Making our products accessible has been so important to me from the start. My other initial goal was to create products that are high quality, meaning that we don't compromise on quality because our products are accessible in pricing. Everything we sell is under $60. I've had people suggest that I increase our prices but I simply don’t feel comfortable doing that. I want our products to be financially accessible for anyone who is interested in these modalities.
What would you say differentiates you from other brands in the industry?
We’re a practitioner-led brand, so I got my Reiki certification in early 2023. We also combine different healing modalities, so instead of focusing solely on TCM or Crystals, we take an integrative approach. I believe that when combined, these different practices can really positively impact your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. Lastly, we look at skin from beyond just the surface level and really address the body from the inside out, resulting in a 360-degree approach to health and wellness.
What do you hope people will take away from your brand when engaging with it?
I hope that they will feel nourished, comforted and joyful. We’ve gotten feedback from customers saying that our products not only positively affect their skin but also their souls. My hope is that people will feel inspired to take better care of themselves through Pink Moon.
I would love to build Pink Moon into a big standalone business. I look at brands like MALIN+GOETZ as inspiration because they're literally everywhere. You can see their products in fitness studios, hotels, airplanes and cruises, they have their own standing stores, sold in department stores, and used in spas. I want to build an entire ecosystem of accessible products that infuse holistic medicine and help you feel better, regardless of where you are. For me, it's really about spreading our mission of accessible and holistic wellness far and wide.
Tap into ancient healing practices with Pink Moon’s products.
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