From US to East M’sia: Libra Wellness serving the niche for sensitive self-care products

KUCHING (June 17): The need for personal care products suited for sensitive skin led to the birth of a new brand, Libra Wellness, which is currently available here in Sabah and Sarawak.

Coming from corporate careers in the United States (US), founders and partners Jeremy Andrus and Carmen Khor found a need to fill in a gap in the market for sensitive self care products, with emphasis on sustainability and high quality.

“It all started with a personal need. When we moved to Malaysia, we struggled to find personal care products that worked well and did not irritate our sensitive skin,” they explained in an interview with The Borneo Post.

“After canvassing the market in Malaysia, we discovered there was an opportunity to create a brand with self-care products that are produced locally, sensitive skin safe, and kinder to the environment.

“From there, Li’bra by Libra Wellness was born.”

As a business, the duo believed they have a responsibility to do our best to care for the environment.

“The first thing we looked at was product packaging and how we can reduce the use of plastic,” they explained.

“After much research and testing, we settled upon aluminium for bottled products and kraft paper for refill pouches. Both materials are more commonly and widely recycled compared to plastic.”

It was important for us that we manufacture locally, and source materials from local suppliers and printers whenever possible to reduce the environmental impact of fuel consumption and transportation.

Li’bra by Libra Wellness is currently available in select Beauty Wonderland stores in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and an independent pharmacy outlet in Sibu, Sarawak.

Currently, Andrus and Khor revealed that East Malaysia makes up about 20 per cent of Libra Wellness’ customer base.

“We understand that customers in East Malaysia bear higher costs for shipping, so we’re actively exploring alternative distribution channels and retail outlets to make things more affordable and accessible to residents in East Malaysia,” they explained.

“We believe in the power of meaningful partnerships. We work with various independent retailers and chains to bring our products in stores, so customers can enjoy the ease and convenience of shopping offline.

“Additionally, we also collaborate with other like-minded brands and businesses to create a platform that amplies messages about self-care, mental health and living a balanced lifestyle.”

The two are also working diligently to expand Libra Wellness’ distribution to reach more customers and make our products more easily accessible, both on online platforms and brick-and-mortar stores.