Next in our Rule Breakers series is Preeti Luthra.
Preeti Luthra is a creator and developer turned beauty entrepreneur who founded the UK-based brand, Pure & Cimple, back in 2020. The minimalist skincare brand offers organic and all-natural skincare solutions with specialist ingredients, like Vitamin C, Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Polyglutamic Acid – and was created with the inspiration to nourish skin’s natural ability to heal and rejuvenate from the inside out.
Luthra, being born with sensitive skin, struggled hard to find products that were gentle enough, and at the same time, contained ingredients that can benefit her skin in the long run. As she entered her 30s and 40s, she found that using very selective effective ingredients helped her skin tremendously.
Here’s what we found out about Preeti’s everyday routine, followed by an exclusive Q+A.
Who is Preeti Luthra? How would her besties describe her?
I am a tech industry veteran turned beauty founder who loves creating things. Technology and skincare are both my passions. They may seem tangential – with nothing in common, however, I see them merging in the near future to help people achieve healthy skin. As an entrepreneur, I am fortunate and grateful to have the opportunity to add values to the lives of people I touch through my products. I love my family and I consider myself lucky to have their support in all my personal and professional endeavors.
My best friends would describe me as a grounded person who’s also smart, ambitious and always striving to make the world a better place. They would describe me as a family-oriented person. They would also say that I am committed to the path that demands my own growth and balance this with fulfilling the commitments that I have made to my family. I am fun to spend time with and I make it my business to lift those around me. According to them, I epitomize the mantra “you only live once”!
How did the idea for your business come about?
I have always been very aware of the products I use on my skin. Faced with quite a few skin challenges in my teenage years, I have been creating my own skincare for decades. From early on in my life, I realized that skin’s health is important, not only for the appearance, but also because our skin is the body’s largest organ and performs so many essential tasks. In fact, It combats sweat, dirt, viruses and outside stressors on a daily basis.
The idea of business came around when a dermatologist friend of mine used one of my products, the Vitamin C serum, and coaxed me to take it out into the world, as in her words, “It’s the best C serum I have used”. I feel the universe wanted it to happen as I had just sold my tech company at the end of 2019, and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020. Instead of living in a state of panic and confusion, I put all my energies into creating products with a focus on nurturing the skin barrier. The pandemic reinforced the importance of health, and skin being the largest organ in our body, needs to be nourished and strengthened as well.
So as a result, I set out to create a minimalist line of skincare products with 10 or less, research-based and efficient ingredients that are devoid of toxins. With the use of only pure ingredients in simple formulations, this set the foundation of Pure & Cimple.
If you had a magic stick, which are the three things you would change in the world?
I am a big believer that the world outside is a reflection of the world inside. So, if I had a magic stick, I would use it to love, forgive, and trust myself and others around me. Imagine if we have these 3 things in the world; every problem can be solved with ease.
What part of your life experience would you alter if you had the chance to?
Nothing. I have enjoyed every phase of my life. Everything! All the experiences in my life have brought me to the place where I am now, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
5 pieces of Jewelry that are most essential for every woman.
It may sound cliché, but happiness, confidence, peace, creative freedom and gratitude are the most important pieces that will make any woman feel beautiful – inside and outside. On top of these, I surely love unique jewelry pieces that are not necessarily expensive.
According to you, what is the definition of “beauty according to you.”
These days, with so much exposure to social media, there’s always pressure to have perfect skin, which is something that has become almost an obsession.
For me, healthy skin is beautiful skin. Period. Every skin, irrespective of the color, texture, age, is beautiful. All we have to do is to keep it healthy.
Nature is imperfectly perfect, and so are we. My goal is to break the unrealistic obsession with perfection and re-define beauty with the confidence that healthy skin is beautiful skin.
What challenges did you face at the start of your entrepreneurial journey and how did you overcome those?
I am still in the beginning phase of Pure & Cimple, and it’s been a great learning experience and exciting journey so far. What has been challenging is that there’s not enough time, and it’s very common that my work is stretched to weekends. Since I enjoy my work a lot, the line between work and fun is blurred. However, sometimes it’s quite a challenge for my family.
Growing up, how do you feel your personal style has evolved?
I feel personal style is a way of self-expression and for me, it has evolved over the years and is still evolving. I believe that my mood and changing interests influence my personal style. My teenage flamboyant style has transitioned to more earthy, neutral tones, as I realized the power of nature more, and more.
Right now, I am more relaxed, it’s more about ease and comfort, but occasionally, I still like to add a dash of glamor to my looks with designer bags and shoes. I would definitely identify myself as a minimalist because you can see me wearing the same clothes over, and over again. Less is more.
What is your favorite mantra or affirmation that you say to yourself to keep you going?
Be in the now, be present for today. Create success every single day through the job at hand. The big success is just a collection of everyday successes.
The Biggest myth of serum.
The biggest questions and feedback that I’ve received, and sometimes I still get (though customers are more aware now) about our pure Vitamin C serum, superCerum, is that it’s more “liquid-y.” This is a myth in skincare that a thin serum is devoid of effective ingredients, when in fact, it’s the opposite. To deliver transformative antioxidants to the deeper levels of the skin, serums need to be lightweight and easily absorbed to work their magic. In fact, to be effective, a Vitamin C serum should not contain any thickening agents or fillers, not even hyaluronic acid. Nothing to get in the way of active antioxidants and keeping them from reaching the dermis.
Only a super-concentrated dose of Vitamin C, and a few other ingredients that enhance its absorption and effectiveness.
What does your ideal skin care routine look like?
My skincare routine is simple, consisting of only a few minimalist products. The products amongst themselves cover almost all the nutrients required to keep the skin healthy.
My 3-step AM routine: I start my morning routine with the superLumine Probiotic Cleanser to remove any excess oil from my pores, or germs I may have carried from my pillow. It gently refreshens the skin and doesn’t make it feel squeaky. It creates a perfect canvas to absorb all the goodness of a serum. I follow up with the SuperCerum – Pure Vitamin C Serum. It brightens, protects and nourishes at the deeper level of the skin – I can’t live a day without it. Then I use the prebiotic barrier protector and super hydrator, superSupple, to help maintain my skin’s own barrier to external stressors. It’s so light and hydrating, thanks to polyglutamic acid. Lastly, I apply an SPF 30+ for sun protection. The total process takes less than 2 minutes.
My PM routine is just 2 steps: I cleanse my skin with the superLumine Probiotic Cleanser to remove dirt, daily impurities and SPF from the skin, and then massage in the SuperRenew – Night Treat for 2-3 minutes. The superRenew Night Treat is filled with active ingredients that work to replenish all the nutrients needed for my dry mature skin to be at its best state. Fun fact: all the ingredients used in superRenew are such that they are already found naturally in our skin cells. Levels drop as we age, which is why superRenew feels so nourishing and replenishing. My skin loves it.
I also like to add a face massage once in a month, and a face mask once a week or fortnight.
If you were not a skincare brand founder today, what would you want to be?
I have worked in the tech industry for 20 years, and now I am following my passion for skincare. I started Pure & Cimple because I feel I have something to share with all the women out there in the world. We all have some form of skin issues, and many of us feel confused and overwhelmed when it comes to choosing skincare products. I wanted to share the skincare routine that has helped my especially sensitive skin tremendously after my rough teenage years, with the rest of the world. When I created this minimalist line of products that are formulated with 10 or less research-backed efficient ingredients, I kept the focus on balancing the skin because essentially, every skin condition arises because of some sort of imbalance in the skin.
Lastly, where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
Technology and skincare are both my passions. They may seem tangential with nothing in common, however, I see them in confluence with the ability to achieve healthy skin for every person. I have a vision to create customized skincare by merging natural ingredients with the advances in the biotech industry.
I also see myself at the forefront of bringing the best solutions to our customers to achieve their healthy skin goals.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
