The Beauty Game Changers

These three under-30 Singapore brand founders are the movers and shakers of new-age beauty. In light of international women’s day, we’re celebrating grit in the face of grime (of starting a business, that is). These girls may be young, but they’re capable as hell

- Chelsea Tang

SALTWATER ATELIER

BY MIYA CHONG

The one bringing self-care to the masses / @saltwateratelier

You might already be following Saltwater Atelier on Instagram — perhaps attracted by their curated pictures of mesmerising crystal-infused bar soaps, also known as Reiki Bars. It’s all thanks to the hard work of the 28-year-old founder Miya Chong. To her, shower time is a simple “luxury” that she indulges in; it’s when she truly winds down. And it’s this daily personal hygiene ritual that inspired the mother of three to launch her soap-making business, as a way to encourage even the busiest of individuals to take part in this easy form of self-care.

Soap-making as a business is rather rare in the beauty industry. What is your inspiration for starting this business?

I stumbled upon this craft by accident when I walked past a shop selling a melt-and-pour soap kit in Kuala Lumpur in 2017. I was instantly intrigued by the complexity of the process — melting, mixing, cooling — the making of such [an] everyday product is actually so interesting. Being fond of beauty and art since young, I knew this was something I had to experiment with. Before Saltwater Atelier started as a business, the Instagram account was my medium to document my trials and errors. Then, people started messaging me to enquire if my soaps were [for] sale — that’s when I realised I could sell my craft.

What’s up with #rethinksoap?