Glow Recipe & 7 Other Asian-Owned Beauty Brands Are Having A Major MDW Sale

If you’re looking for ways to support your favorite Asian-owned beauty brands (and discover new ones), Gold House has a Memorial Day weekend beauty sale that’ll make it super easy for you. From now until May 31, the nonprofit collective of Asian & Pacific Islander cultural leaders is holding its fourth signature sale dubbed “Asian Prime Day.”

The way it works is pretty simple: A panel of judges from Gold House’s Gold Rush Accelerator program select brands that have proved innovation and inspirational representation of Asian culture. These brands will be featured on the Gold Rush Market, where you can shop exclusive discounts and or be directed to each of the brand’s e-commerce sites, where you can get up to 30% off your purchase with code GOLDRUSHVIP.

You’ll find a wide variety of brands in different categories. Beauty lovers will find fan favorites like Glow Recipe among other beauty and wellness brands that should definitely be kept on everyone’s radar.

“We’re so proud to support Gold House’s mission to forge inclusive unity and celebrate the AAPI community,” Sarah Lee, co-founder and co-CEO of Glow Recipe tells Bustle. “For me, being a Korean American in the beauty industry truly empowers me to completely be authentic to myself, and my Korean heritage. We’re honored to be a part of this initiative and celebrate AAPI founders, creative voices, and leaders at large.”

As one of the biggest Asian-owned beauty brands in the market, Glow Recipe’s mission has always been about sharing Korean beauty and culture with the world. Now is an especially important time to be uplifting and supporting a community that is experiencing an increase in Asian racism and violence.

“It has been an extremely vulnerable time but we've found comfort in seeing all the support that’s come following the surge of AAPI hate,” says Christine Chang, co-founder and co-CEO of Glow Recipe. “It’s been inspiring to see so many of our peers share their personal experiences and now with AAPI Heritage Month, we’re excited to continue our own work to help uplift the community.”

Other beauty brands featured are hoping to bring awareness to other parts of Asia that often get ignored by mainstream media. Kulfi, for example, centers and celebrates South Asian beauty.

“Kulfi is shaking the entire ecosystem to create a space that is by us, for us, and doesn’t treat us as an afterthought,” Kulfi founder Priyanka Ganjoo tells Bustle. “There has been a rise in our collective consciousness of reclaiming and celebrating our unique beauty and the differences that come with it. I’m excited to see a shift in Asian representation and even more excited that Kulfi can participate in that change.”

Lioness is another brand trying to bring awareness to an often ignored topic: women’s sexuality. Her wellness brand is all about changing the way the public talks about and perceives women having (and wanting) sex.

“The taboo around female sexuality, in general, is something we’re reminded on a daily basis- from the bans from Instagram ads to the lack of research around female sexuality,” Anna Lee, co-founder of Lioness, tells Bustle. “I knew it would be an uphill battle especially being an Asian woman founder in an industry where there is a lot of cultural shame, fetishization, and lack of representation.”

All brand founders hope this sale helps Asian-owned businesses gain a bigger platform and show just how much the Asian community intersects with all aspects of life. They need people’s support this Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and beyond.

“I hope people will see that Asian-founded businesses exist across all industries,” says Lee. “and [to] just see the hard work and passion we have to have a voice in this world.”