Behind the Brand: The Story of 100% PURE
- Jasmine Uchi, PharmD
- May 29
- 6 min read
100% PURE is a beauty brand dedicated to clean, effective skincare with a focus on ingredient transparency. Founded by Susie Wang, the brand was born from a personal mission to create safe, ethically sourced products. With a commitment to sustainability, cruelty-free practices, and innovation, 100% PURE stands out by prioritizing purity and transparency in every product.
Could you share what inspired the creation of 100% PURE, and how your approach to ingredient transparency sets you apart from other beauty brands?
100% PURE was born from a deeply personal discovery by our founder, Susie Wang. As a young science enthusiast, she realized that many skincare products claiming to be beneficial were, in fact, oxidized, unstable, and filled with harmful ingredients. Her journey began with the innovation of stabilizing Vitamin C to preserve its potency — an invention that later became patented. However, it was during her time formulating products for major cosmetic companies that she uncovered a darker truth: toxic chemicals were common, and misleading claims about animal testing were rampant. This experience led Susie to build a brand grounded in authenticity, ingredient purity, and ethical responsibility.
Our approach to ingredient transparency sets us apart because every decision we make — from ingredient selection to formulation processes — is rooted in integrity. We don’t just avoid harmful chemicals; we source ingredients that offer naturally occurring benefits with minimal processing, and we ensure that every ingredient is ethically sourced and cruelty-free. Every 100% PURE product is designed with full transparency, meaning we only use ingredients that benefit the skin.
How do you educate customers and raise awareness about ingredient transparency?
Education is a cornerstone of our mission at 100% PURE. We raise awareness through multiple channels: detailed blog articles, ingredient spotlights, in-store experiences, newsletters, workshops, and our website’s thorough product descriptions. We explain not just what is in our products, but why those ingredients were chosen and how they benefit the skin.
Beyond listing ingredients, we share insights about our strict formulation standards — such as cold-pressing methods and biological extraction processes. We also highlight the rigorous 9-step testing process we follow for every product to ensure ingredient purity, formula stability, and product efficacy. Through consistent education, we empower our customers to make informed decisions about the products they use, while helping to elevate standards across the entire beauty industry.
What role does sustainability play in your sourcing, packaging, and product development?
Sustainability is woven into every aspect of how 100% PURE operates. In our sourcing, we prioritize ingredients that are naturally abundant and require minimal alteration — preserving the integrity of the environment they come from. Our commitment extends to using cold-pressed oils, biodegradable formulas, and naturally derived compounds.
In our packaging, we take a comprehensive approach: we use recycled or recyclable materials, eco-friendly non-toxic inks, and biodegradable packing peanuts made from cornstarch. Even our headquarters in San Jose, CA, operates sustainably — powered by solar panels, landscaped with drought-resistant native plants, and awarded the San Jose Green Certificate for having minimal landfill waste.
From product development through to shipping, sustainability isn’t an afterthought — it’s a fundamental responsibility. Each decision we make is about minimizing our carbon footprint, preserving natural habitats, and ensuring that beauty never comes at the cost of the planet.
Have you faced specific challenges in sourcing pure and ethical ingredients, and how have you navigated these?
Sourcing pure and ethical ingredients has always been a significant challenge — especially when we started, as clean beauty was virtually nonexistent in the mainstream market. Many ingredients available at scale were either heavily processed or tested on animals.
To navigate these challenges, we built strong, transparent relationships with farmers and suppliers who share our values. We take extra steps to ensure that every raw material is cruelty-free, sustainably harvested, and minimally processed. In fact, every ingredient goes through rigorous testing for purity, potency, and ethical sourcing before being included in any 100% PURE formulation.
Rather than compromise on our standards, we’ve invested in innovation — creating our own extraction methods to avoid chemical solvents, and even building a 'Beauty Bakery' lab to ensure full control over ingredient synergy and formulation purity.
Are there any exciting new developments, products, or initiatives you'd like our audience to know about?
We’re incredibly excited about the innovations coming out of our Beauty Bakery — our in-house lab where nature meets cutting-edge science. One of our most exciting developments is the expansion of our skincare range featuring advanced botanical actives and natural drug-delivery methods. For example, our Mushroom Peptides Firming Serum uses 11 medicinal mushrooms and quinoa peptides to visibly boost skin resilience, hydration, and firmness.
Another highlight is our Vitamin C Glow Max Bright Mask, designed for those who want potent, fast-acting results using only safe, natural ingredients. With technologies like microencapsulation using natural polymers from natto beans and sweet potatoes, we’re able to deliver deeper penetration of actives while maintaining ingredient purity and stability.
We’re also working on a refresh of our giveback initiative, with exciting changes on the horizon. Soon, every 100% PURE customer will be able to choose a charity to support at checkout — allowing each purchase to create a personalized and positive global impact. Whether it’s supporting children in need, protecting animals, or preserving the environment, we’re excited to offer a more meaningful way for our community to give back.
How do you envision the future of the clean beauty industry and 100% PURE's place within it?
We believe the clean beauty industry is only at the beginning of its evolution. As consumer awareness grows, clean beauty will need to move beyond "free from" lists and surface-level claims to embrace true transparency, efficacy, and environmental responsibility.
At 100% PURE, we envision leading this future — setting higher standards by combining the best of nature with advanced scientific research. Our focus is not just on clean ingredients, but on maximizing their potency and effectiveness through technologies like cold-processing, biological extraction, and natural nanotechnology, all without compromising safety or sustainability.
Our place in the future of clean beauty is to continue pioneering what’s possible: offering products that deliver real, clinically backed results, while educating customers, protecting the planet, and refusing to compromise on purity or ethics. We want to be the brand that customers trust not just because we were "clean before it was cool," but because we continue to innovate and evolve with integrity at our core.
What are your best-selling products, and do you have a personal favorite?
Our best-selling product is the Coffee Bean Caffeine Brightening Eye Cream, a cult favorite beloved for its ability to reduce puffiness, brighten dark circles, and hydrate the delicate eye area with antioxidant-rich ingredients like green coffee, green tea, and vitamins E and C. It's consistently celebrated for delivering real, visible results with clean, plant-powered ingredients.
As for a personal favorite, the Bakuchiol Face Oil holds a special place. Bakuchiol is a powerful plant-based alternative to retinol, derived from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant, known as Babchi. Unlike traditional retinol, which can often cause irritation, redness, and sensitivity, Bakuchiol delivers similar rejuvenating effects—stimulating collagen production, encouraging cellular turnover, smoothing fine lines, and protecting against free radical damage—all without the harsh side effects.
Because of its gentle nature, Bakuchiol is ideal for sensitive skin, and safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, making it a versatile staple for anyone seeking youthful, radiant skin without compromise. It truly embodies our mission at 100% PURE: delivering powerful results through pure, effective, and safe innovation.
Want to win a set of our Bakuchiol collection? Follow us on social media for all the details!
Disclaimer: The product and/or information provided on Pill Clarity is of a general nature and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not lab test the products to confirm that they are free from animal ingredients, and it is possible that the formulation and ingredients could have changed. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or product. The information provided in this post is accurate and up to date as of the date it was written. However, please note that circumstances and facts may change over time, and new information may become available that could alter the accuracy or relevance of the content. We encourage readers to verify and cross-reference any information provided here with trusted sources or consult relevant professionals for the most current and accurate updates.
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Clarity Definitely interested in trying this brand!
I loved reading this—it’s refreshing to see a brand stay so committed to clean ingredients and transparency. That kind of honesty is something I look for in everything now, even with aesthetic treatments. When I scheduled my lip filler consultation, I was honestly nervous, but the experience turned out better than I expected. They walked me through everything, answered every question, and made me feel totally comfortable. The results were subtle and natural—exactly what I hoped for. I left feeling confident and taken care of.