Latest news with #AAPIHeritageMonth
Buzz Feed
16 hours ago
- Business
- Buzz Feed
Priyanka Ganjoo Of Kulfi Beauty Talks Representation In The Beauty Industry
When you browse through the aisles of Sephora, you'll find popular, innovative, and beloved beauty brands. Brands like Rare Beauty, Fenty Beauty, and Rhode Beauty, to name a few, but there's one brand that's changing the game in the industry, through rich culture and inclusivity at the forefront: Kulfi Beauty. Kulfi Beauty is the very first South-Asian owned beauty brand to be carried by Sephora, and that's only one of their very impressive feats. Known for their brightly colored packaging, inclusive marketing campaigns, and popular products, Kulfi Beauty's mission is to provide cosmetics that nurture self-expression and joy. In honor of AAPI Heritage Month in May, we sat down with Kulfi Beauty's founder Priyanka Ganjoo to chat through South Asian representation in beauty, building a global beauty brand, and more. Where did your love of makeup come from? What does representation in beauty mean for you? Within the beauty industry, there are definitely improvements to be made regarding inclusion and diversity, which is why Kulfi Beauty is such an important brand in the space. And so, how do you think the industry has improved on inclusion and diversity, and what would you love to see brands do more of? Priyanka: One of the biggest things that has changed is that consumers know that they deserve better now. Growing up, we didn't have the language to say, 'We need better undertones of lipsticks.' Instead, we just said, 'Oh, I guess pale lipstick doesn't look good on me.' Now, I think consumers are more educated, and they can tell if the brand has kept diverse skin tones in mind, or have they just completely dropped the ball? I do think that's really important, because once the consumer is talking about it, companies start thinking, 'Okay, maybe we should start paying attention to this too,' and that's really promising. I remember during my corporate experiences being like, 'We need to have more diversity,' and it took a brand like Fenty Beauty for people to suddenly pay attention to the fact that we needed that. When Fenty Beauty happened, the pace to include more diversity was slow, because inherently in the corporate world, if things are going well, there's no incentive to change things. It's very hard to make that change from within, and that's part of the reason I wanted to start my own company — because making that change within companies is really hard when it has to come from the top down, right? It has to come from this goal of wanting to be better, which is why I think what Sephora is doing is really interesting, too. Obviously, we are an exclusive partner with Sephora, but they started working with us before we had even launched because they took the 15% pledge to have at least 15% of their shelf space be for brands with founders of color, and it kind of came from the top to be like, 'We really care about this.' I do think that more companies need to do that, and I do think that ultimately the consumer is going to decide. I'm really optimistic that if people keep asking, the change will happen. BuzzFeed: I definitely think there has been a shift, and people are much more vocal about calling out brands — like when a brand's shade range is not inclusive at all or really only targeted towards a very small Exactly. Like, the problem is not you, it's the brand not providing the offering. Because I think growing up, we felt like we were the problem, like it didn't look good on us, versus no, actually the brand has not designed something that's complementing you. And that's just so liberating, to be like, 'There's nothing wrong with me.' You mentioned Sephora, and of course, we have to talk about it! Kulfi Beauty disrupted the beauty industry, and you made history as the first South Asian owned beauty brand to be carried within the store. I want to congratulate you on that, and I would love to know: How does it feel to achieve such a milestone? Priyanka: It's very heartwarming to be able to walk into a Sephora and see the word "kulfi," and see a brand that's loud and proud about being South Asian in makeup. Specifically, it's also just a brand that's really talking about joy. Honestly, every time I walk in the store, I'm always pinching myself and saying, "This is amazing." But I think what's more important is our community feeling that joy and happiness. I remember receiving DMs from Indian-American customers saying how they walked into Sephora with their parents and were staring at the display for a long time in shock that there was a space in the store where they felt seen. That's why it's so important, right? It's so important to have that shelf space because we are part of the cultural narrative globally, and having that space is really special. To have it in a retailer like Sephora, which is best in class, is amazing. Do you have advice to share on building community and the importance of it? Your brand is about celebrating South Asian beauty. What does that look like? Priyanka: I think of it as both product innovation and storytelling. On the product innovation side, let's take mascara for example. Our Badi Lash Mascara is a tubing mascara, which we focused on volumizing and lifting because one of the things we found, especially with Asian lashes, is that they're generally straight. We found that the issues our community was facing with their lashes had not really been addressed with tubing mascaras in particular. And so, the product innovation was like, 'How do we service that in a formula that gives you length and gives you pigment, but it's also volumizing and lifting, but doesn't smudge through the day?' So that's where I would say we're always thinking about the product innovation based on the needs of the community. As another example, the reason our concealer has become a fan favorite when there are so many concealers out there is because we really nailed the undertones. A lot of people write to us to say things like "I have never found a shade match as good as the Kulfi concealer because I feel like you guys designed it for me." And to that, I say yes, we did design it for you because we really worked on those undertones. So, there's that product gap of how do we create products that serve the community in a way that they have not been served before?But then there's also the storytelling, which we always try to infuse our culture in. I have to give a nod to our first campaign launch, which was for the Kajal eyeliner. The campaign was called Nazar No More. Nazar is evil eye, and it's something that many of us grew up with — this concept of wearing kajal or dotting your forehead with kajal to ward off evil eye. And then, we talked about the patriarchy, and us pushing back against that by wearing colorful eyeliners. In the end, it made a really engaging story that we found relatable, and really introduces people to parts of our life that they might not have known about. That's really how I think about including and being inspired by South Asian people and our heritage. What would you tell your younger self, knowing that you've created a brand where inclusion and culture are of the utmost importance? What advice would you give to individuals who are currently struggling with loving themselves and feeling confident? Last month was AAPI Heritage Month! How do you feel we can better uplift the voices of our community and spread love and appreciation for other cultures? What made you decide to take the leap and start your own business? Priyanka: A lot of note: Priyanka said this so quickly that everyone in the call started I think it was my experience finding that joy in makeup on my own terms, and asking myself, 'Why doesn't this exist?' There are definitely other people like me who might want something like this, and just have to take that leap. I never saw myself as a founder, and when I challenged that, and thought, 'Why? Why can't I do this?" I guess you could say it was manifestation, but part of it is also questioning yourself and your limiting beliefs. I feel like questioning why I can't do things has brought me to the place where I can be like, 'Yeah, I'm gonna quit my job and launch a company. Maybe I can do it. Why do I think I wouldn't be able to make a change?" It's something that even now, I'm like, 'Oh, wow, we've come so far.' I never imagined we'd even come as far as we have, but we're just starting out, and I envision us being a global brand and bringing that South Asian storytelling globally. It hasn't been done before, but why can't we be the first? What was your family's response when you decided to start your own business? Priyanka: Overall, they were supportive. I was a little bit older too — I was 30 when I wanted to start my own company, so they had a little bit more trust in me. But my mom definitely wanted to know details, like if I had a cofounder, and if this was a crazy idea. So, my parents were definitely worried, but now they're big champions of what I do. And they're always talking about Kulfi, and my mom loves all the Kulfi products I sent her. BuzzFeed: I can just imagine your mom wearing all your products and saying, 'This is my daughter's brand,' and being the biggest marketer for Definitely! She has a lot of product pipeline suggestions, too. She's pointing out specific things that haven't been done, or a hole in the market. She has a high standard, as Asian moms do! Why 'kulfi'? What is your favorite product from Kulfi? Priyanka: I am most partial to our eyeshadows, because I used to be scared of eyeshadow. I didn't think I could wear eyeshadow, and that's why we intentionally made the eyeshadow a beautiful cream-to-powder formula that's super easy to use. You can get a dual chrome look with some of our shades with just one swipe, with just your fingers, with less than a couple of minutes. I really love how it demystifies eyeshadow, and how easy and approachable it is to have a beautiful, almost editorial look without having to spend tons of time or have skills. Not everyone's a makeup artist, and we want to make products really approachable to play with. So, the eyeshadow is definitely one of my then last year, we launched this new shade, which was Sona Sona, a gold shimmer topper. Honestly, I could bathe in that stuff because it's so pretty — sona sona actually means gold in Hindi. Again, being able to showcase this color that's so gold it goes so well with so many of our undertones, and having that color was just so Lassi Lips has been going super viral — right now, we're having trouble keeping it in stock. So that's also been really great, because the formula is really unique in the way that it is hydrating like an oil but stains. What we've been able to do is create these beautiful, wearable colors that include neutrals and pops of color. I think these unique color stories, along with the unique formula, is why that product has been so popular. What beauty trend do you think will be the next big thing? Share a message with your supporters and customers! What is a South Asian dish that you think is S-tier? Priyanka: That's really hard. I'm Kashmiri, and we have a specific meat dish called rogan josh that we make for celebration, and my mom's rogan josh is literally the best. It's my favorite thing. Editor's note: Rogan josh is a curried meat dish originating from Kashmir, a region in northern I love that, and also that it's your mom's cooking, which is always the best, right?Priyanka: It is. And especially as you grow up and you move out — you don't get access to it that often, and it becomes even more special. What is next for Kulfi Beauty? What's next for Priyanka? Check out Kulfi Beauty and be sure to follow the brand and Priyanka on Instagram and TikTok!
NDTV
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Viral Video Shows NYC Schoolgirl's Love For Maggi, Melts Hearts On Internet
Whether it is satisfying hunger pangs or grabbing a quick snack with your best friend, Maggi is the go-to solution for Indian foodies. While it is a familiar sight to see children carrying Maggi noodles in their lunchboxes in India, a video of an Indian-origin girl named Anya in New York City enjoying the same beloved snack has taken the internet by storm. The clip shows Anya proudly showing off her Maggi noodles lunch, and it is winning hearts online. Shared on New York City's official government Instagram handle, the video features Anya excitedly describing her lunch – Maggi noodles, a popular Indian snack. She says, 'My name is Aanya and this is what is in my lunch. I brought Indian noodles called Maggi. We put the noodles in the pot, add hot water and our spices, and then it turns yellow.' Anya also talks about her favourite food. She adds, 'The chicken curry my mommy makes. She uses different spices, and each one has its own unique aroma.' The side note read, "True fact: there's never a curry better than mommy's. What's In My Lunchbox: Season Two is here! We're celebrating our city's diversity and AAPI Heritage Month through our public school students' lunchboxes. Tune in for a delicious ode to what makes New York special.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by City of New York (@nycgov) Anya's cheerful enthusiasm resonated with Desi foodies, who flocked to the comments section to share their opinions. One user wrote, "Icons love Maggi." Another added, "So cute and she loves the spices mommy puts on her lunch." Someone commented, "I can tell she is an astute student in the kitchen, watching and helping as her mom teaches her how to make all of the most delicious meals." A NYC resident said, "Just adorable and sweet to share the beautiful diversity of our city. Thanks for sharing Anya!" "Yesss Maggi is life!!! This is so sweet - I love my mom's curry too," read a comment. The "What's In My Lunchbox" series honours the cultural heritage of New York City public school kids by displaying the different contents of their lunchboxes. It is a campaign to celebrate the city's rich diversity.
Hindustan Times
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Indian-origin girl's Maggi noodles lunch in NYC school video wins hearts online: ‘Just adorable'
New York City's official government Twitter handle, @nycgov, recently shared a heartwarming video featuring an Indian-origin girl named Anya, who proudly explained the contents of her lunchbox, bringing attention to the vibrant diversity within the city's public schools. The video was posted with the caption: 'True fact: there's never a curry better than mommy's. What's In My Lunchbox: Season Two is here! We're celebrating our city's diversity and AAPI Heritage Month through our public school students' lunchboxes. Tune in for a delicious ode to what makes New York special.' Also read: Indian woman surprises American construction crew with vada-chutney: 'So kind of you' In the clip, Anya introduces herself and excitedly describes her lunch, Maggi noodles, a popular Indian snack. She says, 'My name is Aanya and this is what is in my lunch. I brought Indian noodles called Maggi. We put the noodles in the pot, add hot water and our spices, and then it turns yellow.' When asked about her favourite food, she replies, 'The chicken curry my mommy makes. She uses different spices, and each one has its own unique aroma.' A post shared by City of New York (@nycgov) Maggi noodles, beloved across India for their quick preparation and flavourful taste, are a nostalgic favourite in many households. Aanya's cheerful explanation resonated widely on social media, drawing numerous positive comments from viewers appreciating the glimpse into New York City's multicultural fabric. One user wrote, 'Just adorable and sweet to share the beautiful diversity of our city. Thanks for sharing, Aanya!' Another user added, 'Awww so cute!!! We love you, Aanya!' While a third user exclaimed, 'Yesss Maggi is life!!! This is so sweet — I love my mom's curry too.' Also read: Billionaire on Bengaluru stampede at RCB celebration: 'Common man's life cheaper than cup of chai' The "What's In My Lunchbox" series celebrates the cultural heritage of New York City public school students by showcasing the diverse contents of their lunchboxes. It is not a book or children's story but a campaign highlighting the city's rich diversity. A Facebook post about the series emphasises honouring New York City's multiculturalism and AAPI Heritage Month through the students' unique lunches.
Buzz Feed
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Gen Z AAPI Actors And Their Iconic Roles
Once again, I hope we're all having a wonderful AAPI Heritage Month. As you can probably tell, I'm having a grand ol' time celebrating all things Asian and Pacific Islander, and you should be, too. And what better way to celebrate Heritage Month than to take a look at some of the incredible young talent in Hollywood that our communities should be proud of. We have a long way to go when it comes to representation on screen, but these Gen Z actors are totally paving the way. Here's a look at some of the most iconic up-and-coming young AAPI actors in the industry right now, and where you might know them from. Be sure to keep an eye on them in the future. 1. Gordon Comier — Aang, Avatar: The Last Airbender Gordon's mother is of Filipino descent. 2. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan — Devi, Never Have I Ever Maitreyi is Sri Lankan Tamil. 3. KJ Apa — Archie Andrews, Riverdale KJ, which stands for Keneti James, is of Samoan descent on his father's side. His dad is also a matai or chief of his village in Samoa. 4. Auli'i Cravalho — Moana, Moana Auli'i is of Native Hawaiian, Chinese, Puerto Rican, Portuguese, and Irish descent. 5. Anna Cathcart — Kitty Song Covey, XO, Kitty Anna identifies as half Chinese and half Irish. 6. Aryan Simhadri — Grover Underwood, Percy Jackson and the Olympians Aryan is Indian American. 7. Iman Vellani — Kamala Khan, Ms. Marvel Iman is Sindhi Pakistani. 8. Dallas Liu — Zuko, ATLA Dallas is of Chinese descent. 9. Megan Suri — Aneesa, Never Have I Ever Megan is Punjabi Indian. 10. Ben Wang — Li Fong, Karate Kid: Legends Ben is of Chinese descent. 11. Ashley Liao — Clemensia Dovecote, The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Ashley is Taiwanese. Check out more AAPI-centered content by exploring how BuzzFeed celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Of course, the content doesn't end after May. Follow BuzzFeed's A*Pop on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to keep up with our latest AAPI content year-round.
Forbes
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Cosmosy On Y2K Inspirations, Being 6th-Generation K-Pop Idols
cosmosy As part of Spotify's celebration for May's Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month this month, the streaming service hosted an event at its New York headquarters with an industry panel of Asian-American execs, a spread of pan-Asian street food, a DJ set from Angie, and the debut U.S. performance from the new girl group cosmosy, who are helping usher in a new era of global-pop to the world. Created by BLACKPINK's former creative director at YG Entertainment SINXITY, cosmosy is the female quartet that is only two singles into their careers but already making moves around the world. The cosmosy members Amei, Kamión, Himesha, and De_Hana all hail from Japan but were trained in Korea under the K-pop system and sing in a mix of English, Japanese and Korean, all appealing to the mainstream music market. As further proof of their blended pop-culture backgrounds, De_Hana and Kamión initially rose to recognition after competing on Produce 101 Japan The Girls, a local spin-off of Korea's Produce 101 singing competition series that created chart-topping acts like IZ*ONE and Wanna One. The show provided them with early opportunities to get comfortable on stages where their fellow K-pop and J-pop idols would perform. Bringing together expertise across two of the world's largest music markets, the entertainment wing of major Japanese mobile carrier NTT Docomo Studio & Live teamed with Sony Music Korea in partnership exclusively for cosmosy. Local representatives from Sony Music and The Orchard, as well as publicists around the world, are also supporting the group with an attentive crew overseeing the girls in New York. A beautiful blend of voices speaking in English, Japanese and Korean surrounds the quartet, ensuring the group has handheld fans to cool down with after performing or ensuring their selfie lighting is perfect with their phone's own flashlight. With such a specific worldview, cosmosy and their team have labeled the group as the first act in the 'sixth-generation of K-pop.' While there's debate among fans and critics about what defines a new generation of Korean-pop acts, it's generally agreed upon that the fifth era of K-pop idols began around mid-2023 as major labels debuted their latest artists like ZEROBASEONE, xikers and BABYMONSTER. With cosmosy's buzz single 'zigy=zigy' released on December 31, 2024, and official debut single 'Lucky=One' dropping this April, the group has made a bold declaration that not only zooms into a new era of K-pop but showcases how the definition of the music scene is expanding in exciting ways. Mixed with the excitingly artistic and creative styling that goes into cosmosy's visuals for their mass-appeal pop music, it all comes together in an exciting way of envisioning pop music's future as so many people work together towards one goal, blending different styles, cultures and languages. Learn more about cosmosy, their inspirations, and take on the new generation of K-pop below. Jeff Benjamin: Congratulations on the release of 'Lucky=One.' How does it feel to have made your debut while busy with promotions? himesha: Now that we are participating in promotions, it is starting to feel like we actually debuted. de_hana: We are very busy, but we enjoyed and are enjoying every moment of it. Jeff Benjamin: Fans took notice of the very strong visuals and live performances for 'Lucky=One.' How have your experiences been? a'mei: I'm very happy that our fans noticed us as cosmosy. We were also able to meet other idol fans and it made me realize that I want to work harder and let more people know about us. himesha: In my case, the happiest thing is that I found one of my fans in the audience holding my name board during the music shows, and I was glad I noticed it with so many other fans [in the crowd]. Even now, it feels like a dream that it happened. kamión: Through this 'Lucky=One' promotion, our fans and followers increased — it was more than expected. I was amazed and surprised. Jeff Benjamin: While we know de_hana and kamión have TV experience from Produce 101 Japan, how did that compare to the live music shows? kamión: Back when we were on Produce 101 Japan, we had the chance to perform on the same stage as M Countdown in Korea. But this time, I stood there as a member of cosmosy on the actual M Countdown music show; the experience felt different. Previously, there were eight members on stage, while now it's just four, so I felt more attention was on each of us individually. I was nervous and excited. de_hana: It had been a while since I was back on that same stage. During Produce 101 Japan, I was more focused on improving myself, and I think my fans are starting to recognize how much I've grown since then. With cosmosy, I feel a real sense of belonging as part of a team, like we're one unit. But back then, the others felt more like rivals than teammates. Jeff Benjamin: You also met fans while working in Korea. How was that experience? a'mei: Meeting my fans for the first time was when it really hit me: 'I've debuted as a member of cosmosy.' I was so excited. There were so many happy moments, like talking with fans and receiving gifts and handwritten letters. I've actually read one letter from a fan every day. It always moves me; sometimes, I get teary-eyed just reading. kamión: It was my first time meeting fans face-to-face in such a close setting and it made me so happy to see their smiles; that connection meant a lot to me. I have Japanese and global fans, too, so I really hope I can meet them soon. At our pop-up event, 'Follow cosmosy in Seongsu,' one fan who's supported me since Produce 101 Japan came to see me. She was shaking and crying while talking to me — her love was so heartfelt that I almost cried too. himesha: Seeing my fans in person and hearing their words of support made me feel even more emotionally connected to them. I was especially touched when I saw name boards during our music show performances or when fans came running to see us after we finished performing. My fans come to every broadcast and cheer us on — one even cried when she met me at our pop-up event. That moment was deeply moving to me. de_hana: I met both Japanese and Korean fans at our pop-up event, 'Follow cosmosy in Seongsu,' and the letters I received were filled with kind words that gave me so much strength and motivation to keep going. One fan made a keyring included with her handwritten letter. They also showed me the same penguin plushie I had with me during my Produce 101 Japan audition. I remembered them right away and I was so grateful to reconnect. himesha: cosmosy features a unique worldview based on the 'end-of-the-century' [Y2K] vibe of 1999, combined with a multi-layered content strategy that resonates with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. This sets us apart from the simpler narrative-based worldviews of past K-pop groups, offering a new idol model that combines fan participation and immersive storytelling. Jeff Benjamin: Speaking of that time, cosmosy's content reminds me of some classic anime or mangas. Can you share any favorite childhood anime or suggest some for fans? himesha: I love Tamagotchi, it's an animation and a game you can play on the Nintendo. But a recommendation I want to make is The Promised Neverland. It's really fun, in the fantasy genre, and there's even a movie! A "Tamagotchi" electronic pet toy is displayed in a toy store on October 25, 2017 in Paris, France. ... More Tamagotchi is a virtual electronic animal which means "cute little egg" and simulates the life of an animal. (Photo) Inosuke Hashibira, Tanjiro, Natsuki Hanae, Nezuko Kamado, Hiro Shimono and Zenitsu Agatsuma attend ... More the World Tour Premiere Of Crunchyroll's "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To The Hashira Training-" at Regal Union Square on February 10, 2024 in New York. (Photo byfor Aniplex of America/Crunchyroll) a'mei: Since elementary school, I've liked and recommend Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Natsume's Book of Friends, and Yo-kai Watch. de_hana: I really like Aikatsu! - Idol Academy and Pokémon! The atmosphere seen at the YO-KAI WATCH 2 preview event at Siren Studios on September 8, 2016 in ... More Hollywood, California. (Photo byfor Nintendo) Performers dressed as Pikachu, a character from the Pokémon media franchise managed by The Pokémon ... More Company, march during the Pikachu Outbreak event at night on August 8, 2019 in Yokohama, Japan. (Photo by) kamión: Lala's Style Book [Fancy Lala], The Promised Neverland — I have all 20 volumes at home — and Jewelpet. Japan's toy maker Segatoys and character giant Sanrio unveil the new animal characters and its toys ... More "Jewelpet" — 33 animal characters with jewels names targeting girls customers — at the company's toy exhibition in Tokyo, on January 15, 2008. (Photo credit: YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP via Getty Images) Jeff Benjamin: What else is coming for cosmosy this year? And what else do fans need to know at this time? kamión: We are preparing our next single. Please look forward to it! himesha: We hope to further reach our global fans and promote more globally. The cosmosy universe might be a bit difficult and hard to understand, but we hope you'll enjoy it, look for the hidden elements, and see it in a positive light! We'll be trying out more fun concepts in the future, so please look forward to them.
