Cześć! That means “Hey” (as in Hi or Hello) in Polish. I just learned that from Kasia Maslowski, founder of Kasia Lip Balms.
Kasia and I met at Second Fridays Art Walk in Norman, OK where she was a vendor selling her line of lip balms. I have a thing for lipsticks and lip balms; Kasia’s fun and colorful display caught my eye so I headed over. Kasia is friendly and outgoing, so we easily chatted about her product and bonded over the curse of cold sores.
Originally from Austin, Texas Kasia now lives in Tulsa, OK (a fabulous Art Deco city, BTW) where she works full time as a process engineer for Kimberly-Clark. She launched her business in 2019, but she says she started taking it more seriously in 2022.
What inspired you to start making lip balm?
I was working for Johnson and Johnson back in 2015 and met two powerhouse women engineers who had previously worked at Neutrogena (owned by Johnson and Johnson) in LA. I thought to myself, what a DREAM it would be to work as a CHEMICAL ENGINEER in skincare! I quickly inquired about them finding me a job with Neutrogena but though they tried, there was something like a “hiring freeze” happening at the time and they couldn’t get me in. Still intrigued by the idea, however, I thought to myself, how am I going to get this same kind of Research and Development experience? I’ll start a skincare line myself! And thus Kasia Lip Balms was born a few years later.
I appreciate that your ingredients are vegan and all natural. How did you choose what to use?
I like to use products from other small businesses so I’ve tried to stick with ingredients that may be a little more expensive but that provide extra quality to my products.
I also really like your fun packaging – where did you get the inspiration for the graphics?
I find a lot of inspiration from Trader Joe’s and LaCroix sparking water. These brands are not afraid to just go there and express some serious color pop. The color pop I infuse in my packaging is also a full expression of my personality!
Let’s talk cold sores, because they are a reality for some of us. You use the amino acid Lysine in some of your lip balms. Is Lysine the primary ingredient in those balms? Please tell us how you came upon Lysine as an answer to battling cold sores.
Yes, so as an engineer (and an entrepreneur), you want to solve a problem with your business. Getting cold sores had always been a part of my life and always made me feel a little self-conscious. The main product I used was Abreva which was quite expensive, didn’t smell great, and honestly didn’t always work. So my mission for busting into the skincare industry was to come up with an all natural alternative to Abreva that made people feel confident and something that looked FUN!
What do you like the most about your business?
I love people and face to face sales. It gives me the chance to connect with others and share my story.
What do you want customers to know about Kasia Lip Balms?
Most skincare brands you see on the market have a French or Spanish translation or affiliation. Mine has a Polish twist, as a tribute to my family and my ancestors who motivate me always to persevere.
I love a good twist and a sense of originality. That’s what makes you stand out! Thank you, Kasia for chatting with ODFL.
Kasia Lip Balms come in several fruit flavors and are made with coconut oil, Shea nut oil and beeswax, which comes from cruelty-free beehives in Austin.
- Orange, Peaches ‘n Cream, Coconut, and Rich Coconut have SPF
- Watermelon and Citrus Twist are ultra moisturizing
- Cherry and Blueberry have Lysine for cold sores.
I purchased a trio pack – Watermelon, Citrus, and Cherry. I’ve used the Citrus several times a day since. It’s smooth and glossy and it gives a tingle of mint on my lips. I like to swipe it on as a base and then add a touch of lipstick for color. The citrus scent is light and the yellow tube is just plain fun! Hey, Leo Di Caprio knows what I’m sayin’. While in Tulsa filming Killers of the Flower Moon he popped into a local shop and picked up a tube of Kasia Lip Balm. Smart guy!
The whole line of Kasia Lip Balms is available online.
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