KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — Adopt don’t shop is the motto of Miss World Malaysia 2009 and animal rights campaigner Thanuja Ananthan but the launch of her cruelty-free collaboration lip kit with Lip & Co means shopping will now contribute to helping animals in Malaysia.
Lip & Co founder and CEO, Kelvin Tan, and Thanuja, have created a limited-edition, cruelty-free kisses lip kit to raise awareness about animal cruelty issues: particularly towards stray animals where proceeds from the sales will be channelled to SPCA Malaysia.
Thanuja has been championing animal welfare for seven years since becoming an ambassador for the SPCA, and says the collaboration has been in the works since discovering Kelvin’s cruelty free, vegetarian products.
“The first thing I saw was, ‘100 per cent cruelty free’ with the big, international bunny logo.
“This alarm bell just went off in my head and I was like, I have to do something with him.”
The lip kit launch was pushed forward thanks to the insidious act of two men putting a pregnant cat in a running dryer, and leaving it to die in September this year.
“The rise of animal abuse in society over the past few months, it’s been absolutely mind-blowing,” Thanuja says.
“We decided we have to get this done before the year ends. This is the right time to launch.”
The lip kits come in two colours: "Girl Next Door" and "Red Carpet" and there are only 200 pieces of each kit are available for purchase.
Kelvin says each lip kit “contains one matte and one lip topper,” revealing that the lip topper is making its introduction to Lip & Co’s extensive lip range through the cruelty free kisses launch.
“[The lip topper] has a very unique formulation. It’s called mood pigment technology, and everyone who applies it will have a different hue because it reacts with the chemistry of your lips,” he explains.
Thanuja added that the both of them are in the midst of discussing something else that they hope will be out in June.
She’s hopeful that this collaboration will be effective in raising public awareness about animal cruelty and street animals.
“Ultimately my vision is to have a stray-free Malaysia.
“Over the years, animal consciousness has come very strongly out here in Malaysia. Everybody’s got a platform, everybody’s talking about it, so please, continue doing that and being a voice for the voiceless.”
The cruelty free lip kits by Lip & Co x Thanuja are available for purchase here.
