From Remedy to Ritual

From a personal struggle to a cult-favourite body balm, Sophia Khan-Ulu Soleil's co-founder-shares how motherhood and Malaysian roots shaped her brand

- Aina Nur Sarah

What began as a personal remedy for stretch marks has blossomed into one of Malaysia's most beloved homegrown beauty brands. For Sophia Khan, the co-founder of Ulu Soleil, it all started with shea butter and the desire to turn a simple necessity into a sensory ritual. That small moment of curiosity became the foundation for a brand that now stands proudly on Sephora Malaysia shelves and in the routines of women who believe skincare should feel like self-love.

“Shea butter saved my skin, but the experience? Zero stars,” she says. “It felt like smearing butter on toast, except the toast was me. I wanted that daily struggle to feel like a luxury experience, not a sticky chore.”

That frustration became the seed of an idea. What if body care could feel indulgent, even joyful? What if the rituals we reserve for our faces extended to our bodies? The result: Ulu Soleil Body Balms, a collection that reimagines everyday care as a moment of calm and pleasure.