Our Story

Pure Culture happened organically when three women—good friends, mothers all, passionate about natural alternatives, and compassionate for country and planet—came together in perfect timing. What we also had in common: food and skin sensitivities and allergies that led us to this path of searching and discovering more natural ingredients, probiotics, and continually learning from experts for a more holistic approach to beauty and health. 

Alex Gentry  
“I had been making handmade soap and other bath products for family and friends since 2017. In 2020, I started formally studying natural ingredients, their benefits and transformations, and realized how awesome plants are! I started spending more time harvesting from the garden and learned to dehydrate, infuse, distill, and ferment homegrown, active botanicals.”

“As this passion grew, I got drawn into deep research in natural, high-performing molecules and started talking to labs around the globe. That’s when it became clear to me that I had set something in motion, and that it wasn’t going to stop. So I talked to two of my very good friends who shared my love of creating, and we have been building Pure Culture since.” 

Rina dela Calzada 
“I’ve been in the advertising business for many years now —but I have always wanted to create a brand that I could call my own. I told myself that in the event an opportunity presents itself, it would have to be local-friendly, sustainable, and with a purpose. The brand would need to have a clear vision that I believe in. So when Alex approached Kim and I to partner on Pure Culture, it was the perfect match.”  

Kim Reyes-Palanca 
“I’ve always envisioned creating a beauty brand, in the same way I knew very early on that I wanted to have an element of social entrepreneurship in my life. I am grateful that these two goals came together in the form of beauty entrepreneurship, and that I get to do it with my two good friends. Pure Culture is the culmination of everything I love about beauty—connection, wholeness and well-being. In all my years as a beauty editor/columnist, it is exactly this sentiment of looking and feeling good that I’ve always shared with everyone. Now I can add another aspect–doing good, too.”  

Culture comes from the latin word colere which means "to tend to the earth, grow, cultivate, nurture", and Pure Culture is in pursuit of creating a care culture. Our brand of no-compromise, natural beauty aims to cultivate our diverse skin community, and the communities we belong to—helping them thrive and stay well. 

Safety is our love language for our bodies, and sustainability is our love song for the planet. This isn’t something that’s ingrained in our mental processes yet, but it has to be, and soon…if we are to change the fate of our Earth.