The philosopher Plato famously said that “necessity is the mother of invention”, and this has been substantiated throughout generations. From another standpoint, however, a variation of the saying also rings true: mothers often come up with the best inventions, based on their necessities and experiences.
This is certainly the case with Pinky Yee, a sustainability advocate, wife, and mother, who was recently hailed as the year’s Woman Innovator during the Go Negosyo Inspiring Filipina Entrepreneurs for 2022 awarding ceremony.
Yee is President and CEO of Pure Essential Specialist Corp (PESC), which is most renowned for their LivClean brand — a line of cleaning products that are made from 100% natural and sustainable ingredients, such as pure calamansi essential oil, baking soda, and sugar cane vinegar that are locally sourced. These include the first-of-its-kind Cleaning Vinegar with Calamansi, Dishwashing Concentrate with Calamansi, and All-Natural Anolyte Disinfectant, which kills 99.9% of bacteria and pathogens.
Each of these breakthrough products share four core attributes, consistent with the LivClean philosophy: their raw materials are plant-based & locally sourced, completely natural & biodegradable, contain no harsh or toxic chemicals, and are strong enough to deep clean (and in the case of the Anolyte, disinfect) while still ensuring safety.
“I am so honored and humbled to be recognized as an innovator by the Go Negosyo Inspiring Filipina Entrepreneurs Awards 2022,” said Yee. “I started PESC and LivClean with my business partner Lynet Ng because, essentially, I made a personal decision to commit to a life of clean living, and I knew that many women shared my concern about the prevalence of harsh chemicals in our everyday lives.” she added.
More recently, PESC launched a new line of skincare products under the brands FIRST for WOMEN | FIRST for MEN, which offers skin-brightening soaps. Needless to say, these products are also rooted in Yee’s advocacies of being all-natural and free from toxic chemicals, as well as supporting the local coconut oil producers. “I am very excited about FIRST Skincare, as we are the first to combine Swiss technology through the PSE (Pumpkin Seed Extract) Antioxidant System that helps retain skin moisture, fight free radicals, and reduce the signs of aging. The positive reviews have been quite overwhelming,” Yee enthused.
The GoNegosyo Filipina Entrepreneurs Award has been held since 2007, and has since recognized more than 200 Filipina entrepreneurs. This year’s event attracted more than 15,000 online participants, and was supported by some of the country’s largest conglomerates, business organizations and foreign missions.
Knowing that there is an initiative to make the world a cleaner place using innovations like LivClean and FIRST Skincare restores my faith in a greener future. When I heard about Ms. Pinky’s advocacy, I got enticed to try her brands, particularly FIRST Skincare, as I am curious to know how different it is to use an all-natural soap.
Using FIRST Skin Brightening Soap made my skin feel more soft and moisturized without the need to use any lotion or moisturizers. Will continue to use this and share my new discovery with friends!
Besides being a local product, its formula uses Swiss technology and the PSE Anti-oxidant system which is a FIRST here in the country! Great in fighting free radicals and reducing the signs of aging.