Every year, I go through a phase in which the items in my closet quite literally make me gag. It’s a theatrical reaction, sure, but it doesn’t fall far from how I feel. When I find myself in this state, I will typically allow myself to feel repulsed by my own stylistic choices for a few weeks before my dissatisfaction becomes intolerable.

I created Pai as a solution to my own skin issues. I suddenly developed a skin condition, chronic urticaria, in my mid-20s. It became onset in one night, and I developed hives over about 80% of my body. It is an idiopathic condition, meaning “no known cause,” which makes it very hard to effectively manage; additionally, advice from the medical community was nonexistent. After years of popping pills that masked rather than treated the problem, I took matters into my own hands and started to identify my triggers. This included a deep dive not just into diet and lifestyle factors, but ingredients in my skincare as well.