The Penders story
It was Pender’s opposition to animal testing back in the 1980s that forced him out of his home country. “I come from a family of cosmotologists so, naturally, I wanted to be involved in the same line. I was a hairstylist. But I also wanted to travel. As a hairstylist, I would just have to sit in my shop and wait for my customers to come. So, I thought I would make my own products from my grandmother’s formulations and sell them all over the world,” shares Penders.
With the help of his apothecarist friends, Penders got to work; his first product was a chemical-free shampoo. The law at the time in The Netherlands required that products be tested on animals before they could be approved for sale to the public. Unaware of what animal testing actually entails, Penders visited the laboratory.
“That day changed my life. In the laboratory were about 50 rabbits, all in cages. The test? They’d put a funnel in the animal’s mouth and stuff the product down the funnel. It was disgusting. Some of the animals would be stuffed so much they’d explode and die right there. I love animals and so I was very emotional. I wanted to throw up,” relates Penders.
Needless to say, he left the laboratory refusing to allow his products to be tested on animals.
“I asked them why it was necessary. My products are for people, not animals.”
Resolving to get around this problem, Penders found help in the form of his two aunts who were nuns, who volunteered to be test subjects for his product.
“Because they wear the habit, they were suffering (from hair loss). I applied the shampoo and after a while it showed positive results. I was very happy,” says Penders.
His enthusiasm, however, was short-lived. He found out that there was no getting around the law. It didn’t matter if the products showed positive results on human test subjects. The regulations made it compulsory for products to be tested on animals. The authorities insisted he comply or face closure of his factory and business.
Ever the rebel, Penders stole into an animal-testing laboratory and freed the animals. Unfortunately, this only got him into deeper trouble with the authorities as well as the media.
“I thought it was a good idea but after they ran out of the cages and started eating grass, the poor rabbits just died. You see, these were lab animals and they weren’t accustomed to what was natural,” he says.
What followed was a lot of bad press and the authorities hot on his heels. Knowing he had no other choice, Penders packed up his business and relocated to the United States. In the process, he lost his Dutch citizenship. Ironically, Paul’s native country became the first to ban all animal testing for cosmetics and its ingredients in 1994.
Island home
After spending more than a decade in the United States, Penders relocated to Langkawi – he couldn’t resist the appeal of the island and the rainforests and botanical gold.
Penders set up shop in Langkawi in 2003 and, collaborating with local scientist and naturalist Dr Abdul Ghani Hussain, discovered the properties of a local herb, pegaga, which is now incorporated into LevensESSENTIEGold. The extract also contains turmeric, angelica, rosemary, elderflower, juniper berry, arnica, ginger, yarrow, ginseng root, honeysuckle, jojoba and jasmine.
“We use only organic-certified ingredients with essential oils. We don’t produce huge amounts. We make products in small quantities using cold-blended technology and they are free from chemicals, artificial colours, chemical foam boosters, emulsifiers, perfumes, petroleum-based ingredients and preservatives,” assures Penders. (In cold-blended technology, products are made in small batches and are not heated above 35°C, thus maintaining the potency of its bio-active ingredients.)
“We’ve conducted tests in collaboration with Universiti Sains Malaysia that have determined that all our products do not contain 1.4 dioxane or formaldehyde.”
Paul Penders cosmetics is affiliated with various certifying bodies such as Quality Assurance International (a US-based international organic certification company authorised by the US Department of Agriculture), the Vegan Society of Malaysia and the International Society of Dermatology.
“The ingredients we use are grown and produced without chemicals and without harming the natural environment. And we make sure we buy all our ingredients at fair prices from co-operations that support local communities,” says Penders.
“We want to maintain our character, that is, we want to be a holistic company that cares. Which is why you will not find our product in chains stores. We are only in health stores or wellness centres.”
Paul Penders skin and hair care products are marketed in whole world including United States, Britain, Europe, Middle east, Australia, Switzerland, South-East Asia, Japan, South Korea, and India.
