Mongolia’s Lhamour: How One Woman Turned a Personal Pain Point Into a Thriving Skincare Enterprise
When Khulan Davaadorj returned home to Mongolia with a master's degree in renewable energy, little did she know she would become the founder of her country’s leading organic skincare brand. Yet a decade later, that’s exactly what she achieved.
It began with a personal struggle: Ulaanbaatar’s worsening pollution triggered severe skin issues for Khulan. When she sought out fragrance-free and natural skincare solutions, she found only imported products. But one ingredient kept appearing on labels—seabuckthorn, a Mongolian staple. This discovery sparked a pivot. Drawing on Mongolia’s rich natural resources, Khulan traded renewable energy for skincare, founding Lhamour, the country's foremost organic skincare brand.
Khulan’s Journey From Kitchen to Consumer
Khulan spent eight months researching and experimenting with organic skincare, crafting soaps and bath bombs in her kitchen. Market research revealed a critical gap: Mongolia lacked locally produced, organic, and eco-conscious skincare solutions suited to its harsh climate and pollution. Despite an abundance of antioxidant-packed herbs and fruits, the market relied on imported products filled with harsh chemicals. Driven by this insight, Khulan launched her sustainable, 100% organic skincare line. Within a decade, Lhamour had grown from a kitchen experiment to an international social enterprise with over 100 products.
‘Love yourself, love others, and love the planet’ is Lhamour's guiding philosophy. Khulan’s commitment to this extends beyond skincare, driving broader social and environmental impact. Her 30-member team is entirely female, with many women growing alongside the company since its inception. Sourcing ethically from local, family-run farms, adopting zero-waste production practices, and offering refilling options in stores are just some of the ways Lhamour prioritises sustainability.
Despite her success, Khulan’s journey has been anything but easy. As a woman entrepreneur, she faced cultural stigma and early resistance from her local community. She has weathered floods, theft, relentless bureaucracy, and the difficult balance of career and parenthood. Yet through it all, Khulan remained committed to creating skincare solutions that are kind to both people and the planet, while forging better livelihoods for women.
Investing in women entrepreneurs delivers transformative benefits. Studies show they hire 2.5 times more women in the early stages of their businesses and up to six times more as they scale—driving female workforce participation and economic empowerment. They also accelerate the adoption of climate-smart solutions in households. BCG estimates that achieving gender parity in entrepreneurship could add $5 to $6 trillion to the global economy, strengthening fiscal resilience against climate change.
Khulan Davaadorj serves as a compelling case in point.
This story is part of the ‘Green Economies, Powered By Women’ campaign by SHE Changes Climate to spotlight women entrepreneurs driving climate solutions in Brazil, South Asia, and Africa. You can read Roots of Resilience from Kenya and Taking Charge with Nawhera Cynthia from Uganda. Also read why green economies powered by women are the need of the hour.