Our Founder
Manusanun “Mew” Leelahongjudha is the founder of SUDTANA, a clean beauty brand inspired by generations of Thai herbal traditions and refined through MIT-backed scientific research. Through this approach, she develops all-natural hair, skin, and body care designed to restore long-term scalp and skin balance by addressing concerns at their roots.
SUDTANA’s foundation traces back to Mew’s grandfather, a respected village herbalist in Thailand. Although she never met him, his methods shaped the principles that later defined her work. He was guided by one core belief: to restore balance within the body rather than simply suppress visible symptoms. This philosophy continues to shape SUDTANA’s root-cause approach to scalp and skin health.
Building on this heritage, Mew explored how traditional Thai botanicals could be refined through modern scientific research. Drawing on her academic experience at MIT, where she focused on formulation science and ingredient efficacy, she developed a framework that combines traditional herbal knowledge with modern scientific validation.
Today, SUDTANA presents a collection of botanical formulations designed to support scalp health, strengthen the skin barrier, and promote long-term resilience for both hair and skin.
Formulation Philosophy
Mew’s formulation philosophy prioritises restoring balance before correction:
• Restoring scalp balance before stimulating hair growth
• Supporting the skin barrier before brightening or resurfacing
• Avoiding unnecessary synthetic fillers
• Preserving botanical integrity through careful processing
This approach reflects both her grandfather’s belief in balance and her commitment to science-backed formulation.
Professional Recognition
SUDTANA’s Scalp Revival Treatment received the ELLE Best of Beauty 2025 award in the Hair Care category. Mew’s work has also contributed to SUDTANA’s partnerships with luxury hospitality spas, including Four Seasons and Rosewood properties.
Personal Practices
Outside of her work, Mew practices yoga and meditation as part of her commitment to balance and intentional living. These personal practices reflect the same philosophy that guides her formulations: supporting long-term wellbeing through thoughtful care and respect for the body’s natural rhythms.
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Mew’s academic experience at MIT shaped her approach to formulation design, ingredient stability, and evidence-based validation. While SUDTANA’s roots lie in traditional Thai herbal knowledge, her research exposure deepened her understanding of how botanical compounds interact, how formulations must be structured, and how product safety and efficacy are assessed.
Rather than replacing ancestral knowledge, she applies scientific methodology to refine and strengthen it. This allows SUDTANA’s formulations to honour traditional herbal wisdom while meeting modern standards for performance, stability, and safety.
For SUDTANA, root-cause care focuses on restoring balance rather than masking visible symptoms.
In scalp health, this means supporting microbiome balance, regulating excess oil, and calming inflammation before attempting to stimulate hair growth. In skin health, it means strengthening the skin barrier, reducing irritation triggers, and improving long-term resilience rather than relying on aggressive exfoliation.
This philosophy reflects both traditional Thai herbal practice and modern scientific understanding of scalp and skin health.
Small-batch production allows closer control over ingredient quality, freshness, and formulation consistency.
All-natural botanical formulations are sensitive to processing conditions. Producing in smaller quantities allows careful oversight of extraction methods, blending ratios, and storage practices, helping preserve the potency and integrity of each ingredient.
For SUDTANA, small-batch production supports both ingredient quality and responsible, sustainable sourcing.
Scientific validation begins with understanding the active compounds found in traditional botanicals. Mew studies existing research on the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and barrier-supporting properties of herbs long used in Thai herbal medicine.
Formulations are then developed with careful attention to concentration levels, stability, pH balance, and ingredient compatibility. This ensures that traditional remedies are not only culturally respected, but also scientifically structured for safety, stability, and effectiveness.
The goal is to refine ancestral knowledge through research-backed formulation principles.
Thai farmers are essential partners in SUDTANA’s ingredient sourcing.
SUDTANA works closely with small-scale growers who cultivate many of the herbs used in our formulations. These relationships help ensure traceability, responsible farming practices, and the consistent quality of botanical ingredients.
By supporting regional growers and sustainably sourcing herbs from Thailand, SUDTANA helps protect traditional farming practices while maintaining the quality of its formulations.
Shop Mew's Favourites
Aceite Facial Nutritivo De Sacha Inchi, Jengibre Y Cúrcuma
Nourishing Hair Set & Moisturising Body Oil
