Most of us grab a pack of wipes without a second thought.
Makeup remover, baby care, quick clean-up after a workout — they’re part of everyday life.

But what if those “gentle” wipes weren’t so gentle after all?

When Vanessa Menache watched a documentary exposing hidden toxins in personal care products, it completely changed how she saw the beauty and wellness industry. Armed with a background in design and branding — and her dad’s 40+ years of experience in textiles — she set out to create something better.

The result? Raan (pronounced Ran) — the world’s first unbleached, 100% cotton wet wipe with a clean, simple formula and a big mission: to care for people and the planet.

The Wake-Up Call That Started It All

Vanessa didn’t set out to become a founder. She was working in branding when she stumbled across Not So Pretty, an HBO documentary revealing how many everyday products contain harmful chemicals.

“I was horrified,” she told me. “I started checking every ingredient in my bathroom — and ended up throwing most of it away.”

That moment of outrage became a turning point.
Teaming up with her father — a lifelong textile manufacturer — she started asking questions no one else seemed to be asking:
Can we make a wipe that’s truly safe? Sustainable? Transparent?

Building Better, Not Just ‘Greener’

Vanessa quickly discovered what many of us don’t realize — that “plant-based” doesn’t automatically mean eco-friendly. Bamboo and tree-based wipes, she explained, often require heavy chemical processing and bleaching before they ever reach store shelves.

So she and her dad designed a new kind of wipe from the ground up — using unbleached U.S. cotton that retains its natural oils and waxes, making it incredibly soft and hypoallergenic.

Even the packaging got an upgrade. By removing the hard plastic lid used on most wipes, Raan reduced plastic by 70% while keeping the wipes fresh.

It’s not perfect yet, Vanessa says, but it’s progress — and that’s what drives her.

“We wanted to think about everything — the fabric, the formula, the packaging, the suppliers. No shortcuts.”

Transparency Over Trend

One of my favorite things about Vanessa’s approach is her total transparency. She’s open about what’s still a work in progress, what she’s learned about U.S. manufacturing laws (spoiler: they’re not nearly strict enough), and what it really takes to build a product that aligns with your values.

She’s also proof that entrepreneurship doesn’t always start with a business plan — sometimes it starts with curiosity, a good question, and the courage to find your own answers.

Why This Matters (and How You Can Support It)

For moms, caregivers, and anyone who cares about what touches their skin, Raan’s story is a reminder that small choices add up — and that we have more power than we think as consumers.

You can find Raan on raan.com , as well as Amazon and Walmart.

💡 Special offer for Penny for Your Shots listeners:
Get 10% off your first order at raan.com  with code PENNY10.

Because caring for yourself, your family, and the planet shouldn’t require compromise.

Raising a Glass to the Makers

Vanessa’s story is about more than wipes. It’s about what happens when a woman sees a problem and decides to fix it — with heart, with integrity, and with a whole lot of persistence.

Here’s to the innovators who prove that doing better is possible, even in the smallest moments of everyday life.

✨ Cheers to building something cleaner, softer, and more sustainable — one wipe at a time.