Over the last five years, Raw Beauty has built a customer base of over 20,000 people
Bengaluru: In the last few years, the demand for clean and effective skin care products has grown in India. Indians are now much more informed and do not shy away from reading a product’s label carefully before making a purchase. Little wonder then that the natural and organic skincare segment is expanding, and brands such as Raw Beauty with products showcasing a blend of traditional wisdom and certified technology are all set to benefit from this growth.
The story so far
Sunayana Walia’s journey into the natural and organic skincare segment began because of her friends’ sheer support for the products that were always a part of the household she grew up in. “Five years ago, my friends found out that my family and I have been putting together rock salt, turmeric, cloves and cinnamon to use as tooth powder. They were beyond intrigued, and encouraged me to pack my tooth powder in mason jars and display them at a farmer’s market that we had been organising in Jalandhar with the help of an NGO called Kheti Virasat Mission,” reveals Walia.
The tooth powder was a success, and in a few weeks, Walia also began selling homemade rose and neem-based face wash powders and even the heirloom concoction of amla, reetha, shikakai, bhringraj, etc., which her family used as a shampoo. “The positive response that started coming in from buyers further inspired me to formally study skin care and create a brand [Raw Beauty] that was rooted in nature but backed by science. I studied for two years at Formula Botanica [a leading online institution for organic formulation courses] to become a certified formulator,” adds Walia. She believes that this is a huge advantage for Raw Beauty as there are not many formulator-owned brands in the segment. “As the owner who is also a certified formulator, I am directly involved in the R&D and product development at Raw Beauty,” shares Walia.
Walia says her inspiration comes from wanting people to experience the joy of using researched, simplified and effective products. “It took a lot of effort to back my heirloom skincare recipes by science but I knew this was my calling. I also felt that there were not many genuine brands in this category, as the words ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ were being used freely on skincare products but not followed sincerely in the formulations. Thus, the potential for my brand to grow was huge,” conveys Walia. Over the last ť ve years, Raw Beauty has built a community of over 20,000 people who keep sharing their positive experiences of using the brand’s products with Walia and in turn, constantly motivate her to give her best.
Cracking the niche
Walia is very clear about her brand’s goal. “We want to give simplified and effective solutions for all aspects of personal care, be it the face, hair or body. Blending age-old recipes and techniques and locally-grown superfoods with the findings of science is something we have cracked superbly.
This harmony between traditional wisdom and globally sourced technologies helps us deliver what we claim,” shares Walia. Also, despite having active concentrates, Raw Beauty’s products are beginner friendly and amalgamate seamlessly into a user’s busy lifestyle. The brand’s product range has something for everyone.
“We cater across genders, age groups, skin types, hair types and scalp types. From soaps and oils for babies to daily-care essentials such as tooth powder and face washes, and from spot-treatment concentrates to mineral make-up, we are trying to be as inclusive as possible,” adds Walia. Moreover, being a formulator-run brand, Raw Beauty has innovation deeply rooted in its system. “We have access to all the possible technologies and ingredients available in our category. For instance, we have introduced a vegan range of skin and hair care products. We are always experimenting in our lab either to curate something new or upgrade our existing formulations,” explains Walia.
Roadmap for the future
Raw Beauty has been 100% bootstrapped. Now, Walia feels that her brand is ready for funding. As for the future, she is looking at expanding to the international market and also increasing the distribution of her brand’s products in India. “We have already taken our first step towards the latter—our products are now on shelves in Goa and Hyderabad,” finishes Walia.
Brownie Points
- In the last five years, Raw Beauty has expanded its catalogue from one product to 60.
- Raw Beauty is the first Indian skincare brand to have miniature versions of 50% of its products. It aims to create miniatures of its entire product range by the end of 2022.
- At Raw Beauty, from R&D to manufacturing, everything is performed in-house.
- In 2022, Raw Beauty’s products started getting listed on e-marketplaces, and the brand’s shelf presence also began.
- On the whole, doing one-on-one consultations and being 100% transparent about its values have given Raw Beauty an edge and added to its growth.
First appeared in The India D2C Yearbook 2022
