Here’s a lowdown on the best homegrown brands we are eyeing right now.
At Lavenderoom, we are all about empowering homegrown beauty brands that reaffirm our holistic approach to beauty. And what better way to celebrate this sentiment than to spotlight some of the brands that are coming out of India. So, here we are with yet another curation of the month with 5 homegrown brands that have not only made their way to our Lavenderoom Summer Box—curated specially to encapsulate the vibrant essence of the changing season—but are also our personal favourites for the season.
1) OLD SCHOOL RITUALS
About The Brand: It’s a vegan, cruelty-free, and clean beauty brand founded by Smita Vallurupali, an actor and award-winning singer. Old School Rituals, as the name suggests, is a luxury skincare brand that takes its inspiration from our ancient and tried and tested, beauty and wellness rituals passed down to us by our ancestors and rich heritage. What makes the brand special? Sustainability is at the core of the brand—from production, formulations, using naturally derived preservatives to packaging—the brand is all about using the power of nature and modern science to make high-performing yet experiential products.
Why Do We Love It? The brand’s philosophy of blending age-old wisdom and traditions with modern science is what has us in a chokehold. It takes us back to our roots, especially in today’s time where everything is all about trends that are constantly changing.
Our Pick: Activating Day Salt & Aura Cleansing Night Salt
As the names of the bath salts suggest, Activating Day Salt is for someone who is looking to elevate their morning shower routine whereas Aura Cleansing Night Salt makes for the perfect, end of day unwinding ritual before you sleep. Both the products use Himalayan salt as the core ingredient and is loaded with minerals, essential oils blend that cleanses your skin and also protects the natural skin barrier.
2) AMINU
About The Brand: With a vision to create a safe and certified clean beauty brand, Aminu is the brainchild of power duo Aman Mohunta and Prachi Bhandari. The brand is dedicated to creating products that are long-lasting, sustainable and effective. Safe to say: Aminu has managed to gather a community of loyalists, thanks to its high-quality products and ingredient blends. There are no compromises made when it comes to the formulations. The brand sources products from over 40 countries and uses more than 80 high-performing ingredients tailored to all skin types and needs. They have also managed to get brownie points for their packaging which talks about wellness, holistic beauty and overall well being.
Why Do We Love It? Aminu, as a brand, has always been very transparent about their products—be it the list of ingredients or formulations they use. They prioritise clean, safe, cruelty-free products and also come with Australian-certified and Medi-cert awarded formulations. Aminu drives real conversations around skincare and wellness and leaves no stone unturned in delivering on those very concerns.
Our Pick: The Supernatural Marine Clay Mask
Think of this clay mask as a warm hug for your skin. The hydrating mask is fragrance-free and your skin gets to enjoy a smooth and airy texture that helps clarify and heal your skin. It comes with oil-absorbing and pore-refining properties while providing oxygen to the cells without overdrying the skin.
3) ISAK
About The Brand: Derived from the Hindi word Ishq (meaning love), ISAK was started by Vidushi Vijayvergiya in Lucknow. With a family legacy of over 170 years and 6 generations in building artisanal Indian perfumes and fragrances, it was natural for Vijayvergiya to follow the same path and that’s how her love affair with scents began. With a mission to break the barriers of a stereotypical and commercially-driven fragrance industry, ISAK’s strength lies in their artisanal, niche and handcrafted scents for all. With exquisite blends and carefully curated potions, the brand today has progressive compositions while staying true to its roots.
Why Do We Love It? The brand manufactures and extracts many of their own essences using traditional infusion and distillation techniques—an ancient process that is too meticulous but also crucial to highlight the true essence of unique Indian artisanal fragrances.
Our Pick: Rose Wonder Air Freshener
This freshener has a blend of fresh roses, white flowers and amber that helps create a soothing and calm atmosphere. Treat your senses to a delightful surprise with just a few sprays of Rose wonder on your curtains, fabric wall coverings and cushions.
4) RAS
About The Brand: Founded by Sangeeta Jain and her two daughters, Shubhika Jain and Suramya Jain, RAS is India’s first farm-to-face luxury beauty brand. RAS has its own farm and research labs where the ingredients are meticulously handpicked to ensure the quality and purity of all the ingredients used in their formulations. RAS prides itself in making sensorial beauty that is also powerful and transformative. The brand also ticks the right boxes in being organic, sustainable, effective all built on the idea of harnessing the power of science and nature.
Why Do We Love It? With their whole farm-to-face approach, the brand uses only the most potent ingredients that are grown organically in their own farms or sourced from local farmers and only the best ones make the cut. This ensures the product that comes to you is packed with the goodness of high quality botanicals to deliver on the brand’s promise of luxurious, clean beauty.
Our Pick: Collagen Boosting & Firming Advanced Booster Serum
This serum is hydrating, lightweight and is India’s first octa peptide serum that helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles to give you resilient and rejuvenated skin. It gives a rapid lift to the skin and helps boost collagen production while improving skin elasticity.
5) Kara Weaves
About The Brand: Kara Weaves, co-founded by Indu Menon and Chitra Gopalakrishnan is a WBE-certified (Woman Owned Business Enterprise) brand that collaborates with weaving co-operatives in Kerala, India to create fair-trade handwoven textiles. They specialize in designing contemporary home textiles using ancient local fabrics made on traditional wooden looms. Since February 2013, they have been certified members of the Fair Trade Forum of India and aim to bridge the gap between traditional weaving art and modern lifestyle.
Why Do We Love It? Kara Weaves creates handwoven textiles, offering a range of products such as towels, scarves, and blankets, and has categories like kitchen, resort, kids, and many more. Their products are carefully crafted by skilled artisans using traditional weaving techniques. The brand focuses on creating sustainable and ethically made textiles, supporting local communities, and preserving traditional craftsmanship.
Our Pick: Tiny Towels
Swap your makeup remover wipes with these Kara Tiny Towels that are 100 per cent cotton and gentle on the skin and the planet. They can be used as makeup wipes, face cloth or as a body scrub. They are also travel-friendly and can be used for kids.
#DiscoverLocal: 7 Makeup Brands You Need To Try
#DiscoverLocal: Our Monthly Edit of 5 Homegrown Brands You Need To Try
#DiscoverLocal This Skincare Serum Took Over Our Vanity This Month & Here’s Why
