Last Updated on May 23, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
Women commonly possess a strong fascination for beauty products. In today’s age, these products of diverse kinds have become readily accessible in the market, largely due to the influence of social media and various apps. While these products are heavily marketed and promoted with robust branding, the potential harmful ingredients they may contain are often concealed. Consequently, as individuals age, the detrimental effects of prolonged usage of these products begin to manifest on the skin.
With the detrimental consequences in mind, Nikita Saxena, a 34-year-old resident of Lucknow, embarked on the mission of creating herbal beauty products. Her aim was to provide women consumers with a safer alternative to the expensive and potentially harmful chemical-based products. Having completed her post-graduation in journalism and mass communication, Nikita gained valuable experience working with renowned companies, deepening her understanding of various lifestyle domains, including beauty products.
2014: The birth of an idea
In 2009, Nikita got an opportunity to host a nationally televised skincare programme. Through this experience, she not only worked alongside industry experts but also wrote books on beauty products, further expanding her curiosity and knowledge in the field. Concurrently, she began offering guidance and advice to her friends regarding skincare and haircare. People started benefiting from her suggestions and that encouraged her to set up her own brand in 2014. However, various circumstances arose that hindered the immediate implementation of her visionary plans.
Amidst the onset of the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, as people found themselves confined within their homes, Nikita drew inspiration from the success stories of start-ups in various other domains. Encouraged by their achievements, she took the leap and established her own business in 2021, naming it ‘Niva’. Nikita recognised that in today’s world, individuals often fall prey to misleading and misguided healthcare information and claims. In particular, she observed that women are easily swayed by advertisements promoting products that promise to enhance fairness and beauty. However, she strongly believes that the long-term use of such products can have detrimental effects on one’s well-being.
Meeting people’s demands
Driven by the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, the initiative ‘Niva – Care with Nature’ emerged. Sharing her insights about the product, Nikita said, Initially, we introduced only two products – Niva herbal hair pack and Niva skin care solution. However, as demand grew and customers provided valuable suggestions, we expanded our range to include a specialised hair tonic. Some individuals expressed difficulties in using the hair pack due to time constraints or the cold weather during winters. They requested a product that would care for their hair while saving time. In response to this demand, we developed Niva herbal hair tonic.”
Her mother’s contribution to her journey
Nikita never uses any kind of chemical or preservative in her beauty products. Among the natural elements that she uses in the products are dry fruits, cereal, seeds of fruits and flowers, and herbs of 12-14 varieties. According to Nikita, since no preservative is used in her products, it is important to store them in air-tight containers so that they do not get spoiled. She herself does the packing of the products with her mother and makes parcels to be dispatched to consumers. Nikita’s products have found takers in places such as Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Rajasthan.
Nikita has also made a YouTube channel for marketing her products. She also shares her products’ details with people through Instagram and WhatsApp. She has plans to launch a pre-bridal kit in the near future. Speaking of her struggle to make the business successful, Nikita said that it is quite challenging to begin a start-up while doing regular domestic work. Besides, lack of financial support also makes the work of packing and branding difficult. So, it takes time to get recognition but Nikita is satisfied with her own work and optimistic about the future.
Nikita said that people today want instant results and hence, they go for chemical-rich products, but the fact is that they can cause various health problems apart from affecting the skin. Therefore, it is better to avoid misinformation and misguided claims, and use natural products as much as possible.
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