#NaturalCosmetics A cruelty-free Brand That’s Made In India!

The “natural look” is a much celebrated one, both reel and real life. But the biggest irony is the amount of chemicals that go into crafting that near-perfect natural look.

The good news is that India’s natural cosmetics market is growing, and we have several edgy “made in India” brands emerging. These brands have their heart, brand aesthetic and supply chain, in the right place.

Cruelty-free matte vegan lipstick by So Naturals

These brands are reinventing cosmetic culture both in terms of beauty inclusiveness, as well as the overall mindfulness in how they product, market and present the product.

Sonaturals is one such brand.
Founded by Sona Sharma, I got a chance to experience it some time last year, when I made a firm commitment to revamping all my personal care products in line with my sustainable lifestyle trajectory.

In early 2014, I had just begun to realise that the use of harsh chemicals, and practices like animal testing, were a large part of the beauty world.

As I got to know more and more about animal testing, it horrified me and made me realise how ugly the beauty industry was from the inside.

As I did a revamp of my entire beauty routine, I stumbled across So Naturals on the SHEROES platform, where their brand profile posted products, poetry and interesting anecdotes.

I especially loved the poetry, and would engage around, as it created a “mood” around the makeup.

So Naturals product packaging designs are hand-sketched by Pune-based sketch artist Sanjay Muley. (Source: So Naturals website)

I had been looking to find a lipstick with staying power; the lip glosses I used would vanish with the first cup of tea, I drank.

My shade of choice is always plum as I believe it adds sparkle to my sun-kissed, Goa skin tone.

So, I ordered a shade called Kohua, a plum-shade vegan matte finished lipstick.

Many years back, I had given up wearing matte lipsticks by FMCG brands altogether, as the results were always chapped lips.

The same brands then advocated lip balms that made my lips even drier – a vicious circle!

Source: So Naturals website

As I waited in anticipation for my lipstick to arrive, I also looked up their other products and ordered a lip balm, which comes in two flavours – vanilla and rose.

I reviewed the ingredients and was happy with what I saw.

My package soon arrived with a personalised message, and I liked that it did not come with one-time use plastic wrapping.

The look and feel was aesthetically pleasing, and I loved the tag line “Inspired By You”. Yeah, this brand spoke to me!

Is Your “Natural Beauty Product” Really Natural? Find Out Here!

Over the last few years, a slew of products, brands and homepreneuers, have emerged in the global beauty market, offering natural, organic alternatives to mass-produced, chemical-laden, animal-tested products.

My own beauty shelf in 2019 looks starkly different from the one in 2014, reflecting how my choices as a consumer have evolved. However, I’m always asking myself – how can I tell what is authentic and what is riding the consumer wave, to make a quick buck?

Delving further, I have come to realise that sometimes when intentions are good, products may not be produced in the right way and in the right proportions, due to lack of a professional set up, knowledge and R&D. For answers, I turned to Sheela D’Mello, a Bangalore-based maker and founder of Ittiri Naturals, an artisanal line of bath and body products.

Price Or Value – What’s Imp When Buying Natural Beauty Products?

I was recently alerted by my friend Manisha about an organic Indian brand that has come out with a line of natural makeup products. A coach by profession, Manisha loves dabbling in different kinds of makeup. The world of natural beauty products has piqued her curiosity and now, she’s keen to explore this world.

One observation she made about the brand she brought to my attention is that the products seem to be on the expensive side. This got me thinking about price versus value, and how the significance of this conversation changes immensely, when you become a consumer of natural products.

Over 60 Cruelty-free Beauty Brands ALL Made In India!

A kiosk by Aroma Magic outside their spa in Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi, which promotes cruelty-free, paraben-free cosmetics

By Merril Diniz

IN May 2014, in a landmark ruling, our Ministry of Health & Family banned the use of animals in the testing of cosmetic products on Indian soil. However, post the ban, some of the of companies that  conduct these horrific tests – both international and national – are actively challenging the ban as well as another proposed ban on the import of animal-tested cosmetics.

Read more on animal testing | View companies that do animal testing

So, I began conducting my own research to understand whether these tests are really necessary, and to try and seek out cruelty-free alternatives. It turns out that these tests are quite unnecessary, because there exist thousands of natural ingredients already known to man, which are safe and have been in effect for thousands of years, through practices like Ayurveda, Aromatherapy and the use of herbal formulations.