When Anondeep Ganguly and Prabmehar Singh tried several skincare brands in an attempt to solve issues of enlarged pores and pigmentation, the duo realised the products in the market were just not doing enough.
Anondeep’s father is a scientist and a specialist in plant molecules, skin diagnosis, biomarkers, and skin treatment with more than 40 years of experience. It was his network of fellow scientists that helped the duo dive deep and find solutions to skin problems.
“We realised that most combinations of essential oils are harmful to the skin and not beneficial as claimed. Thus, we started Skin Pot to deliver clinically effective, biocompatible skincare formulations without the ubiquitous ‘toxins’, sensitisers, and irritants,” the co-founders tell YourStory.
The Delhi-based startup launched its products only in 2021 after a painstaking R&D process.
“Gen Zs like hybrid products because they imply value for money and a shift to reduced consumption. We have been seeing a push for multi-purpose products and ‘skinimalism’ and we want to ride this opportunity,” says Anondeep.
How does it work?
Skin Pots crafts precise and efficient formulations designed to work with the more profound components of the skin.
“We strongly believe in skin health, and our products go towards nourishing and hydrating it with innovative active ingredients. We offer exfoliation peel, hybrid serums, sleeping masks, sunscreen, collagen-boosting cream, face wash etc., with active ingredients. Our products contain formulations that work deep in the skin microbiome to balance it,” says Prabmehar.
Skin Pot’s products contain skin microbiota igniting technology with the help of plant stem cells that helps to ignite skin microbiomes leaving you with healthy and radiant skin.
“Our products target the root cause of many skin issues like eczema, acne, dry skin, even fine lines, and any UV damages caused due to the imbalance in skin microbiome. They help regenerate, repair, and protect skin by maintaining the skin microbiome,” explains Prabmehar.
All the formulations have pre, post, and probiotic effects to help get healthy skin microbes back to balance. “We also use a unique liposomal technology that helps to deliver identical skin molecules at the right skin levels,” he adds.
The market
Skin Pot wants to inspire beauty that comes with a sense of self.
“We are looking at a minimalist skin approach with hybrid products that helps balance the microbiome, getting your skin back to healthy best with which comes confidence. We believe in tangible results within a week without having to follow a 12-step beauty regime,” Anondeep says.
The startup also has a range, especially for menopausal women.
With a team of about seven employees currently, the startup aims to grow by 27-30 by the end of this year.
According to BusinessWire, the skin care products market size was valued at Rs 129.76 billion in 2020, expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.22 percent during the 2021-2025 period to reach a value of Rs 191.09 billion by 2025.
“The main challenge is the market is laden with perfumed products with essential oils, which is totally against what Skin Pot stands for,” says Prabmehar, “We are trying to break the myth that essential oils are good for one’s skin through our non-fragrant hybrid products. We are here to make a difference in the beauty industry to make women feel confident in their skin with minimal skin routine.”
The founders say that any company in the skincare industry that has positioned itself as a clean beauty brand is competition. These include MyGlamm, Forest Essentials, Kiro, Bare Anatomy, and Arata, among others.
“Our differentiation lies in the clinical clean beauty brand as well as the evidence-based skincare because we are using high science ingredients that are clinically tested and proved,” Anondeep says.
Apart from selling on its own website, Skin Pot’s products are also available on marketplaces like Amazon, Nykaa, among others.
Funding and future
Bootstrapped so far, the founders have invested around Rs 70 lakh in the startup by themselves. Skin Pot claims to currently have an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of Rs 1 crore.
“We are looking to raise funds in the next 12-18 months. We would like to build the brand aggressively after launching our new innovative SKUs during Diwali on marketplaces and through our website,” says Anondeep.
The startup is now looking to launch a range of hybrid easy-to-use products under three different sublines, which will be typically priced at Rs 339-999.
After the pandemic, the founders plan to expand and become a global player.
“That said, we are not looking to offer a viral product to the skincare market, and we are also not into mass production. Instead, we believe in slow and sustainable growth by following our passion for science and innovation. We believe in creating more innovative formulations to revolutionise the beauty industry with our formulations,” Prabmehar adds.
The founders sum up their journey by saying, “We launched Skin Pot by chance while searching for a suitable and effective product that could cure enlarged pores and pigmentation in men and women. We don’t sell insecurities. We want to share our skincare solution with others who have the same problems as us through a digital model.”
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