Our 10 Favourite Indian Beauty Brands

On the eve of India’s 68th Republic Day, I’d like to draw attention to some of the best beauty brands that are proudly Made In India. These brands are built on the core values of being cruelty-free, and make sustained efforts at being chemical-free by replacing commonly used synthetic ingredients like parabens, petroleum, sodium lauryl sulphate, genetically modified ingredients, etc. with natural substitutes. They also ensure they indulge in fair trade practices and don’t employ child labourers. What’s even better is that most of these brands are either vegan or vegetarian.

Here are some of our favourite Indian beauty brands:

 

Soul Tree Pure Black Kajal (Rs 350)

1. Soul Tree

When my sister got a kajal from their range, I looked at her dubiously because I wouldn’t dream of using eye products from a brand that I haven’t heard about. However, some quick sleuthing online told me this brand is owned by Vedicare Ayurveda and tests extensively without any experimentation on animals. I must add that their kajals have an intensely cooling effect and are exactly what your tired eyes need. What’s even better is that these lead-free kajals are available in 12 shades.

 

The Nature’s Co Vanilla Vitamin E Face Cream (Rs 995)

2. The Nature’s Co.

The USP of this brand is that it is certified by PETA as a cruelty-free, vegan brand. They have a host of organic Ayurvedic and herbal products, and you can also order sample-sized products from their “Beauty Wish Subscription” section instead of buying whole products. This makes sense because you can try out various products before deciding which ones to invest in full size.

 

Soulflower Aroma Bath Salt – Rose Geranium (Rs 350)

3. Soulflower

The cute, colourful packaging is the biggest draw of this brand and its bath products are addictive. The brand has an entire assortment of bath salts, soaps, essential oils, carrier oils, massage oils, and body milks. Their website is full of useful information on how to best use their products.

 

Biotique Bio Nyctanthes Rejuvenating Hand Moisturizer (Rs 220)

4. Biotique Botanicals

Don’t be fooled by the bulky packaging, because Biotique makes some excellent products. Their luxurious hand cream deserves a special mention because of how it healed my mum’s severely chapped palms, making them soft and supple. Besides, Biotique also has a full range of products for men and babies.

 

Khadi Anti Dandruff Ayurvedic Hair Oil (Rs 300)

5. Khadi

After being harassed by my friend to find a solution to get rid of her dandruff problem, I chanced upon Khadi’s Neem, Teatree and Basil hair oil which worked like a charm. Apart from the oil, they make some excellent scrubs.

 

Forest Essentials Cane Sugar Lip Scrub (Rs 475)

6. Forest Essentials

Their products are built on the Ayurvedic premise of doshas or elements. Everyone’s bodies are made up of three doshas – Vata (space & air), Pitta (fire & water), and Kapha (Water & Earth), with one dosha being the dominant one. Forest Essentials has products segregated according to these elements and has a stellar range of skin care, hair care, and wellness products. Its Cane SugarLip Scrub is also one of our Editor-in-Chief’s favourite products.

 

Lotus Herbals Colorkick Kajal (Rs 179)

7. Lotus Herbals

This brand has been around for as long as I can remember. They make some spectacular cosmetics apart from some really great skincare products. I especially loved their kohl pencil in a twist up form, which came way before the Colossal Kajals of the world. Their personal care products are good too.

 

Bio Bloom Skin Care Toner (Rs 399)

8. Biobloom

Biobloom is one of those Indian brands that believes in keeping its products natural and paraben-free, which means their bath, skincare and haircare products are really gentle. They are also very proactive on social media and will answer all your queries about their products, which is very helpful when you are confused while buying products.

 

Nyassa Under The Ocean Travel Kit (Rs 500)

9. Nyassa

The brainchild of Ishween Anand, Nyassa has a luxurious array of natural fragrances and bath and body products. Launched in 2008, the products are rich, make use of a host of diverse natural ingredients, and smell divine. Their body mists and the Under The Ocean range of products are stellar.

 

Naked Grapefruit Lavender Body Lotion (Rs 1,250)

10. Naked

These limited edition, luxurious body lotions, scrubs, serums and creams are actually handmade by model and actress Lisa Haydon. She started off by making these lotions and potions for her friends before launching them under the label Naked, selling them exclusively on Fabbag. Most of the organic products have a shelflife of one to six months, and need to be refrigerated once they are opened.