The Indian beauty market is currently inundated with many homegrown brands claiming nature-based formulations that deliver optimal benefits to skin and hair. However, in order to remain competitive many brands are diluting their brand promise. Aditya Amar, Founder of Nirvana Organic is launching his all-natural skin and hair care brand Oak Tree Naturals.

The brand’s products have been crafted from completely plant-based actives. This brand is not just about beauty but also responds to a social cause. Amar shares his plans for the brand with Beauty Business India. Excerpts:

Can you tell us more about your brand Oak Tree Naturals? What is the idea behind developing this brand? 

Do you really know the cosmetics that you are using? What do the labels say? Organic? Pure and chemical free? Natural skincare? But what does it all mean? All of a sudden, everyone has turned vegan, clean, and natural. Today, social media is flooded with all the influencers promoting so-called ‘Natural’ brands promising you all-natural skin care. They are making claims about how certain brands have helped their skin beautifully. But, are the consumers really sure of it? What is proof of their claims?

This is where Oak Tree Naturals come in. Our company was launched with the idea of using natural ingredients sourced from the pristine mountains of Uttarakhand. The uniqueness is that all ingredients used have been cultivated by the women farmers and self-help groups from Uttarakhand Himalayas. The brand delivers true nature-care while taking care of nature.

What is the USP of the brand? How are you different from the number of nature-based brands available in the market today?

You would have seen the shelves in the stores near you which are full of countless products with fancy words and pictures like ‘non-toxic’, ‘pure and natural’, ‘plant-based’ etc. Let’s get real, the term ‘Natural’ is vague. Also, there is no regulatory system or parameters in our country that verifies such claims. So, what is on offer when you are buying ‘Natural Cosmetics’ may not really live up to the claims.

We already know that what you put on your skin penetrates the top layer; most products today deliver on that mechanism. That is where one must be careful since what you put on your skin can do you good and harm you as well. It is proven that synthetic additives and artificial ingredients can cause allergic reactions and other skin issues. So, choosing a truly plant-based beauty product makes sense. That is where Oak Tree Naturals comes in. We are a specially curated, plant-based beauty care brand that our consumers can rely on and trust completely. Oak Tree Naturals promises you that.

Can you tell us more about your product development and manufacturing process?

Oak Tree Natural products have formulations that have been created by us under the supervision of Ayurvedic doctors. The formulations take from traditional Ayurvedic recipes. The ingredients are sourced from the mountains and cultivations that have been done without any chemicals and pesticides. We are absolutely plant-based and truly natural.

What are your growth plans in the market? Are you looking at being a D2C brand online or will you have an omnichannel presence?

Oak Tree Naturals is supported by Nirvana Organic; a very small player. We are a bootstrapped social enterprise based out of Mukteshwar in the Himalayas. We already have a few physical outlets spread over Uttarakhand aimed at tourists and eco-conscious buyers.

However, to reach customers across the country we have set up our e-commerce site www.nirvanaorganic.in. Currently, we are putting a lot of focus on promoting our brand in the online space. We want to reach customers across the country. Eventually, we want to expand our physical retail presence in major cities in the country.

Which is your target consumer base? How are you planning to promote your brand to your target audience?

Our target group is primarily, a well-travelled and eco-conscious female consumer who is also digitally savvy. We hope to reach out to her when she is traveling to Uttarakhand and also via relevant social media platforms.

What is your take on the current trend for natural or nature-based products in the Indian market?

The level of product and brand awareness is increasing among consumers. Today, there is a set of Indian buyers who are looking beyond the traditional brands to buy skin care and hair care solutions based on their needs. They are very careful about her skincare nourishment. They are not easily taken in by the mass market information being spread by more established beauty brands. This concerned and conscious consumer is willing to experiment and give a chance to a small brand if she is convinced about the source of the product.

What do Indian beauty brands offer to the consumers that many international brands cannot offer?

India has been the land of pure ideas and Ayurveda. The world is looking up to India for its immense knowledge of health and wellness ingredients which have been practiced for more than 5000 years. We need to compete and put our best foot forward amongst the global players with our time-tested beauty and wellness recipes and ayurvedic ingredients.

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