Using the goodness of fermented rice water, this woman entrepreneur is producing a unique personal care range
WishCare is a Kolkata-based skincare and haircare brand, which uses natural, toxic-free ingredients, claiming its rice water range is one-of-a-kind.
Stuti Kothari was an engineer, working as a software developer, while her husband Ankit worked at Google. Because of the demands of their jobs, the couple would relocate frequently, which affected Stuti’s hair health.
“I had constant hairfall. Upon research, I realised that most hair oils available in the market were diluted with 95 percent mineral oil or liquid paraffin, harmful chemicals that can even cause diseases like cancer,” Stuti tells HerStory.
This led her to experiment on her own. While finding cold-pressed oils was a painstaking process, she says the results worked wonders for her. Soon, Stuti started creating small batches for friends and family and received an overwhelming response.
Natural and toxic-free products
During the course of her research, Stuti also found that pure and natural oils were placed in the premium category and were not accessible to all. This was enough for the couple to team up and start WishCare in 2018.
From its manufacturing facility in Kolkata where the couple is based, bootstrapped startup WishCare offers four main categories of products that are natural and free from harsh and toxic chemicals.
Cold-pressed oils — It has a large variety of 14 pure, cold-pressed carrier oils — olive, castor, almond, argan, rosehip, jojoba, etc. Curated from resources globally, the “single ingredient 100 percent pure” oils are free from artificial colours, preservatives, fragrances, and mineral oil.
Daily essentials — A range of natural personal care essentials for daily needs and well-being like refreshing steam distilled Kannauj Rose Water, Aloe Vera Gel, Charcoal Tooth Powder, Bath Salts, Glycerine, and Essential Oils, which are 100 percent natural.
Haircare — It recently launched a range of hair care products that are free of sulfates and paraben. This range is made of fermented rice water, and the founders claim it is a first-of-its-kind globally.
Skincare — This is the latest category in WishCare, and has received a lot of positive feedback across all skin types. The company’s R&D team developed a complex yet stable formulation.
Stuti heads the product development and community outreach program for WishCare, while Ankit heads the business development and operations.
Fermented rice water for haircare
Stuti says fermented rice water is not a new invention; it’s an age-old secret that got lost with time.
“Rice water is a rich source of many vitamins and minerals, which usually gets washed away in the form of water while cooking. Other benefits of rice water are the low pH value and high nutrients that make it an excellent conditioner. It makes hair stronger and healthier from the roots ,” she says.
However, Stuti admits it did not gain immediate acceptability with the masses due to its complex technique.
“We generally see over 50 percent customers coming back to try more products from the diverse range which we have to offer. This is the result of our innovative, natural, and effective product formulation, which is toxin-free,” she adds.
WishCare products are available in over 15 leading marketplaces along with its own website m. It has served over two million customers so far.
Sustainable solutions
Stuti says that WishCare, works on a “community- first” approach, and is “always conscious of the impact on customers, team, society, and the environment”.
“We have recently launched the “Empties Return Programme” where we encourage customers to return the product “empties” for efficient end-to-end recycling and reducing our carbon footprint. Also, product packaging is made from 100 percent recyclable plastic and can be reused or upcycled. We are cruelty-free both in ingredient sourcing, as well as manufacturing and testing processes,” she says.
The personal care industry is worth $26 billion in India and is growing rapidly at 8 percent annually and is expected to surpass $38 billion by 2026, according to Statista.com.
WishCare claims to be growing over 100 percent Y-O-Y since its inception, which makes it one of the fastest-growing beauty brands in the country.
The last 18 months have been a rollercoaster ride for most businesses, and WishCare was no exceptions.
“Catering to the high volume of orders due to the rise in the online audience has been a challenge due to the shortage of raw material availability. This has now been resolved as we are better prepared to cater to the new demand trends,” Stuti says.
Edited by Saheli Sen Gupta