Mother-daughter startup Indulgeo Essentials boasts of women-only team

Before founding Indulgeo Essentials, Supriya Arora Malik was a hand and foot casting artist managing her own brand, Memorabilia. In 2017, she and her mother, Seema Arora, launched an organic skincare brand called Indulgeo Essentials.

Seema had suffered from Alopecia for several years and had tried all kinds of allopathic and Ayurveda medicines. She realised that it was the concoction that she prepared with natural ingredients that worked the best for her. 

With a desire to share the hair care remedy, the duo began Indulgeo Essentials,  Supriya and Seema started the startup online through a Facebook Mom’s group and today, their venture has gone far beyond the realms of social media. 

However, for Supriya, an offline store is still not on the cards as she wants to continue using digital mediums to sell their products.  

While the product range has increased to various kinds of facial oils, body oils, eye and brow care products among others, it also seeks to address concerns by skin-type and issues one is facing by suggesting appropriate products.   

Supriya says one of the top moments in her entrepreneur journey is working with a women-only team.

Excerpts of HerStory’s conversation with Indulgeo Essentials co-founder Supriya Arora Malik: 

1. What is the thought process behind Indulgeo Essentials? How did you set it apart from other organic skincare and haircare brands?

Indulgeo Essentials was founded by me under the guidance of my mother, Seema Arora. After suffering from alopecia for a long time, my mother created our extremely popular hair concoction – Luxuriant Hair Vitalizer – for her treatment, which gave her results that no other allopathic medication could. 

Our goal was to use the purest and most natural ingredients to provide effective solutions for issues such as alopecia, acne, hair fall, and pigmentation. We are firm believers that what you cannot eat should not be applied to your skin. It is critical to understand that 60% of whatever you apply to your skin is absorbed.

2. Tell us about your life before starting Indulgeo?

Before Indulgeo, I did hand and foot casting for my own brand called Memorabilia. I have learnt and specialised in complex formulations and manufacturing techniques. I believe every homegrown brand has a story behind it and I entered this field to provide an edge to the age-old concoctions and make these skincare and haircare miracles available to the masses. We wanted to use our vast knowledge to formulate unique oil blends and natural skin care products that pamper your skin and hair with the magic of love. 

My motive as an entrepreneur is to yearn to bring the best and finest nature’s remedies for all skincare concerns to customers’ doorsteps. I think there is nothing a woman can’t do and thus while I decided to start my own brand, the goal was never to sell products, rather sell solutions that work.

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3.  What have been your top three lessons in your entrepreneurial journey with Indulgeo Essentials?

As an entrepreneur, I have learned to never compromise on two things — love and quality — and I make certain that every new launch or product that is shipped has an abundance of both. I've gone above and beyond to test every ingredient, packaging, and specifics to ensure that quality is consistent and unwavering. 

My personal motivation is to never allow toxins or to use cheaper ingredients for higher profits. Whenever I am asked about the price of a product, my response is always the same: quality. There are alternatives to everything on the market, but my goal is to always provide my clients with products made with unwavering quality ingredients.

4. What are the top three myths around organic skincare that you would like to bust?

The three myths would be: 

1. Organic products are ineffective - People think that organic products are ineffective but these products are densely packed with vital nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in large concentrations that truly nourish the skin. 
2. Face packs and DIY lotions function in the same way that organic products do - DIY solutions do not contain active ingredients found in organic products and those are essential for desired results.
3. Eating well is enough for beautiful skin - A healthy diet isn't always enough to achieve great skin. While everything you eat has an effect on your skin, food cannot remove dirt and grime as effectively as a good face wash.

5.  Since several brands in India make toxin-free and organic skincare products, do you think the space is getting saturated?

Yes, there are a lot of brands in India making skincare products that are organic, but I believe it is good that finally brands are taking initiatives and promoting natural products and are saying no to chemicals. It is high time that we think for our mother nature and our clients’ well-being. 

 6.  What have been some of your top moments in your entrepreneurial journey?

One of the top moments in my entrepreneurial journey would be creating a women-only team. My day starts with interacting with my extremely hard-working team of women who not only believe in the brand but also share the same ambition of spreading love and happiness through clean organic beauty. No work seems too hard when you have a support system, which I believe is essential for every woman entrepreneur out there.

7. What advice would you give to entrepreneurs in the skincare space?

I just want to say that you should be true to yourself and only then you can think good for your audience and your brand. It is never too late to start over and you should surround yourself with people who will pick you up when you fall or be there for you to encourage you to not give up.