Vineeta Singh sheds light into the philosophy behind Kareena Kapoor-backed Quench Botanics

Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan–an advocate of natural skincare products–has forged a strategic partnership with the parent company of SUGAR Cosmetics, Vellvette Lifestyle, to become a co-owner of skincare brand Quench Botanics. 

Made in Korea, Quench Botanics is looking to provide sustainable skincare solutions for the Indian skin. 

“Embarking on this journey of building Quench Botanics is an exciting new chapter in my life. For me, beauty is about embracing your natural self. I have always believed in keeping my skincare regime simple and authentic. Quench Botanics brings my vision to life through natural skincare products that are specially tailored for Indian skin,” said Khan, in an exclusive interaction with YS Life. 

“As a co-owner and investor, I am diving into an entrepreneurial role to redefine beauty and skincare for the Indian GenZ and millennials,” she added. 

While the brand came into existence about 18 months ago, Quench Botanics was in stealth mode as the team was working on different products and gauging the response of the Indian market. 

“As Vellvette Lifestyle, what we bring to the table is our distribution network, production facilities, and our ability to create impactful content, whereas Kareena can be a credible voice for the masses in India to educate men and women about taking care of their skin from an early age,” said Vineeta Singh, Co-founder of Quench Botanics and Founder and CEO of SUGAR Cosmetics. 

Quench Botanics products, which are 100% vegetarian, are available at 1,000-plus offline stores PAN-India, apart from ecommerce websites and its own website. At present, it has about 90 plus products. 

In an exclusive chat with YS Life, Singh spoke about the journey behind Quench Botanics, what constitutes the holy grail of skincare, and more. 

Edited excerpts from the interview:

YS Life [YSL]: What was the motivation behind starting Quench Botanics?

Vineeta Singh (VS): In the last 12-18 months, Quench Botanics has been in the market testing different products and trying out what really works for Indian skin. We are confident that the Korean beauty wave will come to India, but it needs to happen at a more accessible price point and in a way that is more suited to Indian skin and weather conditions. That’s why we got a Korean lab partner to create these products using natural Korean ingredients. 

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Rapid Fire with Vineeta Singh, Co-founder and CEO at SUGAR Cosmetics

YSL: Why did you decide to partner with Kareena Kapoor Khan?

VS: In India, the skincare market is still underpenetrated. Everything is focused on addressing skincare concerns like acne, wrinkles, or hyperpigmentation. What we realised from the K-beauty trend as well as our discussions with Kareena is that it is important to start taking care of your skin from a young age to avoid having problems later. 

We believe someone like Kareena, who is passionate about skincare, is the right fit to educate men and women about the importance of a healthy skincare routine.

YSL: What are some of the Korean ingredients that are a part of the product range and work well for Indian skin?

VS: There’s cica, which is considered to be the best skin repairing ingredient in the world. Korean ginseng, cherry blossom extracts, avocado, bamboo water, and matcha green tea are also effective in addressing specific skincare concerns like acne and dark circles, or to get rid of hyperpigmentation. 

While these are all Korean ingredients, they have been tested and formulated for the Indian consumer to address diverse skin concerns including larger pores and combination skin, as well as tropical weather conditions.

YSL: Tell us about some standout products by Quench Botanics. Are they affordable?

VS: The three biggest selling products for us currently are the avocado-based sunscreen, which is ideal for humid conditions, and doesn’t leave behind a white cast. 

Our acne patches made of cica and the cherry blossom-based brightening moisturiser are equally popular. Most products fall in the price range of Rs 400-Rs 600, while travel size products start as low as Rs 199. The sheet masks are priced at Rs 149.

YSL: What constitutes a healthy skincare routine?

VS: The first is double cleansing, because India is heavily polluted and you need this step to remove makeup or grime. 

The second is hydration, which means using moisturiser even for oily skin. 

The third is sun protection through the regular use of a high-quality SPF 50+ sunscreen. For most consumers who don’t have skin concerns, a three-step skincare routine is great. 

Some consumers require treatment, especially if they have started a skincare routine much later. In that case, a serum or an overnight mask is a good idea. Sheet masks or clay masks based on skin type also work well a few times a week. 

We didn’t want to scare or overwhelm people with a ten-step skincare routine. Our belief lies in simplicity that leads to consistency. 

YSL: Is education a key pillar for Quench Botanics? 

VS: There are 800 million internet users in India and anybody who shops for discretionary products is either on Instagram or YouTube. Consumers today do not want to engage with sales content but are seeking specific information that educates them. 

Our target audience is between 20 and 40 years; that being said, we have products for those who are 40-plus too. Our learnings with SUGAR have made us realise the significance of education to build a credible brand. 

We believe social media will allow us to get that message out to tonnes of people. When you have a voice like Kareena, people listen. Once we become an authority through Kareena’s support, we are confident we will automatically be the go-to brand for natural skincare. 

YSL: How do you plan to build and scale Quench Botanics?

VS: Social media and ecommerce are very democratic, with its presence prevailing even in Tier-II, III, or IV towns. Currently, we are a young brand so our distribution is primarily in metros, but as we scale, I am confident that we will be a brand that will have deep penetration in other towns and cities, both in terms of distribution and ecommerce value. We hope to scale the brand to about Rs 100 crore net revenue in the next 12 months.