Sunayana Walia founded Raw Beauty to keep skincare simple
Written by: Deepa Somasunderam
Sunayana Walia
60% of the ingredients used by this plant-based Indian beauty brand are sourced directly from farmers and NGOs in India.
Welcome to our new series, the Foundery. Cult ingredients, beauty rituals, ancient medical systems: so much of the beauty industry is rooted in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean but usually when it comes to international industry recognition, we are left out of the conversation. So we spotlight innovative founders in and from these regions to build your brand awareness.
Sunayana Walia founded Raw Beauty using her heirloom family recipe and native ingredients with the mission of keeping skincare routines as easy as possible. Take one look at Raw Beauty’s social media and it feels like Sunday morning bliss: you will see videos and images of gleaming skin, nourishing rituals and lessons from Sunayana.
In this interview, Sunayana talks to us about the importance of simplicity in beauty routines and gives advice to entrepreneurs in the Indian skincare space.
Hi Sunayana! You used to be a jewellery designer! What made you make the change to the beauty industry?
Yes, I designed silver jewellery for 7 long years and was truly enjoying the process until one day when I learnt that silver and gold were being dug from the earth using sulphuric acid, it took me a step back. These practices are not very kind to our environment and as a personal choice I didn't want to contribute to anything that wasn't sustainable.
Moving to Raw Beauty, it was born in the most unexpected way. Making our own tooth powders, face wash powders, hair oils and shampoos has been a part of my family traditions and just when I chose to share those heirloom recipes with the people around me, Raw Beauty blossomed.
Raw Beauty
What is your mission with Raw Beauty?
Our mission with Raw Beauty is to uncomplicate skincare and haircare rituals. We want to create awareness that even without having a 6-7 steps daily routine, one can effortlessly achieve healthy skin.
Additionally, we also want to redefine the ‘set standards’ of beauty by sharing raw stories of real people.
What is the biggest challenge you faced launching a skincare brand?
I have to say that the biggest challenge was to seek approvals from the FDA as it is still a complex process. The skincare industry in India is still seeking a guiding window that can streamline processes for small businesses.
There is a big focus on simple ingredients with Raw Beauty. Tell us why this is and more about the sourcing of the ingredients?
As I said, Raw Beauty was started with my family’s heirloom recipes and my passion for using native ingredients in our day to day lives. Having said that, 60% of our ingredients are sourced directly from farmers and NGOs in India and the remaining 40% clinically tested ingredients are globally sourced. This makes Raw Beauty products holistic, modern and even beginner friendly.
What are the plans for Raw Beauty in 2023?
In 2023, we only wish to spread out our wings and reach out to a wider audience. We want to give everyone an alternative to complex skincare and be a direction for people to effortlessly move ahead with their skin and hair care regimes.
To deepen our roots in the Indian skincare industry and make the process of nurturing our skin more joyful is our primary goal for the year and even for years to come.
What advice do you have for skincare entrepreneurs in India?
The Indian skincare industry is at an all time high so finding your niche and creating an offering that actually makes a difference in easing out the customer’s life is going to be a make or break. It is important to trust the process and keep going.
What are your personal favourite skincare products?
Being a formulator myself, it is a difficult choice to make. However, I have an extra soft corner for Chamkeela, Back to Basics, Berry Much, Timeless, Sleepover, Just Me Elixir, Ride The Wave and all our Deodorants.
What are some of the self-care rituals you practise?
I’m someone who doesn’t limit self care to skincare. Self care is much more holistic for me- it includes my evening walks, soaking in greens around me, relaxing to the humming of birds, starting my day by tapping my face, deep breathing, having coconut water and of course doing my skincare. Even at night, I like to deeply cleanse and massage my face with soothing music playing in the background.
