Bringing direction to almost 20 years of research and development, Shubhika Jain, Founder, RAS Luxury Oils, has a line of pure and honest skin care products. With Salon India, she shares insights into the Indian skin care industry, USPs of the brand, and more.
Inception of Ras Luxury Oils
With a passion for plants and gardening, my mother, Sangeeta Jain, Co-founder and the inspiration behind the ideals of the brand, used to create her own beauty concoctions with handpicked flowers, herbs and other natural ingredients. This practice first inspired me to follow a natural beauty regimen, and later on, guided by my mother, I decided to create luxurious natural skincare products. Our first essential oil extraction plant came up in 2012. With over 200 acres of beautiful farmlands and woodlands in Chhattisgarh, the cornerstone for RAS Luxury Oils was laid.
Product portfolio and SKUs
Our product portfolio consists of Essential Oils, Face Elixirs, Plant Oils, Liquid Luxury Body Oils, Body Salts and Sugar Scrubs, Rose Nectar Face Spritz, and miniature discovery kits. We have sets of customisable gifting options, as well. Currently, there are 25 SKUs, but will be adding more soon.
Products pricing and availability
Our products are infused with quality natural ingredients, and keeping that in mind are priced reasonably at Rs 400 and above. The Essential Oils range from Rs 400, Rose Nectar Face Spritz from Rs 890, Plant Oils from Rs 1,450, Face Elixirs from Rs 2,350, Liquid Luxury Body Oils from Rs 2,150, Body Polishes from Rs 1,100. Our products are available at luxurious spas and salons, such as, St Regis Hotel and Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai, Park Hyatt in Hyderabad, and Mirrors and Within Salon and Shangri-La Hotel in Bengaluru. In the online space, apart from our own e-commerce website, we are currently available on Nykaa, Etsy and Amazon.
USP of the brand
Some of USPs are that the batch size is kept small as the products have fresh ingredients with more potency; 100 percent natural and pure ingredients that include organic, whole plant edible ingredients; wild crafted raw materials grown at our own family estate or ethically sourced from farmers across the globe; organic Essential Oils and Cold-pressed virgin oils are used; vegan, free of Parabens, preservatives, synthetics, fragrance, alcohol, additives, wax and silicom, and cruelty-free; give back 10 percent of our profits to local animal welfare NGOs and support the empowerment of the girl child in rural India.
Marketing strategies adopted
We believe word-of-mouth is the strongest form of marketing strategy. We are active on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Also, our retail presence at top five-star hotels lists our brand in the premium category. We are present online via our own website, Nykaa and Amazon. We conduct exclusive popups, participate in global exhibitions and expos, collaborate with genuine bloggers, and have an online feedback platform for clients.
Staying ahead of competition
Our main focus is on using excellent quality certified raw materials that are sourced directly from manufacturers, with product innovation at the R&D lab. We are able to monitor and control the whole process to give our customers real, natural and effective skincare and wellness products of superior quality. We participate in international expos and focus on extensive market research in order to keep pace with the constantly evolving beauty and wellness markets.
Challenges faced
Our brand is the first of its kind in the segment in India. We have to explain this fact to each hotel or distributor, which becomes a challenge. Creating awareness among consumers in order to boost sales is the second concern.
Plans for 2017-18
We have launches lined up at Grand Hyatt in Mumbai and Kochi, JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton in Bengaluru, JW Marriott Mumbai and Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong. With our participation at Prestige Fairs in Hong Kong and the Middle East Natural and Organic Products Expo in Dubai, we want our brand to have international exposure. We are working on expanding into Europe; being present at other international beauty platforms, organising exclusive events in Mumbai, and launching retail outlets in Delhi, Kolkata and Raipur.
