The brand is known for its hair care, oral hygiene and skincare products infused with high-quality, natural ingredients that deliver promising results
New Delhi: Think personal care products that are clean, non-toxic and plant-derived, and probably the first name that will come to your mind is Arata. The brand is known for its hair care, oral hygiene and skincare products infused with high-quality, natural ingredients that deliver promising results—each at one-fourth the price of a comparable product in Europe or North America.
An exciting start
Ask Dhruv Bhasin and Dhruv Madhok, the co- founders of Arata, how their brand came into being, and they are quick to reply that it was the humble flaxseed that changed everything! Bhasin shares that it all began one evening in January 2016, when he decided to use his mother’s homemade hair gel recipe to style his hair for Madhok’s wedding celebrations. When Madhok asked him if he was concerned about his hair falling or whitening from the excessive use of hair gel, he explained that his hair gel was 100% natural and made with organic flaxseeds. The next day, he sent a sample of the hair gel to Madhok, who tried it and noticed that it held his hair just as well as any other hair gel on the market. Excited, Madhok immediately called him up and said, “Let’s make this gel for everyone looking for a safe alternative to style their hair.”
Bhasin and Madhok had their hearts set on offering plant-based, sustainable personal care products to Indians. But before starting their business, they did some research about other players in the market and were shocked to discover that some brands blatantly hid behind the garb of ‘key ingredients’ and did not disclose the harmful chemicals or ingredients used in their formulations. Moreover, some of the ingredients used in everyday hair care products, such as hair gels, could result in hair fall and whitening. There was very much of a gap in the Indian personal care market, so Bhasin and Madhok went ahead and launched their start-up Arata, a one-stop destination for personal care products with clean formulations and chemical-free ingredients.
Along the way
To make the entire personal care experience non-toxic yet exciting and indulgent, Arata has products that are safe, effective, innovative and unique, from its natural organic flaxseed hair gel to its fluoride-free cinnamon and chamomile toothpaste. “Our agenda was clear: provide the best plant-based solutions to customers and be 100% honest with them. Four years into Arata, we are super proud that our mission is still the same but better. We are the first, and the only brand in India to have received the coveted EWG Verified certification [that recognises brands creating healthier, safer products],” shares Bhasin. Moreover, at Arata, the products are not tested on animals, and neither are any animal- or insect-derived ingredients used. “Our products are packaged in post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, which is obtained from landfills and ocean waste, and then melted, sanitised, recycled and moulded into bottles. We want to give back to our planet,” adds Madhok.
Over the years, Arata has earned people’s trust in spades, which is why it has an extensive database of recurring customers. To help things along, at Arata, the customer’s journey is strategically planned, from points A to Z. “This involves introducing customers to our brand, educating them about the new (and existing) products and why our products are different, and enlightening them about the ongoing discounts and whatnot. We create different touchpoints with customers so that they get familiar with our brand and trust us,” shares Madhok.
Looking to the future
Since the last year, Arata has started focusing more on hair care. “We believe hair care is the next big thing as skincare is already having its big moment in the Covid era. Therefore, every month, we launch a new hair care range targeting specific concerns such as hair fall, dandruff, styling needs, etc. Like skin, there are many hair types, and we want to target them all with our powerful, plant-based solutions,” shares Bhasin. The brand’s Advanced Curl Care Range for curly- haired women, which came out in January this year, has been a massive success. So, what are the plans for the future? “Those would be scaling the product offering, team and geographies, working towards international expansion, and becoming internet-only in the next two years”, replies Madhok.
BROWNIE POINTS
- Arata has crossed the symbolic number of 1 crore per month in sales.
- It enjoys a global presence (in the US, UAE and UK) via Amazon.
- Year on year, its revenue has grown 3-4x (approx.).
- It continues to be a leading player by leveraging its in-house operations team, warehousing facility and ERP or enterprise resource planning (for smooth operations), as well as partnering with large third-party logistics providers.
- It continues to be a leading player by leveraging its in-house operations team, warehousing facility and ERP or enterprise resource planning (for smooth operations), as well as partnering with large third-party logistics providers.
Compiled by Anurima Das for The India D2C Yearbook 2022.
