From skin to strands: Conscious Chemist launching scalp care line to tackle rising hair fall issue in India

Prakher Mathur, co-founder of the firm told CosmesticsDesign Asia​ that the growing demand may be attributed to increasing stress, pollution, and inadequate healthy diets in the country.

He noted in recent years, active ingredients like Minoxidil, have garnered attention for their effectiveness in addressing these issues.

“While I cannot disclose the specific ingredients used in our products, we are developing a scalp care line as well as products targeting hair shaft issues like damaged or split ends. We believe this will add a lot of values into what we are doing – offering science-backed solutions that deliver real results.”​

At the same time, as Mathur highlighted, part of the funding raised from Inflection Point Ventures will also be channelled into establishing Conscious Chemist’s offline presence.

“When it comes to beauty products, approximately 90% of purchases occur offline. So, it’s important for us to establish a strong offline presence. However, we are mindful that we are still new to this space.” ​

“Currently, we are available in 30 to 35 retail outlets and responses have been great. So, our aim is to expand our reach to more general retail stores where many established brands are already present.” ​

Navigating a competitive market through education​

Looking ahead, Mathur has shared that Conscious Chemist is actively exploring new market segments, particularly in East Europe including Croatia and Russia. The brand is also engaging with distributors in Nepal to gain insights into the local purchasing habits.

While international business constitutes only a small portion of its total sales, Conscious Chemist has taken its products to Amazon lately.

“Throughout this journey of building Conscious Chemist, we have observed that many brands emphasise being free from chemicals or animal cruelty or they are vegan, which are great in our opinion. We strongly believe in responsibility and sustainability as the way to go.”​

“However, we also question whether certain consumers might have been inadvertently overlooked. Simply being free from certain elements doesn’t guarantee a product’s efficacy. So, we want to keep our consumers informed about the industry developments.” ​

Mathur asserts that education is a two-way street. As much as Conscious Chemist is educating its consumers, consumers are also enlightening the brand about the factors that influence their purchase decisions.

“Unlike in the past, today’s consumers are exceptionally savvy, they conduct thorough research before investing in a new product. As a brand, we must be constantly prepared to listen to our consumers and continuously fine-tune our formulations.” ​

“Navigating this ongoing and rigorous process is challenging, but it’s crucial for us to stay afloat in this complex and competitive skin care market.”​

Kick-off 2024 by discovering the trends shaping the next generation of beauty consumers. Join us at the Beauty Forward 2024 digital summit taking place January 29 to 31. Register here for FREE​ now.