CHENNAI: Homemade concoctions, natural herbs and ancestral recipes, these are staples that Naina Chandani vouches for when it comes to skin and hair care.
“My grandmother used to extract coconut oil and send it from Mumbai. My mother used that for our hair. I followed the same recipe when I had hair problems eight years back. It worked wonders. People noticed the change. I used to make some for my friends and family members. Then began the journey of Shuddhi in 2011,” said Naina, founder of the skincare brand that was relaunched in August 2019.
Having worked in the grooming and retail industry for around 16 years, Naina had a working idea of how to curate a product list for her brand and what would sell in Chennai. She made her entrepreneurial debut in local exhibitions with hair oils, bathing bars, lip scrubs and balms.
She prepares everything all by herself at home. “I make two oils — one for dry and damaged hair, and the other for oily. The coconut oil is extracted from the base and then herbs are added to it. I also have a hair mask that strengthens the volume of the hair. There are no chemicals or preservatives. Healing and nourishing is a slow process,” said Naina.
Shuddhi also offers two kinds of face packs — one for oily skin and acne, and the other for anti-ageing, called Moisture Kick Face Oil.
“It’s the combination of ingredients that does the magic. For lip balm and scrubs, I use sweet almond, olive oil and coconut oil. Vitamin E and glycerine are also added to give a complete effect,” said Naina.
With a plethora of skincare labels in the market, Naina is taking it slow with Shuddhi. She wants to keep her products niche and with a homely touch.
“I don’t want to add creams or body butter to my list. There is plenty already. More products will be introduced down the line.” Shuddhi products are shipped across the country.
Products are priced from Rs 200 .
( For details, mail naina.chandani@gmail.com or check their Instagram page: Shu.ddhi)