Glass skin, bouncy hair, and effortless glow — K-beauty has us all intrigued, filling our feeds with dreamy transformations. But will it work for you? If you’ve been curious yet hesitant, here’s some exciting news! Hyderabad now has its first Korean beauty salon, ANHA, in Banjara Hills, bringing authentic K-beauty treatments closer than ever. CE speaks to the owners, Anusha Buddaraju and Harika Koneru, about their journey of bringing Korean hair and skin treatments to Hyderabad.
Anusha and Harika began tossing business ideas because they weren’t sure where they’d land, but they always knew beauty was their calling. “We didn’t want just another salon; it had to be something Hyderabad hadn’t seen before,” Anusha says. Their travels through Bangkok and Vietnam sparked inspiration, but one question lingered — what exactly would they create? They soon realised that the answer was hidden in the details of their journey.
The ever-expanding world of Korean hair and skincare gave them the answer they were looking for — a beauty sector that was both unique and new to Hyderabad. “One day, I randomly came across a Korean hair and skincare reel on Instagram and sent it to Anusha, and we both immediately knew — this was it. It just felt right. We were drawn to their beauty culture, lifestyle, and self-care routines — it was so appealing,” Harika shares.
From the start, they were clear about one thing - they wanted to introduce something Hyderabad didn’t already have. “We wanted to bring in something new. We were very particular about that. And we did it,” Anusha express adding about the mystery of the name ANHA, “At first, we were just playing around with our names, we tried different combinations but what clicked to us instantly is ANHA which is my name and Harika’s names first two letters — A-N-H-A and we found that it means ‘love’ in different Indian languages and you know, when a customer walks into ANHA, we want them to feel love — because at the end of the day, they’re here to pamper themselves, to love themselves, and that’s what truly matters.”
Spending hours researching Korean beauty products wasn’t just about curiosity — it was more about getting every detail right. Harika and Anusha wanted to bring the true essence of Korean beauty to India, which meant diving deep. “We flew to Korea, trained for three weeks, and got certified. And even after that, we brought Korean experts to Hyderabad to test whether the Korean products suited Indian skin and to train our staff,” Harika narrates. It wasn’t just about learning techniques; it was about making sure everything translated seamlessly to Indian skin without losing authenticity.
Choosing the right products was just as intense. With Korea’s endless beauty options, narrowing down what truly worked for Indian skin wasn’t easy. “We sat with a dermatologist — who also happens to be my cousin — for days, breaking down every ingredient,” Anusha recalls continuing, “Before we even thought about using them on clients, we tested them on ourselves. We broke out like crazy, but we had to be sure.”
The result? A salon that stays true to authentic Korean treatments, just as they are in Korea. “There’s no watered-down version here,” Anusha insists. From the intensive Korean hair spa — a 15 to 18-step ritual that works wonders on dryness, oiliness, and frizz — to skincare essentials like rice, ginseng, and Gua Sha, every detail is meticulously curated. Their standout treatment, the Astrodome Facial, combines oxygen infusion with LED therapy to instantly brighten and hydrate the skin without compromising skin health. It’s all about delivering that coveted glow — exactly what clients come for, and exactly what they leave with. But there’s a big misconception they want to clear up. “People think if they do Korean skincare, they’ll get Korean like glass skin, but that’s not how it works. Koreans are born with that skin type and Indian skin is different, and it’s beautiful in its own way,” Anusha laughs.