Beauty: Now Finally Indianized Thanks to This Startup Foreign cosmetics and beauty tips may not work for as advertised for Indian audiences. This startup is trying to change that

Every girl and woman loves being pampered by cosmetics. The cosmetics have been always of different range. But the best part is one needs a guide to use cosmetics in an apt way. There has also been a need to offer advice regarding fashion styles. Besides, tips to use cosmetics for various occasions have to be also known. Keeping this in mind, Payal Thaker came up with a blog titled Your Beauty Pal. We had a word with her and following are a few excerpts of it:

Please tell us about your work experience

I haven't had any formal training in beauty/makeup, but I have plenty of golden treasures of knowledge. My obsession with makeup, cosmetics, and everything to do with the beauty world is what's made me a self-professed beauty junkie. I've been obsessed with watching what women do to look even more beautiful, and soon my passion lent me a job as an air hostess in a leading international airline of UAE. For me it was a dream job, as I could indulge myself in international cosmetics, treatments, and makeup on an everyday basis. I could do anything to enhance my look, and the best part was I met girls from different parts of the world everyday, at work and off work.

What was your vision and chosen path to be an entrepreneur? Was entrepreneurship really your vision?

I wanted to do something with makeup and beauty in India, if not this, I would have opened up a makeup salon or some kind of makeup academy. Starting my own cosmetics line is definitely a dream come true. Of course, we are working really hard on it and still learning so many new things every single day.

How did you conceptualize your startup brand?

Having lived abroad, we realized the scarcity of quality beauty products in India. We have the prettiest of women here and all they need are some high quality products to make them look impeccable. With this thought, we set out to make high-quality and user-friendly products widely and easily available to Indians. We have a strong desire to spread awareness about beauty and style in India, and that's the main motivation behind starting the brand Your Beauty Pal Cosmetics.

What has been your major business model? Please introduce us to the key players of your team who contribute to your success?

The first key player in my team is my husband, Satyen Thaker. We are like Yin and Yang. Whatever I can't do, he can do, and vice versa. Apart from him, our friends and family give us so much support and help whenever we need. We are currently available online through our website, ybpcosmetics.com, and are in the process of finalizing collaborations with a few selected portals as well.

How have your consumers responded to your product/service? Any particular story or comment you remember?

We've received some amazing feedback for our product. Since, the launch we have been extremely happy with the kind of response we are getting. When Namrata Soni told me that she had tried our makeup perfector on her favorite celebrity client, and loved it, I was so happy and excited that I hugged her twice. We put in a lot of effort behind the quality and design of "makeup perfector", and it feels great when your consumers notice the difference against the other variants available in the market.

Which was the last startup that made you think, "This made my life a little easier"?

I don't know about the startup, but I think low cost airlines have been a blessing. I mean before 10 years, airlines were just for a very limited amount of people and not everyone could afford or think of taking flights anywhere. It's just amazing how in last few years things have changed so much. Everyone flies in and out of other countries so easily, and it's become a normal thing. I think major credit goes to the low cost budget airlines. I think whoever made that possible is a real genius.

What are few of the tips you would give to beginners who intend to enter Indian startup ecosystem?

Just believe in yourself and your passion. The path of chasing your dream is definitely hard, but it's totally worth it. You will hear the word "NO" a lot, and you just have to persevere.

Who has been your mentor in your entrepreneurial journey? What has been your biggest learning from the mentor?

I'm a huge fan of Richard Branson. I remember reading his book called 'Screw it, let's do it'. I can easily say it changed my life. One thing I learned from him is that never say no to any opportunity that comes to your way, always say yes and then figure out how to do it.

What's your business mantra to stay ahead in the market?

Our mantra is to always have an open mind, and welcome anything no matter how strange or crazy it may seem. I want to make so many awesome makeup/cosmetic products. I have these wonderful concepts in my head and I just want them all to come alive.

What is the biggest challenge which you faced while running your business? How did you face it?

Starting was the biggest challenge. We didn't have any contacts or anyone who could guide us. We had to figure everything out by ourselves. There aren't many startup cosmetic brands in India. On top of that my husband is a NRI and speaks no Indian languages, so translation has always been difficult. We faced it all by doing everything together and never giving up.

Targeting a younger audience with a niche for beauty that will exeuntiate their natural look, the startup offers a promising growth worth checking out.