Visionaries Tackling Hair Damage Iluvia addresses hard water-induced hair damage with its vegan, sulfate-free Hard Water Shampoo. Operating D2C and B2B2C, it partners with salons, offers sustainable solutions, and plans international expansion by 2025.
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During their undergraduate years at VIT Vellore, iluvia's co-founders, Nishant Gupta and Palash Pandey, identified a common yet often overlooked problem—hair damage caused by hard water.
They observed that students across India faced similar issues, from dryness and roughness to increased hair breakage, all due to high salt content in the water. "The lack of specialised and convenient solutions to tackle this problem sowed the seeds for our work on understanding and solving hard water hair care," shares Gupta.
Realising there were no targeted solutions in the market, the duo embarked on a journey to create a product that addressed this issue. This led to the development of daily-use Hard Water Shampoo under the iluvia brand. "This product uses chelating agents and water-soluble silicones to minimise harmful metal deposits in hard water, providing a comprehensive solution to ongoing hair damage," says Pandey.
Their product, which is vegan, cruelty-free, sulfate-free, paraben-free, and phthalate-free, was designed to meet the global demand for clean and sustainable beauty products.
From its inception, iluvia was envisioned as a professional haircare brand. The founders adopted a dual business model, positioning the company as both a D2C and B2B2C brand, with an initial focus on the latter. "By partnering with salons across the country, we built strong connections with professional stylists, which helped us understand the specific needs of customers in different regions," says Gupta.
This B2B2C approach not only expanded their reach but also allowed them to identify product gaps and tailor their offerings to meet diverse customer needs.
Despite launching their first product range in 2019, iluvia faced a major setback when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leading to the temporary shutdown of salons. However, the brand's strong value proposition helped them quickly establish a market presence, even competing with industry giants.
"Educating consumers about the risks of hard water and debunking myths around hair care was one of our early challenges. We focused on providing scientifically backed solutions that addressed the root causes of hair damage," shares Gupta.
Today, iluvia operates across both digital and physical channels, with over 2,500 professional salons in its network and a strong presence on e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Nykaa, and its own website, iluviapro.com.
"Our strategic approach to customer acquisition, clear communication of our unique value proposition, and a well-structured supply chain system have enabled us to retain customers and minimise wastage," adds Pandey.
Looking ahead, iluvia aims to expand internationally while continuing to innovate in the hair care sector. The Bengaluru-based brand is committed to creating sustainable, performance-driven products that align with global beauty trends and customer values. By 2025, iluvia envisions itself as a leading player in professional haircare, driven by new technologies and a focus on long-term customer impact.
Facts:
- Highest Revenue Platform: B2B2C, primarily through professional salons
- Sales Split: Over 50% offline, remaining online
- Inception Year: 2015
- Team Size: 137
- Customer Repeat Rate: Above 40%
- Funding Raised: USD 3 Mn
