Meet the IITian Duo Who Built Pilgrim Beauty, India’s Digital-First Skincare Brand That Scaled to ₹204 Cr in Revenue in Just 4 Years

In India’s crowded beauty market, Pilgrim Beauty’s rise is a story of resilience and timing.

The brand launched in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic lockdowns - a moment when starting something new felt almost impossible. Yet Pilgrim not only survived, it grew into one of India’s fastest-scaling digital-first beauty brands.

Its products draw inspiration from global traditions but are priced and designed for Indian consumers.

“We’re not here to tell people they’re incomplete. We believe they’re already complete - we just offer them new experiences to explore the world,” says co-founder Anurag Kedia.

Meet the Founders

Pilgrim was founded by Anurag Kedia and Gagandeep Makker. 

Both are IIT Bombay graduates, though their strengths complement each other in different ways.

Anurag grew up in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, in a business family where entrepreneurship was always part of life. After completing his MBA at IIM Ahmedabad, he co-founded Four Fountains Spa, which went on to become one of the largest affordable spa chains in India. That experience gave him a deep understanding of consumer behavior in beauty and wellness. 

“Running spas taught me what consumers truly value in beauty and wellness, the formulations, the textures, the sensorial experience,” he recalls.

Gagandeep came in with expertise in data, marketplaces, and consumer insights. When the two met, the partnership was instant. 

Anurag remembers, “Our equity discussion lasted three minutes. We decided on the split and agreed that beyond that we were equals.”

Together, they built Pilgrim to combine global beauty wisdom with Indian accessibility.

Cracking the White Space in Beauty

By 2019, India’s beauty market was buzzing. Legacy FMCG companies dominated the shelves, and new-age D2C startups were also fighting for space. 

For most entrepreneurs, it looked too crowded. But for Anurag, it looked like an opportunity.

He had a clear insight. Indian consumers were becoming conscious buyers. They wanted safe and ethical beauty, vegan and cruelty-free formulations, and transparency about ingredients. At the same time, they were curious about international beauty rituals such as Korean skincare and French vinotherapy. But whenever global brands entered India, they became luxury products because of pricing and positioning.

Anurag explains, “Any international beauty brand that comes to India, no matter how mass market globally, becomes luxury here. We wanted to change that.”

The opportunity was clear: make international beauty experiences available at Indian-friendly prices without compromising on quality.

Launching Amidst Lockdown

They were preparing to launch in early 2020, but then the pandemic hit. Factories closed, logistics froze, and uncertainty was everywhere. Most founders would have postponed. But Anurag and Gagandeep decided to go ahead.

“May 2020, right in the middle of lockdown, we went live. There was no launch event, just our website and a belief that consumers would connect with our story,” says Anurag.

Ironically, the timing helped. 

With salons shut and international travel stopped, people were experimenting with self-care at home. They were also exploring global beauty trends through social media. 

Pilgrim’s debut line, the Secrets of Jeju Island range inspired by Korean beauty, met that curiosity head-on.

By the end of 2020, Pilgrim was already touching seventy to eighty lakh rupees in monthly sales.

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Introducing Pilgrim Beauty: Products 

Pilgrim’s products are built around the idea of “global beauty traditions.” Each range takes inspiration from a different region of the world.

• Secrets of Jeju Island (K-Beauty) uses volcanic ash, camellia, and Korean botanical extracts.

• Vinotherapy (France) focuses on red wine antioxidants and grape seed extracts.

• Australian Rituals features tea tree oil and superfruit ingredients.

The company launches two new traditions every year to keep consumers excited.

Anurag says, “We have borrowed the fast-fashion playbook for beauty. New collections keep consumers curious and engaged.”

At the heart of every product is the Pilgrim Code, which commits to:

• 100 percent vegan and cruelty-free formulations

• No use of the “Toxic 20” chemicals such as parabens and sulfates

• Plastic positivity, by recycling more plastic than the company consumes

Pilgrim now offers more than 100 SKUs across skincare, haircare, body care, fragrances, and sunscreens.

Challenges Faced

Anurag and Gagan’s  journey was far from easy. 

Some hurdles were structural, while others were specific to the strange timing of their launch.

One of the first challenges was trust. Convincing consumers to choose a completely new brand over long-established FMCG giants was no small task. Pilgrim had to prove not only the quality of its products but also the credibility of its positioning.

The supply chain was another uphill battle. Since the company relied on third-party manufacturers, ensuring international-grade quality consistently required constant monitoring and adjustments.

Then the lockdown brought its own set of disruptions. Factories and logistics networks were often at a standstill, which meant Pilgrim’s operations were hit almost daily in 2020.

There were also subtler challenges linked to consumer behavior. Beauty is a sensorial category, and preferences can change quickly. During lockdown, for example, customers began favoring light gel textures over heavy creams. 

“We had to adapt quickly,” Anurag recalls.

Perhaps the toughest balancing act, though, was positioning. Pilgrim wanted to feel premium but also remain affordable for Indian consumers, a combination that many new-age D2C brands have struggled to achieve.

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Competitive Landscape

Pilgrim’s positioning stands out because it did not try to copy the playbooks of other new-age beauty brands. 

Mamaearth tapped into “natural and toxin-free” with a family-first narrative, while Plum leaned heavily into “vegan beauty” and minimalism. WOW Skin Science built scale on mass-market affordability.

Pilgrim chose a different path. Instead of competing on the same claims, it built its identity around “global beauty traditions.” By curating rituals like Jeju and Vinotherapy, Pilgrim offered something new in a crowded market.

As Anurag puts it, “We were clear we did not want to be yet another natural or ayurvedic brand. India already has plenty of those. We wanted to stand for exploration.”

Pilgrim’s Growth Playbook

Pilgrim’s growth was never left to chance. From day one, the team worked with a clear playbook built on data, constant testing, and a relentless focus on the consumer journey.

1. Marketplace-first learning: They treated Amazon as the testing ground. Using tools like Jungle Scout and Helium 10, the team tracked trends, competitor moves, and pricing strategies. This data guided everything from product positioning to launch decisions. 

“If you crack Amazon, you understand every other marketplace better,” Anurag says. 

2. Full funnel approach: Top-of-the-funnel reach came from hundreds of influencers every month. Trust was built through customer reviews and word of mouth. Tactical offers and retargeting campaigns drove conversions. Each stage fed into the next, making the journey from discovery to purchase seamless.

3. Retention focus: From the packaging to unboxing and WhatsApp follow-ups, every step was carefully designed. For Anurag, retention is not about adding up touchpoints but about multiplying them.

“If you fail at even one step, consumers will not come back. It is multiplication, not addition,” he explains. 

4. Constant testing: Nothing was fixed. Pricing was tested, packaging refreshed, and campaigns refined. The team believed growth came not from one breakthrough idea but from hundreds of small improvements compounding over time.

Brand Philosophy

While most beauty brands build their message around what people lack, Pilgrim chose the opposite path.

“Legacy beauty brands often tell consumers they are not good enough. Our message is different. You are already enough. Our products are about exploration, not correction,” says Anurag.

That idea shaped how Pilgrim talks to its customers. 

The products are not pitched as fixes for flaws but as experiences inspired by global traditions. This approach has connected strongly with younger consumers who value honesty and do not want brands to play on insecurity.

Sustainability Beyond Plastic Positivity

The Pilgrim Code commits to being vegan, cruelty-free, and free of harmful chemicals, but sustainability goes further than that. 

Packaging is increasingly recyclable, and the company has partnered with waste management players to ensure compliance.

Pilgrim also works with suppliers to trace ingredients back to ethical sourcing. The red wine extracts used in its Vinotherapy range, for example, are derived from vineyards that practice sustainable agriculture.

One of the company’s boldest commitments is to remain plastic positive, recycling more than it consumes. In an industry often accused of greenwashing, Pilgrim’s transparency on this front has resonated strongly with conscious consumers.

Distribution Channels

Pilgrim began as a D2C brand through its own website, which gave the team full control over customer experience and feedback in the early days. 

As demand grew, it expanded to platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, Myntra, Purplle, BigBasket, and Blinkit, reaching a wider audience while still tracking performance closely through data.

The next phase was offline retail. Pilgrim products are now available in over ten thousand stores across India, making them accessible to shoppers who prefer buying in person. 

The brand has also opened ten Exclusive Brand Outlets and plans to double that number soon. These stores allow Pilgrim to showcase its full range and strengthen its offline identity.

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Marketing Masterstrokes

Pilgrim’s marketing combined scale with strong storytelling. Instead of just pushing discounts, the team focused on building a brand people would remember.

• Ingredient-led storytelling
  Campaigns like Secrets of Jeju and Vinotherapy highlighted the traditions and ingredients behind each range, giving Pilgrim a distinct identity in a crowded skincare market.

• Pre-launch buzz
  Products were often introduced through VIP access for select customers and influencers. This created word of mouth before wider rollouts and gave launches a sense of exclusivity.

• Influencer partnerships at scale
  Pilgrim collaborates with over 500 creators every month, from nano-influencers who drive trust to bigger names who deliver reach. This steady stream of content kept the brand constantly visible across platforms.

• Shift from performance to storytelling ads
  Early growth was fueled by performance marketing, but as the brand matured, it invested more in storytelling campaigns that built long-term recall.

• Disciplined spending
  About ten percent of topline is spent on marketing, with a growing focus on brand-building rather than short-term sales.

This balance of data-driven execution and creative storytelling became central to Pilgrim’s rapid rise.

Funding

Pilgrim has grown with steady backing from investors who believed in its long-term vision. Each round of funding was with a clear purpose from proving the D2C model to scaling offline and now expanding globally.

• Seed and Angel Round (2019–20): Raised about ₹ 12.8 crore from angels and funds like Fireside Ventures and Rukam Capital.

• Series A (2021):Fireside Ventures and others doubled down to scale operations.

• Series B (2023):Raised 9 million US dollars (about ₹ 70 crore) to expand offline presence and product range.

• Series B Extension (2025):Raised ₹ 200 crore at a valuation of around 3,000 crore rupees, led by Narotam Sekhsaria Family Office.

Anurag is clear about capital discipline.

He says, “Brands do not die because of P&L. They die because of cash flows. We have kept a 10-year runway,”

Revenue and Growth

Pilgrim’s growth numbers highlight how quickly the brand has scaled.

• FY22 revenue was ₹ 17 crore.

• FY23 revenue jumped to ₹ 76 crore, a growth of 4.5 times.

• FY24 annual revenue reached ₹ 204 crore, a 160 percent year-on-year rise.

Losses widened to about ₹26 crore in FY24, but online operations are already profitable. Offline stores are expected to break even within a year.

Anurag sums it up simply: “In just three years, we scaled from zero to 15 crore rupees in monthly revenue. That is the power of D2C done right.”

Customer Reception

Pilgrim’s products have earned a strong following, with repeat purchase rates showing loyalty.

Many customers highlight visible results from products like the Retinol Night Cream, Argan Oil Hair Mask, and lip sleeping mask. 

“My mom swears by the Retinol Night Cream … she’s already on her second container,” one user shared. 

Others praise the gentle cleansing of its face washes and the hydration from lip care.

But not all experiences have been positive. 

Some customers reported skin irritation,

“Pilgrim body lotion gave me hives … quite disappointed,” wrote one user. 

On Amazon, a reviewer was blunt,

“Waste of money … my skin colour changed to dark. Didn’t like the product.”

Concerns about perception also surfaced. In early Reddit discussions, users felt the branding blurred lines: 

“I believed it to be a Korean brand, only to realise later it’s Indian. That marketing strategy didn’t sit right with me.”

Interestingly, a significant share of buyers are men, despite Pilgrim never marketing to them directly. 

“It was unexpected, but we realized many men try Pilgrim on recommendations from women around them,” Anurag notes.

Key Lessons for Entrepreneurs

• Build on what you know: Anurag’s spa background gave Pilgrim an edge in understanding consumers and formulations.

• Cash flow over vanity metrics: Survival depends on liquidity, not just paper profitability.

• Tell a story, not just sell a product: Global rituals like Jeju and Vinotherapy helped Pilgrim stand out in a crowded market.

• Every touchpoint counts:Packaging, delivery, and follow-ups all add up, or multiply to create trust.

• Keep testing: Pricing, campaigns, and products must evolve. Failures are data, not dead ends.

• Think today and tomorrow:Performance marketing drives sales now, but brand-building keeps growth alive later.

What’s Next for Pilgrim

The roadmap ahead is ambitious.

The brand is steadily building a larger offline presence, adding more exclusive brand outlets and strengthening its retail footprint across India. 

At the same time, it is preparing to step into new international markets, with Southeast Asia and Russia on the horizon after its first move into the Middle East. 

Product-wise, Pilgrim plans to move beyond skincare and haircare into categories like makeup and fragrances, broadening its identity as a full-fledged beauty house.

Long term, the founders are clear about their ambition: they see Pilgrim as India’s first homegrown beauty brand with truly global reach. An IPO is part of that roadmap, but only when the business has sustainable profitability and the brand has proven itself beyond borders.

Author’s Note:All quotes, figures, and insights in this article have been sourced from publicly available interviews, podcasts, and published articles.