Hyderabad-based startup launches the world's first Ayurvedic oil with heater that is clinically proven to reduce hairfall, serves 2 lakh+ customers.

With a significant shift in customer preferences to cleaner, more natural products, the beauty industry is fast evolving to meet these needs. 

But how common is it today to come across a skin product that is 100% natural but also cost-effective? Not so common. Infusing natural ingredients and making chemical-free products comes at a cost, which often increases the final value.

Hyderabad-based TRU Hair & Skin is a hair and skin care solution brand that doesn’t force you to choose between the two ends of the spectrum - buying green products that are expensive and chemical-laden, regular products that don’t hurt your budget.

Launched in 2020 by M.S. Harsha and a team of Ayurvedic doctors and experts, TRU Hair & Skin currently offers a wide range of hair care solutions that solve problems like split ends, hair fall, dry hair, rough hair, premature greying and dullness.

Before starting the brand, Hyderabad-based Harsha was working in the dermatology space. During the rapid technological developments that the country was witnessing, he noticed that the FMCG sector missed out.

There were two issues. First, natural products infused with tech were costly, and second, the products were not evolving at all.

In 2019, Harsha brought together a team of experienced Ayurvedic doctors and experts who began research.

In 2020, TRU Hair & Skin was launched, and the first product itself became an instant hit. It was a natural Ayurvedic hair oil with a free heater. The heater was the world's first patented oil heater. It took more than a year to develop, and conscious efforts were made to keep it affordable. 

The brand came up with the heater concept after recognizing that a lot of Ayurvedic books and texts talk about how warm oil is far more effective for the hair and scalp than oil at room temperature.

In just two months, the oil received such a positive response that TRU Hair & Skin acquired more than 30,000 customers in that short period.

Demand for more products increased, and the brand decided to reach out to customers and understand their needs. Despite the positive response, the team saw that some customers were unhappy with the oil.

After more research and endless consultations with doctors, the brand realized that one Ayurvedic product cannot cater to a wide customer base.

Then TRU Hair & Skin innovated more products with different ingredients like onion hair oil, rice water hair oil, biotin hair oil, and castor hair oil.

The second challenge was to make the customer journey smoother and assist them in choosing from this variety of products that align with their hair health.

To do this, the team infused modern technology and released an AI-based personalized hair care solution for customers. The brand was the first in the market to come up with this model.

Let us take a brief look at how the model works:

• Customers visit the brand’s website and click the Free Hair Analysis button.
• The button leads them to an AI-based test that asks them simple questions about their age, gender, body type, stress levels, hair type, scalp type, hair texture and specific hair issues. 
• After answering the questions, the right ingredients and the correct products (shampoo, oil, and personalised natural supplements) are suggested to the customers. 

TRU Hair & Skin offers a variety of natural, preservative-free, sulphate-free and paraben-free shampoos, oils, serums, conditioners, hair masks, and anti-lice solutions.

Presently, the brand makes sales through its website and more than 20,000 retail stores in South India. In the future, it plans to expand to western and northern markets.

As a brand, TRU Hair & Skin deeply cares about social impact. Since its inception in 2020, the brand has been donating 5% of every purchase made on the website to rural kids' education. To date, they have assisted 127 children in paying their school fees.

Next, the hair and skin care solution brand will come up with a skincare range and women's hygiene products. 

For the skincare range, TRU Hair & Skin will tweak the same AI model to know about customers' skin types and the specific problems they face. 

The analysis will then pull up relevant and personalised suggestions for ingredients and products that will promote the customers' skin health and work on their issues.

The skincare range will be Ayurvedic and natural without the use of any kind of preservatives, parabens, sulphates, and other harmful chemical substances.

Currently, TRU Hair & Skin has partnered with a charity organization to promote menstrual health and awareness in villages in South India. For every menstrual cup a customer buys from TRU Hair & Skin, a menstrual hygiene product will be donated to women and girls across rural areas.

Visit the website to view the brand’s Ayurvedic products and make purchases.