From NIFT to the Streets: Why this Hyderabad mom is personally delivering luxury skincare on a gold-wrapped scooter

On the streets of Hyderabad, you might find Bathula Meghana, a luxury skincare brand founder, driving her scooter and personally delivering world-class products.

But why? What did she realize about skincare that other brands didn’t seem to? This is the GlowBareSkin story.

Skincare in India is no longer only about which brand markets itself the best or who has the biggest celebrity endorsement. There is a clear beauty boom in the country, but it is not surface-level.

More and more consumers are adopting an ingredient-first approach to skincare products. They are flipping over packs, checking actives, and verifying brand claims. 

According to Bathula Meghana, a brand-building expert, there is one more change that is evident in the market: Indians want international-level skincare products, with labels and certifications that do not mislead.

“When you talk about luxury skincare, most brands that come to mind are international brands from places like Paris and London. You’ll hardly see an Indian brand on retail shelves in the West. I wanted to change that and build a global luxury skincare brand formulated, manufactured, and packaged entirely in India. It is high time that Indian skincare not just adheres to but also surpasses global luxury benchmarks,” Bathula Meghana, founder of GlowBareSkin, tells Startup Pedia in an exclusive interview.

Founded in August 2025, GlowBareSkin is a Hyderabad-based luxury skincare brand that aims to build an International label from India. It was officially launched in February 2026. 

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THE BACKGROUND: 10+ YEARS OF BRAND-BUILDING, GTM, & CATEGORY MANAGEMENT

Hailing from Hyderabad, Bathula Meghana pursued her Master’s degree from the prestigious National Institute of Fashion Technology, India. Here, she specialized in sales, merchandising, fashion strategy, and marketing operations. 

In 2015, she started her career as a product manager. Eventually, she took on roles such as a category manager, brand-building expert, and e-commerce specialist for consumer brands like Titan and Distacart.

“It was during this time that I developed in-depth insights related to the Indian market,”she says.

In 2020, she took the entrepreneurial plunge and started Meghvi, an online clothing store. She operated it for four years before shutting it down to venture into the skincare market.

THE INDIAN SKINCARE GAP

While the Indian skincare market is already very crowded, Bathula Meghana noticed that there were hardly any brands built in India that could make it to global retail shelves.

“Luxury skincare means getting something from abroad. But rarely do these products suit the Indian body, our climate, our melanin-rich skin, and our fast-paced urban lives,” she remarks.

Another thing that Bathula Meghana noticed was that most skincare brands existing in the market did not reveal the exact active ingredients in the product. 

“They show you a list of ingredients, but there is no way to find out the percentage of the exact actives used. That is very important,” Meghana adds.

The 32-year-old brand-building expert realized that she wanted to do something to address all the above gaps.

Her mission? Build an international luxury skincare brand from India. 

This was the foundation of GlowBareSkin.

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JOURNEY AND CHALLENGES

Bathula Meghana pooled Rs 45 lakh from her personal savings to bootstrap GlowBareSkin in May 2025.

Instead of randomly coming up with products, she decided to test the market, speak to real customers, identify what was missing in their lives with regard to skincare, and then consult a certified dermatologist to innovate luxury skincare formulations.

“I would take my scooter and go all across Hyderabad to speak to women, gather market data, and contact contract manufacturers. GlowBareSkin didn’t start in a boardroom; it started, quite literally, on the streets,” startup founder Bathula Meghana tells Startup Pedia.

After zeroing in on science-backed ingredients and formulations with the dermatologist, the entrepreneur spoke to multiple vendors, manufacturers, and formulators. After months of discussions and trials, she finalized a manufacturer in Delhi who was ready to align with GlowBareSkin’s world-class standards.

“I pre-launched the brand in December 2025 for early testing, and officially launched it in February 2026,” Bathula says.

Since day one, Bathula Meghana has ensured that GlowBareSkin remains a founder-led venture where she personally ensures that each aspect of the brand translates into a globally scalable, science-first luxury skincare label.

Eventually, the entrepreneur also established an office space at T-Hub (a leading innovation ecosystem) in Hyderabad.

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GLOWBARESKIN: MEETING GLOBAL STANDARDS WITH AN INDIAN TOUCH

Today, GlowBareSkin aims to blend Indian skincare with global luxury benchmarks. From science-backed ingredients, AI and data-driven personalization, and a smooth purchase and post-purchase journey, everything has been done keeping in mind the ease of the customer.

For now, Bathula Meghana’s luxury skincare brand has released its collection of five premium skincare products:

• GlowBareSkin Citra Luxe Face Cleanser

• GlowBareSkin Radiance Revive Moisturizer

• GlowBareSkin SunShield SPF 30+++

• GlowBareSkin LumiSkin Day Elixir

• GlowBareSkin LumiSkin Night Elixir

“This is the complete skincare ritual that we are promoting - minimal, effective, and medical-grade results,” the startup founder notes.

Each product of the luxury skincare brand is packed with scientifically and clinically proven ingredients such as Kakadu Plum, Niacinamide, and Bakuchiol. Additionally, they are all FDA-approved, ISO-certified, GMP-certified, and free from cruelty and parabens. They are also dermatologically tested.

When asked about the differentiation factors, Bathula Meghana shared three clear pointers:

• GlowBareSkin is committed to using premium ingredients that many beauty and skincare brands in the market do not. For instance, the Kakadu Plum in the cleanser and serum offers 100 times more Vitamin C than an orange.

“Then, Bakuchiol, the hero ingredient in our night serum, is an effective botanical alternative to retinol. Some people experience side effects with retinol, and it can only be used with a doctor’s advice. On the other hand, Bakuchiol with Retinyl Palmate is a mild form of retinol and is much, much safer and stress-free when it comes to offering anti-ageing benefits,” Bathula Meghana explains.

“Given the kind of ingredients we are using, we are bound to be priced on the premium side. Our ideal customer is someone who is extremely mindful of what they put on their skin and values science and proven ingredients over gimmicky claims on the Internet,” she adds.

• Second, GlowBareSkin is very transparent about the exact percentages of the actives present in the products. They are clearly mentioned on the packaging.

• GlowBareSkin uses airless technology to package its products, which means that there is a negligible chance of contamination.

The luxury skincare brand’s prices start from Rs 1,050 and go up to Rs 3,000.

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GLOWBARESKIN’S MOMENTUM

Already live on e-commerce platforms such as Myntra and Flipkart, GlowBareSkin’s products can also be purchased directly from its website.

With a single-click checkout experience and delivery within 1-2 days across major cities, Bathula Meghana is consistently working towards delivering a smooth user experience.

The startup founder has also started marketing the brand via her custom scooter across India, especially in metropolitan areas like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata.

“Women have stopped consuming skincare products mindlessly. They want them to be luxurious but also result-driven, and that’s exactly what you will experience once you get your hands on a GlowBareSkin product. As for me, I want this brand to reach global shelves and represent Indian skincare justifiably,” Bathula Meghana signs off.