Shivani Kapur, the lady boss breathing into miracles of nature within India's organic beauty space with her brand
Every successful entrepreneurial seed is sown somewhere.
There is no 'magic pill' that effortlessly launches one into the free world of entrepreneurship. For some individuals, the courage to become a disruptor gestates over an extended period, spanning days, months, or even years, before ultimately coming to fruition.
Formerly dominated by a select few legacy brands, the beauty industry is now witnessing a surge of new entrants. Projections indicate that by 2017-2018, the industry could reach an estimated value of Rs. 80,370 crores, as per a KPMG report.
This marks the beginning of a new era in the beauty sector, as emerging brands, driven by their success, pave the way for a burgeoning wave of organic beauty brands.
Shivani Kapur, the visionary founder of Mirah Belle Naturals, has nurtured her independent brand from its origins in her own kitchen.
Today, it proudly stands as a recognized brand available through 15 prominent e-commerce platforms such as Nykaa, Purplle, Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Shopclues, and Organicshop. This remarkable brand has also made its mark in six different regions across the country.
Trends in the beauty industry are wavering, and it seems like consumers worldwide are done with chemical-based beauty products. The change is good and consumers are experiencing it with the revolution of nature-based products.
Everyone wants to be a slice of this natural journey but only a few can create milestones that are meant to stay. Shivani's entrepreneurial journey and Mirah Belle's inception ignited from a common platform. It all evoked a keen desire to clean the blemishes left by chemical-based beauty brands with something kosher, something beneficial, truly exotic and yet affordable.
Shivani embarked on a mission to imbue the wonders of nature into her nourishing handmade soaps, setting them apart from the commonly found synthetic soaps.
Armed with 13 years of experience as an engineer, Shivani transformed her kitchen into a laboratory, harnessing the power of natural ingredients like oils, various butters, clays, and caustic soda.
With her deft hands and unwavering vision, she gave birth to Mirah Belle Naturals in 2017, marking the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey.
With an open-minded approach, this blossoming beauty haven now boasts a selection of 37 diverse varieties of Certified Organic Handmade Face and Body Soaps. These soaps come in four different size options, catering to various price points that range from an affordable Rs. 10 to a luxurious Rs. 236.
Infused with exotic ingredients such as Goat Milk, Coconut Milk, Activated Charcoal, Shea Butter, Calendula, Chamomile, Evening Primrose, Sandalwood, and more. This brand has also expanded its product range to include other nourishing offerings.
Mirah Belle Natural's bedrock has been anchored by a core belief that Organic, Safe and beneficial Personal Care Products are not a luxury for the rich but a necessity for people at large.
With a pure desire to educate people line with the long-term health hazards associated with chemical-based products, Mirah Belle Naturals aims to bring into being Sulfate, Paraben, Formaldehyde, Silicone & Mineral Oil Free products at thrifty prices.
The products have been certified as Organic, Natural Sulfate and paraben free by ITC Labs. The brand has also been accredited with ISO Certification. Mirah Belle's entire product range has been licensed under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act of the State Government.
Buttoning down the pain points of human beauty obedient to Skin and Hair, the brand has planned a horizontal expansion in these ranges to heal:
Skin – Pigmentation, Aging, Acne & Dry Skin
Hair – Hair Fall, Dandruff, Dry & Frizzy Hair, Premature Greying
At the brand's state-of-the-art manufacturing unit in Gurgaon, product formulations are meticulously crafted by blending exotic oils from the Western world with the enriching Ayurvedic herbs sourced from the East.
This harmonious fusion creates products that harness the benefits of both worlds, resulting in a unique and effective skincare range.
The ingredients used here are rare & extremely potent, which include Argan, Jojoba, Evening Primrose, Sea Buckthorn, Patchouli, Borage, Cedarwood, Lavender, Rose, Sandalwood, Rosemary, Ginger, Curry Lead, Macadamia Nut, Hazelnut, Activated Charcoal, Dead Sea Salt, Beeswax, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter, Bentonite Clay, Calendula, Chamomile, Aloe Vera, Neem, Turmeric, Basil and innumerable other ingredients which are at the top of the line.
Apart from this, the firm also has complimentary products to complete the range i.e. Mens Range, Baby Range, Healing Salves, etc.
Customer satisfaction lies above all for Mirah Belle. That's why the brand has tried to mark the products as affordable as possible in an endeavour to expand its Budget Range (Under Rs 100). Further, the brand also has a Medium Range (Rs 100 – Rs 500) and is planning to launch a premium range (Rs 500 – Rs 1500).
Handmade Soaps
Sulphate Free Face Wash
Sulphate Free Body Wash
Sulphate Free Hand Wash
Intimate Hygiene Wash
Lip Balm
Eye Cream
Organic Salves & Balms
Body Lotion
Organic Body Butter
Herbal Body Oils
Hand Cream
Foot Cream
Face & Body Spray
Creams & Moisturisers
Alcohol-Free Toners
Face Serum
Face Oil
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Fragrance Oils
Herbal Hair Sprays
Sulphate Free Shampoo
Hair Conditioner
Herbal Hair Oils
Hair Softening Serum
Men's Range
Mother & Child
Pet Range
Bug Repellent Range
Mirah Belle is a bootstrapped startup whose tip-to-toe investment is taken care by the Founder-Ms. Shivani Kapur. The investment till now has been around Rs 3.5 Cr.
She also belongs to the Promoter Family of Rico Auto Industries. It is one of the leading players in the auto-ancillary segment in India. Apart from thinking & breathing Mirah Belle, Shivani also has an active interest in Sports.
Fortune is smiling widely on Mirah Belle Naturals. Already enjoying its presence on over 15 e-Commerce websites, the brand is planning ahead to open dialogue with a few International E-Commerce websites to initiate the Global front.
Mirah Belle is actively looking at aggressively expanding its Offline Distribution Channel across the country after successfully marking its presence across Punjab, Delhi, Gujrat, Jammu, West Bengal & Maharashtra. For the rest of the financial year, the brand is looking at covering 15 major states in India.
Shivani Kapur
Edited Excerpts of the interview
People Management – One has to have the ability to pick good people, get them to believe in your product, train them to deliver the best quality product, make them feel a part of the whole system and then eventually delegate responsibility to those people so that you can channelize your energy elsewhere.
Problem Solver – You must possess a continuous problem-solving mindset that spans across various departments. Whether it's addressing issues in production, design, accounts, packaging, sales, or customer service, there will be daily challenges to tackle. Consequently, being consistently at your best is essential in this role.
Good Shock Absorber – There will be downsides or hurdles that seem as if they are the end of the world. You need to maintain your composure when these shocks hit you & not get bogged down or disheartened. It's important to have a genuine belief that you are contributing to something meaningful. If challenges don't arise in your domain, they will likely impact someone else's responsibilities. This, in turn, could be seen as a positive outcome.
"The gratification of creating something new, of solving a problem and ultimately benefitting people at large is something that makes me sleep well."
"Always try to do something you have always wanted to do but ensure that you have enough experience or resources to back you up. Leaving something halfway or failing at it due to lack of resources can be extremely disheartening."
It's good to take a plunge but the timing needs to be perfect!
