Change is constant in the beauty and cosmetics industry and when it comes to beauty products, competition is the name of the game. Cosmetics brands across the country are coming up with newer products for the changing lifestyle of the generation to fetch out sustainable figures from the market. RENÉE Cosmetics by Aashka Goradia Goble is one such brand which has created a name for itself in a very short span of time. The quality of her products has gained acceptance throughout the country and Aashka being the founder and the chief innovator for the brand has created a further sense of trust in the consumers at large. As it stands, RENÉE products are not only sold on its own e-commerce platform, they are also available on other popular e-commerce platforms like Nykaa, Amazon and several others.
“As someone who loves playing & experimenting with different looks and makeup, owning a brand of my own was something I always thought of, but came around to creating only when my friends & family encouraged me. Fashion and beauty have always been my first love and with RENÉE the idea was to create a brand that’s not about selling products, but a belief. I wanted to provide Indian women with a brand that celebrates their free spirit and beauty with products that offer colours, class and unparalleled quality. I started out with Priyank and Ashutosh who helped me maneuver the brand in the direction I envisioned it to go. Since then, there is no looking back”, states Aashka Goradia, Founder, RENÉE Cosmetics.
“As a Startup, we are constantly hustling. The deadline is always yesterday and the time is always now”
Marching forward with RENÉE
RENÉE is about celebrating bold, unapologetic women who believe in expressing themselves with colours and confidence. Both of Aashka’s personal ideology and belief for the brand is the same: Women can do and be ANYTHING they want to be! The evolution of women entrepreneurship has been much needed and Aashka is glad to see it finally come through. Today, women dominate the BEAUTY homegrown beauty category and are giving tough competition to even the biggest of the MNCs. At the end of the day, she truly believes that if one has an idea, the passion to see it through and the ambition to dream bigger and bigger, it doesn’t matter what gender, region, role or religion you come from.
“At RENÉE , we’re a team with both men and women taking care of what the society would assume women-centric and male-centric roles. The goal for each one of us? To provide Indian women the kind of experience, both through product and branding, that leaves a lasting impression on them. We are RENÉE first, man or woman later”, she says.
‘Timelessly Inspired, Endlessly Enhanced’- RENÉE Cosmetics, an Indian makeup brand that’s redefining beauty with its high quality, 100 percent cruelty-free, innovative range of products. RENÉE believes in empowering women to own and enjoy their bold, ambitious persona and let their glam do the talking. Each of their products are created studying the needs of today’s woman who’s always on the go. The team is constantly studying trends and analyzing the community to bring out a never-seen-before set of products that aim to break a saturated market. Right from Fab 5-in-1 Lipstick, 3D False Eyelashes, Day & Night Dual Chamber Serum, their products have been created keeping customer and innovation at the core of it all.
“RENÉE Cosmetics believes in empowering women to own and enjoy their bold, ambitious persona and let their glam do the talking”
“RENÉE Cosmetics functions in the beauty space: we create makeup products for lips, eyes and face that are trend-breaking and have recently entered the skincare category with our range of premium face oils & serums,” she adds.
Growing with the industry
Estimates suggest that the Indian cosmetics industry is expected to grow approximately 25 percent hitting a CAGR of USD 20 billion by 2025. Being digital-first strategists, the opportunities for the company are immense. RENÉE is looking at an increased number of digital users giving them a larger audience to introduce the brand to. Technology is changing both product development and brand experience giving them a lot to play with. The only way to stay on top of the game is to be agile enough to keep up with the trends. At RENÉE , they place the maximum focus on constantly studying the market and innovating according to that. Aashka thinks RENÉE is faster than most in the business when it comes to understanding beauty trends; they are creating products that are relatable and beneficial to the community. They are constantly on their feet when it comes to trying new technologies and innovation, and are not afraid to take calculated risks.
“As it stands, RENÉE Cosmetics products are not only sold in its own e-Comm platform, it is also available in other popular e-Comm platforms like Nykaa, amazon and several others”
“It’s been a rewarding year for us at RENÉE and we couldn’t be more thankful! We have a community of 100K+ on RENÉE, we have partnered with over 200 celebrity faces, and brought some of the most innovative products to the market. We have taken the industry by storm by witnessing approx. 20X growth in our sales since inception. But the greatest success continues to be the number of people who have resonated with the brand’s ideology, which is all about celebrating modern women and their free spirit. We are proud to have brought class, colours and quality to the people of India and can’t wait to bring more. There are already plans to roll-out the offline chapter and we’re looking to find a place for ourselves across all 4 zones by the end of year. What’s more, we’re now sitting in the face of a 100cr target for RENÉE in the coming year,” Aashka says with pride.
The pandemic drive-through
While many people feared the uncertainty that the pandemic brought, Aashka continued focusing on the truth that people will always want to celebrate themselves and that's the narrative she went by leading RENÉE to the path of glory. RENÉE owned lipsticks as a space both during and post pandemic with multiple innovative offerings came into play from the brand.
“We have witnessed approx 20X growth in sales since inception which currently stands at a valuation of approx 100Cr. And all of this from a brand that started operations in the year of the pandemic”, Aashka states with pride.
A Founder’s View
Being in the showbiz industry, beauty & fashion is something that Aashka has grown up with and loved. But one thing she always felt was the lack of products that were multipurpose, easy to use and tailor-made. When she was envisioning RENÉE, she thought of the empowered women she had worked with in the past and what their needs and desires would be.
“I wanted to give them not just another product, but a chance to enjoy and play with colors, class and quality that stood out amongst the rest. Till today, this is the core belief that my team and I keep going and growing with. The biggest achievement for my company till date has been the multiple women who have believed in and enjoyed what we do, create and communicate”, she says.
“As a startup, we are constantly hustling. The deadline is always yesterday and the time is always now. In the middle of all the madness, it’s important to not forget the vision of the brand and keep yourself updated with everything else. Building a brand without understanding the market is risky. Research is paramount, and knowing what the industry and your competitors are working towards needs to be constantly studied. I always ensure that I take out time to study the market, my competitors, trends and the digital space. It not only keeps me updated and informed, but also is a great tool to add fuel to my creativity for future opportunities,” she concludes.
