Michelle Ranavat, Ranavat Botanics

Thanks to nimble independent beauty brands, the digital pace of life, and the swift R&D precedent set by K-beauty, speed-to-market in the cosmetics and personal care industry has accelerated and become even more desirable in the last couple of years.

The Ranavat Botanics launch story gives insight into how this is happening; the brand benefits from founder Michelle Ranavat’s professional experience and personal work ethic, from ingredient trends, from a carefully fashioned brand story inspired by Ayurveda and enriched by royal beauty rituals.

Here, the beauty entrepreneur shares a profile of herself and the brand.

Name: ​Michelle Ranavat, Founder and CEO

Indie Beauty Company:​ Ranavat Botanics

Launched:​ August 23, 2017                         

Headquarters: ​Los Angeles, California

Financial reality: ​Ranavat Botanics is a small business that launched 1 month ago!

Team work:​ 1 full-time employee

Distribution: ​Ranavat Botanics is selling through our site: ranavatbotanics.com, and we are looking to expand into retail channels such as department stores.

Years in beauty: ​This is my first year in the beauty industry! My educational background is in industrial engineering and for the past 7 years I have worked in sales and supply chain, sourcing ingredients from around the world. (Learn more about Ranavat’s background in this item​ from Beauty Independent.)

Years at Ranavat Botanics​: I started the company in January of 2017 and launched the business at Indie Beauty Expo in August​ of this year.

Entrepreneurial experience:​ Business has been in my family for many generations on both sides of my family. My dad spent his childhood in my grandfather’s chemicals shop in Mumbai and eventually moved to the US, where he started his own company in the basement of our home in Wisconsin. He has since grown his company on a global level with over 22,000 products. 

Inspired by his journey and strong values, I decided to start my own. I use his basic philosophy and principles combined with a product I am personally passionate and excited to create.

The business: ​Ranavat Botanics creates luxurious, high-performance botanical skin treatments inspired by India’s lavish royals.

The wow-factor: ​Ranavat Botanics is a modern interpretation of Ayurveda. My goal was to create an elevated look and feel to the products themselves and also the experience. My goal is to transport you to a time where kings and queens ruled and self-care was prioritized and paramount. 

Aside from the beautiful packaging, we hold ingredient quality to a very high standard. Each product in the line is certified by either USDA or Made Safe to ensure it is non-toxic and organic where mentioned. All products are leaping bunny certified and made here in the USA. Integrity is extremely important to me personally and I wanted to create a very high quality, yet beautiful line with the finest ingredients.

The customer: ​The royals were obsessed with the freshest skin treatments and indulged in self-care regularly. If you are someone that wants a bit more self-care in your life, I know you will love Ranavat Botanics. 

The product: ​The Kiss of Royal Tea masque is filled with rose petals and New Zealand Manuka Honey Powder, quenching your skin’s thirst with their hydrating properties. Eternal Reign is packed with free-radical fighting antioxidents. It’s a superfood masque that is like a green smoothie for your face. The illuminating power of Flawless Veil lies within the fuller’s Earth and Manuka Honey blend, layered with saffron​ and other organic botanicals to bring out a beautiful glow from within.

All products are suited for all skin types, so you can’t go wrong!

Milestone moments: ​Engaging with customers at Indie Beauty Expo was so gratifying. A few people walked the whole floor and came back to me saying they couldn’t stop thinking about our Jasmine Tonique. Hearing that type of feedback makes me so proud.

And, we have recently had some great press mentions and as a result a few major retailers have shown interest. It feels good when an established company I look up to believes in the Ranavat story and treatments.

Advice for fellow indie beauty entrepreneurs​: Invest! I would invest in creating a very strong brand identity and vision for your company. It is extremely important to know who you are and really bring that to life visually in great imagery, your product design and of course your website. I would rather release fewer products, but keep the level of your brand elevated.

Just one: ​Asked about her go-to product, Ranavat concedes, this is so hard, but I would pick my Eternal Reign Masque! Each time I use Eternal Reign I feel a glow in my skin—it has been a complete game changer for me and I have noticed my skin improve dramatically. A close second would be my Jasmine Tonique because I always carry it with me – the scent reminds me of a beautiful garden in India. 

I never leave my house without a hat and some sunscreen because ultimately, the best thing you can do for your skin is to protect it!