Rekha Sheth is the first cosmetic dermatologist in India and launched her own clinic in 1993. Growing up and see his mother’s work, Aneesh Sheth realized a need to create a skin-care line keeping in mind the characteristics, genetic disposition, and climate conditions of the Indian skin. His skincare line, Dr. Sheth’s is “for Indian skin” and combines nature and science to create luxurious and medically tested products. Read on more to find out about Dr. Rekha Sheth, Aneesh Sheth and Dr. Sheth’s:
Can you tell us a bit about your background and why you started Dr. Sheths?
RS: Going back in history, I finished my graduation in 1975. After that, I went to Germany to study cosmetic dermatology. Taking what I learned, in 1993 I started my own clinic in India, currently known as Yuva. At that time beauty was a taboo word, and I was the first cosmetic dermatologist so I really had to strive to establish myself. However, I have come a long way and have treated 1,00,000 people, over the past few decades, including celebrities, and industrialists. The people who once used to make fun of me as a beautician, come now to seek my services.
AS: Growing up I noticed that there was a huge gap for products in the market for the skin of color. Indian skin is unique as we have more melanin. We also have weak barriers and tend to secrete more oil. We need to understand that the Indian environment is also very harsh to our skin with all the pollution and dust. After much research and formulating various skincare solutions, I decided to develop Dr.Sheth’s, a skin-care line curated specifically for the Indian skin tone.
Picture Courtesy: Dr. Sheth’s
What unique ingredients are your products formulated with?
AS: We use ingredients that are established. One primary ingredient of ours is Niacin Amide, which is a vitamin b3. Our philosophy is to use whatever works, and this means going back to the book. We are also cruelty-free, sulfate-free, paraben-free, and fully vegan.
What are the challenges of starting a skincare line in India?
AS: Everything! Doing business in India is not easy. Right from sourcing the ingredients, to finding the right partners, to contacting the manufacturers that are transparent. I think one struggle is that definitions are loose and it is always a challenge to find extracts that are standardized. For example, when using a regal material like glycerin we complete a thorough analysis of the vendor independently. Luckily because of my mother’s background in cosmetic dermatology, this process becomes much easier.
Anything else you would like to add?
AS: The main thing to understand is that we have a lab and our own team of dermatologists. We also ensure to crowdsource and keep an open dialogue with our consumers. We are constantly sending prototypes of our products to clients of ours to ensure that we are meeting their demand needs. For example, we launched a ‘gulab’ (rose) toner in response to what the community asked for.
