"RENÉE aims to be one of the biggest players in color cosmetics"

Can you give us some details about your previous business?

We started our journey by creating an ecommerce platform that provided international luxury goods to Indian consumers and saw a huge gap in the men's grooming market. We set up Beardo, as an exclusive brand that catered to men's grooming needs which became one of the game changing brands in male grooming sector of India. Beardo grew by leaps and bounds with A-list celebrity endorsements and got acquired by Marico. Our next venture was Villain Lifestyle which rose to become one of the most successful men's perfume brand in a short span of time and got acquired by MENSA Group. Currently, apart from being the co-founder & Director of RENEE Cosmetics; a brand that's already making headlines in the female cosmetics sector, I'm also an angel investor who aims to support other brands, hustle along with them and be a part of their growth stories. 

What social media marketing tactics are you planning to use to promote your company and raise awareness?

We’re a digital first brand and therefore social media is undoubtedly our prime channel to reach and engage with our consumers directly. Our social media strategy involves an equilibrium of unique communication and engaging content that educates and shows our products’ application and texture. Our Social media content is our exclusive IP and that’s what makes us stand out among other brands. 

What distinguishes RENEE's product line from others? And what was the outcome to prioritize this product segment?

RENEE’s core focus has been innovation which was created to make premium and professional makeup easy to use and available for everyone. We all aspire to put our best foot forward wherever we go and with the changing times makeup has become a tool to transform our look and boost confidence. We saw that while there were several makeup brands in the market, but very few of them were homegrown or catered to Indian masses. We were very clear from the beginning that we want to stand out from other brands and pique our target consumer’s interest. RENEE has always looked different from other makeup brands with its unique products and effective communication. With RENEE, we want to make products that are innovative, easy to use, travel-friendly and yet affordable for everyone.  

Describe your RENEE’s innovation and its evolution from the beginning or how it has changed over time?

 We always make sure to keep our consumers’ interests, needs and aspirations in mind when we design a product. Our first product was a never seen before lipstick in India, Fab 5 in 1 lipstick. It had concise & travel-friendly packaging with 5 trending shades in a single stick. FAB 5 in 1 Lipstick soon became our signature product and is still one of our best-selling products. After that, we have launched several innovative products such as Fab Face 3 in 1 Makeup stick, Madness pH stick, Fab 3 in 1 Eyeshadow, Face Gloss, Summer Slush Jelly lip & Cheek Tint and many more keeping our innovation streak intact. 

Do you think the cosmetics market is fully developed? If so, what would you transform to remain in the market?

I feel that the market is still at a very nascent stage, India is a growing market for makeup consumers and people are still just discovering the power of makeup. There’s a lot to educate about how-when-what to use and bust a lot of myths surrounding makeup. We have seen a steep growth in self-care and self-indulgence after the pandemic in the cosmetics sector and it is estimated to grow and evolve rapidly in the coming years owing to global digitization and growth in number of people who use makeup. I believe that there is enough room for growth in this sector. It’s like the butterfly effect, as consumers will be provided with more options, more easy to use products, more awareness will be generated; which will lead to an overall growth. 

What challenges are you presently encountering in the Indian cosmetics industry?

Given our expertise in the D2C space, facing challenges is a part and parcel of the industry. There is always a new challenge to overcome and a new benchmark to reach. There may be hurdles related to marketing, supply chain or operations but for us; this is a daily chore which does not affect our abilities to grow the business and move ahead with all the more determination. 

Could you please elaborate for us on your expansion strategy?

We aim to become one of the biggest players in the color cosmetics industry and change the way makeup is used and perceived in our country. Today, RENEE has become one of the fastest growing D2C brands in India. It is the only brand to surpass a 100 crore ARR within just twenty months of its restarting its operations after the pandemic. RENEE’s vision is to be a globally recognized brand from India and reach 500 crore revenue rate by 2024.