Shaily Mehrotra on how Fixderma opened up the market for dermocosmetic segment

Established in 2010, Fixderma, a leading dermaceutical brand providing skincare solutions in India, has consistently innovated in the field of skin health. Today, the company is endorsed by over 7,000 dermatologists and exports its products to more than 35 countries worldwide. In addition to being a well-established direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand, Fixderma, together with its premium skincare line, FCL, manufactures dermatology products available through dermatologists and pharmacies both in India and abroad.

In conversation with Adgully, Shaily Mehrotra, CEO & Founder, Fixderma Group, speaks in length about Fixderma’s journey, market trends in the skincare industry, Fixderma’s recent campaigns, celebrity partnerships, and more.

Could you share the inspiring journey of Fixderma Group and how it has evolved over the years in the skincare industry?

We started Fixderma in 2010 with the clear mission to promote skin health; as the name suggests, it is all about Fixing your derm/skin. Our formulas are straightforward, transparent, and result oriented. When we started, we were the first one in the dermaceutic/ dermocosmetic segment. We filled in this gap in the skincare market. Today, there are multiple players in this segment, but I am so proud to share the evolution of the audience into accepting the dermaceutic way of skincare. Today, we have more than 2 million users with more than 200 formulations. Today, we are a part of the industry segment which generates $200 million revenue at a growth rate of 10.2%.

What are the current market trends and innovations you’ve observed in the skincare industry, and how does Fixderma stay aligned with these trends?

I won’t call it the current market trend, as I believe in trends which are result-oriented and sustainable. The trend of chemical exfoliation has my vote. I always believed in chemical exfoliation as physical methods can be so damaging for the skin. And we have been in this segment with our range of products even when it became a trend. So, you see dermaceutic brands are way progressive. In our Fixderma range, we have cleansers like Mandefix and Peelonate, which gently and effectively exfoliate your skin, giving you a clear and even skin. In FCL, we have AHA 15 lotion, which comes with the goodness of 15% glycolic acid and 1% milk protein and AHA Lightening gel.

We have heard about Fixderma’s collaborations with celebrities like Boman Irani and Vaani Kapoor, along with television actors. Please tell us more about these recent campaigns and the impact they’ve had on the brand?

Talking about association with Boman, it was a match made in heaven. Hyperpigmentation is our expertise and Nigrifix is one of the most unique products in our kitty, which effectively treats Acanthosis Nigricans (AN). Our aim was to spread awareness about AN and create visibility about Nigrifix so that the audience knows the solution available in the market, which not just has the best of the ingredients, but is also dermatologist approved. Our ‘Bye Bye Dark Patches’ campaign with Boman hit the nail and Nigrifix became our best selling products. We have won multiple awards as well for this campaign.

Now when it comes to Vaani, we were confident that her charisma and youth icon image will deliver the right message amongst the aspirational and potential youth TG about sun protection and clinically approved skincare products. We launched the ‘Meet Your Real Self’ campaign with Vaani as our ambassador, where we promoted the concept of right skincare to preserve skin’s health and make it look its real self, it’s healthy self.

In today’s digital landscape, influencer marketing plays a significant role. How important is influencer marketing for Fixderma, and how does it contribute to brand visibility and engagement?

I believe the objective is very differentiated when it comes to marketing a brand/ product through celebrity brand ambassadors vis-a-vis influencers. While celebrities are aspirational, they have mass reach and can deliver the message with the power of their image, whereas Influencers are real and relatable people. Every influencer has a certain set of followers, who can relate to them because they might have the same issue, skin problems or get inspired by their journey. We are very selective and critical with our influencer marketing approach. We are not a beauty brand. We treat your skin, we restore its health. So, our influencer marketing also consists of resources who stand by our motto of real people, real skin problems, real results. They not only make the brand reach the right audience, but also engage with them by showing real concerns and the right way to treat them.

Could you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming campaigns or initiatives that Fixderma Group is planning for in the future? Are there any plans to onboard more celebrities for brand partnerships?

We have no plans at the moment to onboard any celebrities for the brand as we already are confident of our current associations. In future, you will see more responsible initiatives from us in categories of hyperpigmentation, skin abuse and hair care. Wait for it!