Brands
“We wanted to create a brand for Indian body skin concerns”: Boddess Beauty’s Mansi Sharma
Mumbai: Born during the pandemic, Boddess Beauty has emerged as a dynamic force in the beauty and wellness industry. Founded by entrepreneurs Mansi and Ritika Sharma, this beauty and wellness platform boasts a diverse portfolio of 100 plus renowned brands. Committed to empowering every woman, they recently introduced their own label ‘The Honest Tree,’ a clean and vegan bath & body brand.
With a blend of curated products, offline & online platforms, and strategic collaborations, Boddess emerges as a beacon of resilience, with Mansi Sharma leading creative endeavors, setting new benchmarks in the ever-evolving beauty landscape.
Indian Television caught up Boddess Beauty co-founder and creative director Mansi Sharma to gain insights into her entrepreneurial journey, on the launch of ‘The Honest Tree’, AR/VR playing a role in enhancing the beauty shopping experience, and much more…
Edited Excerpts:
On the inspiration behind embarking on the entrepreneurial journey of creating Boddess Beauty
Boddess was the product of a deep love for beauty technology and a passion for making beauty brands available to a pan-India audience; not just in major tier one cities. Back when we started we realised that the Indian consumer has both the appetite and the curiosity for experiencing world-class beauty products and brands, but insufficient access. Through our years of experience in the industry, we curated a collection of top skincare, makeup, body care, fragrance & accessories brands to bring to the Indian consumer.
On the key challenges Boddess faced during its launch in the pandemic, especially in the beauty and wellness industry, and how did the brand successfully overcome them
As an omnichannel platform we were lucky to be able to tap into our online community when malls and public spaces were shut down. We also noticed a shift from makeup to a deeper penetration in skincare, hair care and eye makeup as growing categories as they catered to demands of the time. Every crisis brings with it an opportunity; these were just a few of the many opportunities we were presented with during the pandemic.
On the creation of your private label, ‘The Honest Tree,’ and its differentiating aspect in the market
With a deeply entrenched philosophy of growing premiumisation and more importantly personalisation, we wanted to create a brand for Indian body skin concerns, based on the reality of India’s extreme climates, pollution levels and harsh sun exposure. After studying the market, we realised a lot of local Indian brands focused solely on face care, and most highly efficacious body care products came from abroad and at a high price. After almost a year of experimentation, studies, and trials we came out with a line that provides a luxurious body care experience, catering to Indian/South Asian skin concerns at an attractive price point. Our first-of-its-kind back-acne lotion targets a niche but widely experienced concern of body/back acne that prevents consumers from exposing their body skin confidently. The response we’ve gotten is extremely gratifying for it, and this is just one of twenty-one state-of-the-art SKUs in our collection.
On the collaboration with Netflix’s “Kho Gaye Hum Kahan” and partnerships with entertainment industry projects aligning with Boddess’ brand strategy
The collaboration has a very interesting story – I had a brief stint working with Tiger Baby Films during which I came across the script of KGHK and heard that the film was looking for a beauty brand partner. I felt that the film’s characters were a perfect match to our target consumer and introductions were made. The rest as they say is history.
On seeing technology, such as augmented reality or virtual try-ons, playing a role in enhancing the beauty shopping experience
It has gone from a ‘good to have’ to a ‘must have’ status among retailers at this point. With the advent of e-commerce and online shopping having means of experiencing products and brands without having to physically be present is becoming increasingly important whether that is in fashion or beauty. However, one must note that by no means do these technological advances replace the in-person shopping experience completely. Our loyal e-commerce customers still love swatching, trying and playing with our products before they purchase. Virtual try-ons and augmented reality exist to complement the overall 360-degree retail experience instead of replacing any format.
On Boddess Beauty maintaining a balance between offering a diverse range of beauty products from renowned brands while ensuring affordability for a wider consumer base
Our selection of brands and products extend themselves right from premium to masstige and mass, but we are very selective based on product efficacy, brand ethos and consumer demand. We understand that India, being an extremely price-sensitive market is also an extremely aspirational market, with every consumer having the desire for premiumisation as well as personalisation. Therefore, it’s essential to provide a brand curation that leaves the customer inspired.
On your role as creative director at Boddess Beauty, shaped by international experience, contributing to reshaping beauty standards, combating ageism and colorism, and promoting inclusivity in the Indian beauty industry
I don’t think a world of beauty exists for us in which we are not redefining what it means to be beautiful, feel beautiful and look beautiful. From a very young age beauty has meant happiness for me. I want women and men alike to feel happy in their own skin, with makeup and skincare available as tools for them to enhance that happiness. Our campaigns with female doctors, technicians and several other inspiring figures have shed light on the beauty that comes with empathy, service and empowerment.
On Boddess Beauty’s future expansion plans, both in terms of product offerings and market reach
We have just launched two exciting new brands – Max Factor and The Honest Tree (our own body care label) with a few other major international brand launches in the pipeline. Stay tuned for brand announcements in the near future. In terms of our physical expansion, given the roaring response to our Itanagar store, we endeavour to be present in tier 2 and 3 cities wherein a large beauty footprint is still missing.
Brands
Hindustan Unilever clocks 8 per cent Q4 growth, revenue hits Rs 16,207 crore
The FMCG titan maintains its sparkle with calibrated pricing and savvy cost-saving
MUMBAI: Hindustan Unilever Limited has rounded off its financial year with a refreshing performance, posting an 8 per cent climb in revenue for the March quarter. Despite navigating a landscape of shifting commodity prices and geopolitical wobbles, the consumer goods giant proved it still has the magic touch in the Indian market.
For the quarter ending 31st March 2026, the company’s consolidated turnover reached Rs. 16,207 crores, a solid step up from the Rs. 14,955 crores seen in the same period last year. This momentum was mirrored in its annual figures, with full-year turnover for continuing operations rising to Rs. 63,763 crores. The board celebrated these results by recommending a final dividend of Rs. 22 per share, bringing the total yearly payout to a handsome Rs. 41 per share.
Profitability remained resilient even as the company tightened its belt. Quarterly Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 6 per cent to hit Rs. 3,841 crores. While the EBITDA margin saw a slight dip of 50 basis points to 23.7 per cent, the company’s underlying volume growth of 6 per cent suggests that shoppers are still reaching for their favourite household brands.
Hindustan Unilever Limited chief executive officer and managing director Rohit Jawa noted that the company is “navigating these headwinds through disciplined savings” and “calibrated pricing actions”. He added that the firm is well-positioned to handle a volatile environment, backed by “strong brands, robust financial position and operational agility”.
The year was also marked by strategic reshuffling. The company completed its takeover of Zywie Ventures Private Limited, snapping up the remaining 49 per cent stake for Rs. 824 crores. On the flip side, it bid farewell to its minority stake in Nutritionalab Private Limited, a move that netted a neat profit of Rs. 256 crores.
Across its diverse portfolio, the Home Care segment led the charge with annual revenue of Rs. 23,672 crores, followed closely by Beauty & Wellbeing at Rs. 14,990 crores. Even in the face of currency volatility and commodity fluctuations, the company managed to keep its consolidated profit after tax for the year largely steady at Rs. 10,652 crores.
As Hindustan Unilever Limited looks toward the next financial year, the focus remains firmly on “strengthening the consumer franchise while delivering sustainable and competitive growth”. With its supply chain showing grit and its brands maintaining their lustre, the company appears ready to clean up in the quarters to come.
