Shining Skincare with Rani Debrai
Renowned businesswoman Rani Dabrai created a new skincare brand, Nyrah Beauty. Rachel Spillane finds out more...
Rani, what caught your eye about the beauty industry?
I guess my entrepreneurial streak has always been triggered when I see something that I feel is being missed– an opportunity to make a difference. With beauty, it was funny – an industry that touched me in one way or another every single day and yet I never gave it too much thought. Then, I entered what felt like a new phase in my life – my kids weren’t babies any more, I was suddenly a 40-something mum with changing beauty needs. All of a sudden I felt…sort of inadequate. Wherever I looked I felt like the beauty industry was telling me I wasn’t good enough – everything on the shelf felt like it fell solidly into three clear categories – A) For the ‘young’ B) For the women who wanted to look young C) Medical approaches to looking younger. It bewildered me because I didn’t fall into any of these categories. Do I have lines, stretch marks, bits of me that looked different from the thirty-something me? Sure. But, did I want to erase time, reverse time, pretend I was something I wasn’t? Absolutely not. I just wanted to feel good enough. And even though it was only a pot of cream, a small purchase, I didn’t need to feel like I was past my sell-by date when I was handing over my cash. So, I wanted to change that.
I wanted to create something that spoke to me, and all women, differently and made me feel that it’s ok to be me. No erasing, no reversing – just me.
What would you say the biggest challenge has been creating a business amidst Covid?
I’m so fortunate that I get to work with such wonderful teammates. Truly, Nyrah belongs to the minds and hearts of all the people who have gone into making it come to life. Covid unfortunately meant that we didn’t get to spend the physical time together that I would have liked.
No amount of Zoom calls can replace the energy in a room that comes from physically being together.
What was the motivation behind Nyrah Beauty?
When the idea first came into my head and I started to talk about it to my friends, I was struck by the number of women with whom I was essentially having the same conversation. When I tried, in my own way, to put words to the feeling I was having that – for some reason I had begun to feel invisible
the minute I hit 40 – I couldn’t get over how many other women identified with that same feeling. So, Nyrah was born with a meaning centered around ‘brilliant shining light’, we were able to create a brand with purpose, meaning and the ability to make a difference.
Why are you so passionate about skincare?
Growing up in India, I learned a lot about Ayurveda and that sparked in me a passion for wellness in general. I believe that our skin is probably the most taken for granted thing about our bodies and I have always done my best to treat it with respect. My grandfather, who raised me in Mumbai, died in his eighties but had the skin of a man half his age. He taught me from a young age to really look after my skin and general wellbeing and his habits always stuck with me.
The Nyrah Beauty range includes skincare heroes – hyaluronic acid, bio-Retinol, vitamin E – how important was it to you to use these ingredients?
Working with a partner like Lynoslife, we were so lucky to have the knowledge and wisdom of their accumulated years in industry. From them, I learned the impact of good quality ingredients and how best to use them. Not just the stuff of marketing that is mainstream, but the real science of the ingredients and how they interact with our skin – and moreover, at different ages and stages of our lives. As soon as I truly understood the depth andvalue of these ingredients, for us it was a non-negotiable – we had to make a product that was effective and delivered value.
Nyrah Beauty was created for women by women. Is there a target age-group who would suit these products?
Our products were created with the skin of women who are 40 and over in mind but that’s not to say a younger woman couldn’t love these products as much as we do.
Are you meticulous about your skincare routine?
I really believe that we need to care for our skin both outside and in. I never go to bed without having completely cleaned my skin – no matter how late it is. Morning and evening, I am religious about my skincare routine, but I differ what I do at the start of the day from the end of the day. Once a week I’ll do a deep exfoliation and a mask, I also treat blemishes gently. Lastly, I never go a day without drinking at least two litres of water – more, if I’m travelling or very active.
Where do you want to go with Nyrah Beauty?
We really want to continue making a meaningful impact on the lives of the women who trust us. Now that we have started getting some loyal followers, I want to ensure that we listen to their feedback so that in five years, we have a brand and a range that is truly serving our tribe. WW
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