Rupam Singh could find one thread binding the prescription of several dermatologists she consulted – they were to ease the symptoms of her daughter’s Eczema – not cure it.
At just six months, the baby’s sensitive skin meant most products – from clothing to creams – flared up the baby’s skin.
Rupam’s hunt for suitable skincare products for her baby would only end when she went back to her roots – recreating clothes, toiletries and food in the style and manner that her grandparents had used.
And thus, her journey towards products that are free from harmful chemicals and perfect for sensitive skin began.
Today, Rupam and her sister Anupam have developed a brand that ensures that you and your child get the best of nature in personal care products.
Click on this link to purchase the products by Prakrta.
The young baby and the birth of Praktra:
One can only imagine the distress Rupam felt when she realised that her baby daughter’s Eczema could be triggered by anything – the carpet on which she played, the affectionate lady who planted a kiss on her cheeks, the clothes she was wearing.
At one point, the young one (name withheld upon request) could not even go outdoors.
The devoted mother was trying everything she could to ease her baby’s pain. But most dermatologists in Hyderabad (where she lived at the time, about nine years ago) could only provide prescriptions to relieve the symptoms.
When Rupam got a prescription for a steroid-based medicine for her new-born, she decided this was the last straw.
“The baby was nine months old by the time Rupam consulted a dermatologist who suggested a complete U-turn from this approach. Instead of prescribing medicines for Eczema, she recommended we go back to the solutions that our grandparents adopted – virgin coconut oil, cotton clothes etc. We tried that, and within a month or two, it started showing results. So much so that the neighbours would inquire about the dramatic progress!” Anupam tells The Better India (TBI).
For another four years or so, friends and family members of the sisters would come to them, seeking solutions for their skin problems. Initially, for free and later for a nominal fee to cover their expenses, Rupam and Anupam started sharing their skin products with their loved ones.
By 2014, the sisters had hit upon the idea for Prakrta– a brand that would make all-natural skincare products.
Prakrta- skincare products that use no harmful chemicals:
“We are a 100 per cent natural skin nutrition brand. By that, I mean that not only are all our products made from strictly natural products, but every ingredient also has an active skin benefit. Even if an ingredient is natural but does not actively nourish the skin, we don’t use it,” Anupam explains.
Mineral oil and petroleum-based products are not only harmful to the skin in the long run but can also trigger allergies in the delicate skin of babies. They are thus a total no-no at Prakrta.
Anupam clarifies that even so, every baby and adult needs to undergo a patch test to check if their skin is happy with the product.
“It’s a living, breathing organ and one can never be too sure about what it likes and what it reacts adversely too. Although this is a rare incident, we have had feedback from a client who was allergic to the virgin coconut oil we use in most of our products,” she tells TBI.
Click on this link to choose from their catalogue of all-natural hair and skincare products.
Between 2010, when Rupam saw how her daughter’s Eczema was getting under control until 2014, her remedies had been tested by over a hundred friends and friends of friends.
It happened organically (not ironically) since Rupam’s friends, who were new parents, came to her asking what magic potion was working charms on her baby. Some adults too consulted her.
Over time, the young mother and Anupam started making the products on-demand and charging their customers only for the ingredients.
By 2014, they decided to go commercial with it.
Today, they have a range of baby oils, face serums, hair oils, skin polisher and body butter to benefit both babies and adults. You can check out their range and purchase their awesome products by clicking on this link.
Also Read: Learn How to Make Natural Skincare Products at Home at This Bengaluru Workshop!
(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)
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