Holistic Skincare: When Pharmacology and Ayurveda Meet

When pharmaceutical product development and manufacturing specialist LakshimiDevi Ethirajan decided to meld her pharmacist background with her passion for natural, holistic skincare, she knew she would make an impact. A deep understanding of production and formulation and her traditional background in Ayurveda has allowed LakshimiDevi to establish Srida Herbals as a tremendous clean beauty brand. We chatted with LakshimiDevi about getting started, the inspiration she got from her daughters and her favourite product.

What inspired your interest in clean beauty and toxin-free products?

As the mother of two beautiful girls growing into young women and beginning to take an interest in skincare and makeup, I wanted to pass on my passion for caring for oneself from the inside out. I knew that they were likely to encounter a lot of toxic products; Items containing artificial ingredients do more harm than good. So, I founded Srida Herbals in North Carolina in 2019 to keep my traditions alive, satisfy my daughters’ desires to use modern beauty products, and help others discover the importance of a holistic, natural approach to health and skincare. With Srida Herbals, we aim to make it easier for people to care for their skin and nourish their lives by educating them on why and how a healthy lifestyle can serve them best.

What do you love about running Srida Herbals?

The best part of running a clean beauty company is helping people understand that using natural products takes time to see results in their skin and hair. Seeing happy and confident people pays for all the time and effort that goes into running a clean beauty company.

How did you get started?

A pharmacist by trade, I built a successful career in the pharmaceutical industry, helping to ensure safe product development and manufacturing practices. Meanwhile, my skincare regimens were based on a natural, holistic approach stemming from Ayurvedic traditions that I learned from my mother and grandmother in India. Over time, I saw an opportunity to merge my interests and create something even better.

What did you take from the pharmaceutical industry that has made you successful?

Producing tablets, capsules, ointments, and creams in the pharmaceutical realm has taught me the importance of safe manufacturing practices. This helps me hold Srida Herbals products to a different standard of safety and quality than the industry typically requires.

My industry experience gave me an added edge since I brought production know-how that helps make our products more appealing to use – for example, creams are silkier than other natural items on the market. I also completed my certification in natural product making, which helped me choose the best ingredient combinations sourced globally for my products.

What is your biggest entrepreneurial challenge?

Herbal skin care is a journey; it is not just about applying personal products. Ayurveda teaches us that healthy lifestyle choices and natural ingredients work together to make all the difference. Consistency and patience are key to successfully bringing out natural radiance by using the best that Mother Nature has to offer. In today's fast-moving world, people want quick results. Helping people understand that it takes time to see results with their skin and hair when using natural products is the hardest part of a clean beauty entrepreneur.

Which Srida Herbals product stands out?

All of our skincare and hair care products are liked by our customers. If I have to choose a product fan favourite, it would be our 'Strong Roots Hair Oil.’ Our hair is like the crown we each wear with pride. Just like our skin, our hair goes through many phases of life. With proper, healthy care, it proudly rewards that love and affection with shine, body and softness. Srida Herbals Strong Roots Hair Oil is formulated with a unique blend of 7 oils that nourish and strengthen the roots for healthy hair growth, reduced hair breakage and fall. The high-quality oils in our product coat each hair shaft to lock in moisture, making hair soft, manageable, detangled and ready for styling. It also helps smooth frizzy hair after blow drying, straightening or curling. The seven plant oils, plus natural extracts, in Strong Roots Hair Oil, have a long tradition of use in quality hair care across the globe. This product is super nourishing, soothing and revitalizing. It helps promote thicker-looking hair and reduces premature greying and dandruff. The oils help maintain the scalp's pH at an optimal level to reduce dandruff. It also moisturizes and conditions the hair adding a shine to the hair shafts.

Srida Herblas stems from Ayurveda, formula production, family tradition, love and knowledge. The brand’s motto is 'Happiness Begins with Me’, which is embodied in every aspect of the company and their products. Lakshmi Devi strives to ensure that everyone who uses the products learns that their happiness begins from within them.

LakshimiDevi’s impact has not gone unnoticed. Along with other brands who enter the Clean Beauty Awards, Srida proves that natural can also be extremely effective. We have talked with the SALVEO founder to learn her brand story. You can check it out here.