In the bustling world of beauty, where trends come and go, O&O Beauty stands out as a beacon of authenticity and self-expression. Founded by three visionary women from different walks of life, this innovative brand is on a mission to revolutionise the way we perceive and interact with makeup.
Inspired Beginnings
Driven by a shared passion for clean beauty and empowered femininity, the founders of O&O Beauty- Mansi Agrawal, Sumedha Sharaff and Pallavi Sharaff- have crafted a narrative that celebrates the diverse beauty of women at every stage of life. ‘We saw an opportunity to not only participate in this flourishing market but also to bring a fresh perspective that resonated with consumers seeking authenticity and quality. We wanted to bring forward a homegrown luxury brand that lived on three pillars of minimalism, conscious and effortless,’ says Mansi.
Ticking All The Right Boxes
From their purposeful commitment to their unwavering dedication to cruelty-free practices, it’s safe to say O&O Beauty is rewriting the rulebook on what it means to be a conscious beauty brand. ‘ In today's world, we recognize that it's not merely a choice, but an imperative responsibility for businesses to operate with consideration for the environment and the communities they impact. To ensure our commitment to sustainability in every aspect of our operations, we've implemented a range of practices,’ says Mansi.
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But being a conscious, cruelty-free brand didn’t come easy. ‘It may have taken us a tad bit more time to find the perfect fit for the manufacturer. We did go through multiple iterations for the formulations and it took us almost one and a half years of R&D (Research and Development). While performance, longevity and the texture of each formula were the non-negotiable parameters, we did not deviate from being clean, cruelty-free and conscious. For example, we did not use the pigment from Carmine,” explains Pallavi. Carmine is a red dye derived from crushed cochineal insects, making it unsuitable for cruelty-free products due to the insects' exploitation and harm during extraction. Besides being cruelty-free, O&O Beauty is also vegan, paraben and phthalates free. ‘We have taken the step to partner with PETA-certified and Vegan-certified factories. This demonstrates our dedication to cruelty-free practices and ensures that our products are not only of high quality but also aligned with ethical standards,’ adds Sumedha.
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Let’s Talk Products
O&O Beauty is all about embracing the essence of minimalist luxury. And so, their products are carefully crafted and put through rigorous testing to ensure they deliver both effectiveness and indulgence. With each application, the brand wants women to feel pampered and empowered, knowing they're treating themselves to something special.
And boy, does it feel special and luxurious. The Serum Lipsticks, in particular, come in great packaging- a matte finish bullet with a magnetic closure- great when you want to apply on the go. The lipstick itself? Super hydrating with a velvety finish. I love that it’s also buildable so I can take the pigment up a notch when I’d like it to! The best part was that it felt like I didn’t have anything on my lips- which is such a blessing in the sea of well-pigmented and formulated lipsticks.
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I also happened to try their All Over Colour- a multi-use tint you can use for your lips, cheeks and eyes. I’m currently obsessed with beauty products I can use in more than one way. It just means you get so much more use out of one product while being able to help you achieve a soft monochrome look. And this tint from O&O doesn’t disappoint. It comes on soft, smooth and is easy to blend, allowing you to build it up if you’d like.
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Having a line of products that are versatile enough, i.e. buildable and multi-use is the need of the hour- and O&O delivers exactly that with other products like the Glow Blush and Complexion Stick, a blush-bronzer and multi-use face stick respectively.
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Giving Back
But O&O Beauty is more than just a makeup brand; it's a step in the right direction when it comes to conscious business. ‘It was very important for us as founders to give our brand a purpose beyond the sales of our products. We wanted to make a difference and embed a value system within our brand which understood its social responsibility,’ says Sumedha. That’s where the Shades of Love Foundation comes into the picture. Through this, the brand sends a pack of biodegradable sanitary napkins to girls in a school in Haryana for each order you place. ‘Menstrual equity, to us, was extremely important because we cannot talk about empowering women or gender inclusivity without giving women/girls access to menstrual products and services. In India, the statistics are still alarming with 23 per cent of girls dropping out of school because of the lack of menstrual care. We decided to focus on the younger girls as they are the next generation. Every month we distribute biodegradable sanitary napkins in schools and we intend to hold educational camps across slums to tackle the taboo behind menstruation. It has also made our brand resonate with a lot of customers who care about the impact their purchase makes,’ adds Sumedha.
On Being Women Entrepreneurs
We asked the O&O founder trio to share their mantra with our readers and here’s what they said.
‘For a woman entrepreneur, it is a bold step that they have taken to enter this world. However, the journey is full of opportunities and challenges. It is important to stay true to your values, passion and purpose.’ - Pallavi Sharaff
‘We must learn to celebrate all our successes, however small they may be. Let the failures not define us but be the biggest teacher. As women it is imperative that we help other women as we can be each others’ strongest allies.’ - Mansi Agrawal
‘Together let's create an India where women entrepreneurs are not an exception but a norm.’- Sumedha Sharaff
As the beauty industry continues to evolve, O&O Beauty stands poised at the forefront of change, inspiring women to redefine beauty on their terms and embrace their individuality with confidence and grace.