Skincare as self-care can be taught early, says Mira Kapoor on launching Akind

In a world obsessed with elaborate 10-step skincare routines, celebrity influencer and public figure Mira Rajput Kapoor swears by her mantra of “less is more”. 

“I don’t think time directly correlates with the number of steps, and my skincare routine is as much about being the best version of myself. In terms of steps, it has never been more than four steps (for me),” said Kapoor, who recently launched her skincare brand Akind in partnership with Reliance Retail’s omnichannel beauty retail platform Tira Beauty.

Kapoor said that she focuses on a single skin concern a day. “Doing nothing sometimes is equally important. If you can take a rest day from the gym, you can take a rest day from skincare as well,” Kapoor told YourStory. 

Akind, which has launched nine products, including serums, moisturisers, toners, and sunscreen, is Tira’s first skincare label. Earlier this year, the omnichannel beauty retailer launched its nail care brand, Nails Our Way, apart from its private label for beauty accessories under the label Tira tools.

The partnership with Akind began in November 2022 with Kapoor being involved in the process of selection of products, packaging, and other aspects of brand building. This also comes full circle for her as she has been an angel investor in brands, including yoga startup SARVA Yoga, nutrition brand Wellbeing Nutrition, and organic grocery brand Zama Organics. 

“Beauty has been my first passion and now that I have this opportunity in Akind, I want to give it all my time and attention. As a brand, it focuses on skin health and is inclusive to all skin types and all genders. I think we have an opportunity to be a part of almost every person's shelf in the country,” said Kapoor. The brand also plans on launching new products later in the year. 

Akind joins the list of celebrity-led skincare brands such as Deepika Padukone’s 82^oE and Kriti Sanon-backed Hyphen Skincare targeting the Indian consumer. 

According to a report by Avendus, Direct-to-Consumer beauty and personal care brands are set to grow to a $28 billion market size in India by 2025. A recent survey by Global Data shows that 31% of Indians are influenced heavily by social media for beauty and personal care products, which only points to an increasing interest in the sector. 

While there has been a worrying trend with the rise of ‘Sephora kids—used to refer to tweens in school spending on skincare and beauty products, especially in Tier 1 cities—a focus on skincare from a young age is not all bad, said Kapoor, adding that it can help inculcate healthy habits early on. 

“If skincare is channelised into self-care early on, it is a great thing. Many times, you have your first battle with acne in your teenage years, which is very natural. If you introduce the concept of addressing problems and finding solutions holistically through the right nutrition, exercise, sleep, and a minimal skincare routine, it can arrest a lot of damage that many of us face now,” she added. 

With its mid-market pricing, Akind aims to be one of the first brands to launch products which consumers can experience at the beginning of their journey into self-care and beauty. The price point also lends itself to forming a routine and staying consistent, said Kapoor. 

“Given that it is proudly conceptualised in India keeping in mind Indian skin and Indian weather, it is going to be a differentiator because it is not greasy, sticky, and easy to layer with a minimal approach. It is an easy-to-build routine and you can take it down or up a notch,” she added. 

She said that with a consumer-first approach, Akind does not leave any specific skin type behind. 

At present, Akind will be available at Tira, both online and offline, with the potential to be launched across other formats.