For a long time, Indian buyers had a very clear habit when it came to buying expensive skincare. If someone wanted to feel pampered, they naturally chose a French or American brand.
People respected Ayurveda for its healing benefits, but the market associated local remedies with sticky massage oils, strong medicinal smells, and basic plastic bottles sold at neighbourhood pharmacies.
Then, in 2000, Mira Kulkarni changed how people viewed Indian skincare when she founded Forest Essentials. Kulkarni started the business in New Delhi with a very small investment of about two lakh rupees and just two people helping her. In the beginning, the company made only handmade soaps and candles. 
But she built a brand that made the market see ancient Indian traditions as true luxury. The reason the company commands so much respect has nothing to do with flashy modern advertising. It is simply a great example of complete confidence in local culture.
How Forest Essentials Built Loyalty
Many local startups make a big mistake early on. When executives want to build a premium brand, they give it a fake Italian or French name. The common assumption is that Indian buyers will not pay premium prices for a local, traditional product.
Forest Essentials did the exact opposite. Its labels proudly feature Sanskrit names like Tejasvi and Soundarya. By embracing its Indian roots with complete confidence, the brand proved that traditional recipes could be positioned as premium luxury.
The market response was so strong that it attracted international attention. In 2008, The Estée Lauder Companies acquired a minority stake in the business. It later increased that stake, and in 2026, the company moved towards full ownership.
For many Indian brands, a corporate partnership of this scale can completely change the identity of the product. So far, however, Forest Essentials has retained its character. The focus remains firmly on natural ingredients, Ayurvedic traditions, and uncompromising product quality.
A premium price works only when the product justifies it. When a customer pays around ₹3,000 for a 75 ml face wash, they expect exceptional quality.
When shoppers walk into a Forest Essentials store, they are greeted by the fragrance of real Madurai jasmine and pure sandalwood rather than synthetic perfumes. The brand delivers this experience by refusing to cut corners in production.
Using pure cow’s ghee, hand-pounded herbs, and genuine 24-karat gold dust significantly increases manufacturing costs. But this commitment to authentic ingredients creates a sensory experience that mass production simply cannot replicate.
Consider how the brand built its early reputation. The company did not rely on expensive television advertising or chase social media trends. Its breakthrough came when the Hyatt Regency in New Delhi ordered its handmade soaps for guest rooms.
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When affluent travellers checked into a five-star suite, they found those distinctive green and gold bottles waiting by the bathtub. Using the soap became part of the memory of a luxurious stay.
Long before customers walked into a Forest Essentials store, their minds had already begun associating the brand with premium quality.
The in-store experience further strengthens that perception. Well-trained staff patiently explain the herbs used to address different skin concerns. The lighting is warm and calming, the shelves are immaculately arranged, and the entire shopping experience feels thoughtfully curated and exclusive.
The lesson for modern executives is simple. A founder cannot put a gold foil label on an ordinary product and call it premium. True luxury comes from an uncompromising commitment to quality and every detail of the customer experience.
Build something so authentic and effective that customers feel proud to display it on their bathroom shelf. That is how a brand earns the right to be expensive.
– Written by Rajnish Singh, a copywriter and strategist with a background in fast-paced journalism, who explores the gap between what brands promise and how consumers actually behave.
