Hyphen is a skincare brand co-founded by actor Kriti Sanon and industry leader PEP Technologies, in 2023. It is known for its focus on facial care. The brand combines natural ingredients with scientifically-backed activities and hence, the name ‘Hyphen’.
The brand is gaining attention because it offers accessible solutions while simplifying skincare. Inclusivity, affordability, and efficacy resonate with women entrepreneurs who are looking for brands that align with their values while addressing their needs.
Hyphen is a successful D2C brand demonstrating the potential of women-led businesses in the skincare industry. It is inspiring other women to give their entrepreneurial dreams a shot.
Hyphen’s Impact and Industry Overview
“Power-packed” products that address various skin concerns while staying committed to clean, vegan, and sustainable values, is the brand’s promise.
For an Indian D2C brand, the brand is accredited with the fastest growth to a Rs 100 crore revenue milestone within its first year. With its customer-centric approach, each of their formulations are nature and science working together for highest customer satisfaction.
About Kriti Sanon – From Spotlight to Startup
Kriti started as a model and appeared in several TV commercials before starting her acting career on a strong note with a blockbuster Telugu film, and her Bollywood debut ‘Heropanti’, earned her the Filmfare Best Debut award.
Apart from her commercial movies, she garnered a national Film Award and a Filmfare award for her sterling performance in ‘Mimi’. A technical graduate, she has recently started her own production company, Blue Butterfly Films, and ventured into fashion and skincare.
Like every woman who wishes to explore her passions, and make growth a multi-dimensional thing, Kriti Sanon is a successful woman entrepreneur.
Like every well-read woman of the times, Kriti chose to be an entrepreneur to make her growth a multi-dimensional one. She used her public presence to bring simplified and effective skincare to all the ‘on-the-go women’ who are looking for easy solutions to their skin care regimens. She also co-founded a fitness startup, the Tribe.
Being an entrepreneur allows Kriti far more creative control, and ownership than her acting career can afford her.
Kriti was able to find a gap in the skincare market for effective yet affordable skincare, and that’s how Hyphen came into existence. She is driven by her passion to do something that has a lasting impact on people’s lives. Her businesses give her the bandwidth to redefine the beauty and fitness spaces.
Inside Hyphen: What the Business Is All About
Here’s a little deep dive into what Kriti Sanon is building:
Product Range
Hyphen offers science-backed formulations for the skin with natural ingredients. Customers can shop by concern whether it is hyper-pigmentation, dry and dull skin or an acne prone skin.
There are barrier-building formulations, collagen-boosting ones, and plain/tinted sunscreens that double up as a strobe cream. Dewy, hydrating and tinted lip balms, face packs, and face wipes – everything has a lot of nature, and the right measures of science to improve their efficacy.
Target Audience, Industry Niche, and Unique Positioning
The brand targets the younger consumers, specifically millennials, and Gen Z. Its target audience values transparency, is digitally savvy, and believes in building communities based on effective storytelling. They are always on the lookout for skincare products that are a blend of science and nature, and are pocket-friendly too.
Brand Values
The brand focuses on high-quality products based on rigorous research by a robust development team. A strong customer feedback mechanism is the other thing that is working for the brand.
Hyphen is committed to be plastic-neutral, PETA-certified, vegan, and cruelty-free. This is in addition to maintaining transparency while delivering efficacious and inclusive products drawn from nature, and backed by science.
The Brand’s Rise: Launch, Growth, and Milestones
Here’s why we’re talking about Hyphen by Kriti Sanon:
Launch Year and Initial Reception
Launched in 2023, the brand had a mixed initial reception. It faced challenges with customer discovery, and growth in spite of the significant media buzz.
The brand soon picked up when Hyphen saw a nearly 100% repeat purchase rate which indicated strong product satisfaction among the initial customers. Within a year, it had a user base of 1 million, and crossed a significant milestone by reaching INR 100 Cr in annualized gross sales.
Notable Marketing Campaigns and Press Coverage
The brand has garnered considerable media attention through its innovative approach to skincare, and its focus on “having it all” by hyphenating nature and science.
It has been highlighted for its customer-centric approach, and use of high-quality ingredients. It has a strong online presence, with a D2C model, and availability on Myntra, Flipkart, Amazon, BlinkIt, and Nykaa.
Revenue Milestones, Funding, and Awards
Hyphen received mentions for brand identity and packaging at the International Design Awards 2023. Its minimalist design and sustainable approach for its skincare product line, got it featured in India’s Best Design Awards (IBDA).
Hyphen achieved a remarkable milestone of Rs 100 crore in revenue within its first year of operation. The brand is aiming for a Rs 200 Cr revenue target by FY26, and Rs 500 Cr by 2027.
What Makes Hyphen Stand Out? Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Here are some lessons for women entrepreneurs who have been Kriti Sanon fans for long:
Key Takeaways from the Brand’s Strategy
Hyphen has aced the art of storytelling by roping in real people, and making them tell their stories with the products they’ve used. The testimonials, most of which are very encouraging, have ensured that the brand has the kind of repeat purchase rate that it has (100%, no less).
Smart Marketing Moves and Product Innovation
Simple aesthetics in packing, keeping with the principles of sustainability, and providing quality at affordable prices, is keeping Hyphen in a much deserved limelight.
Lessons for Aspiring Women Founders
Hyphen’s journey shows the power of authenticity, strong customer engagement, and leveraging digital platforms. The brand’s focus on real stories and feedback-driven innovation offers a blueprint for women looking to build their own ventures.
Challenges They Faced (and Overcame)
Initially, Hyphen relied on organic growth and word-of-mouth publicity. It found itself needing to expand its customer base. They decided to start with targeted promotions. Kriti Sano’s demand for high-end packaging had to be balanced with the need of keeping the products affordable, and yet classify them as mass-premium ones.
They had to work on crisis management when issues like truck strikes impacted their timelines. On the product side, some people with acne-prone skin faced some aggravations. The company emphasised patch tests before application, especially for acne-prone/sensitive skin.
Kriti Sanon, as Chief Customer Officer, is deeply involved in understanding what the customers want. The feedback is taken into account while making new formulations.
The Bigger Picture: Impact on Culture and Industry
Hyphen has influenced consumer trends by making clean, effective, and affordable skincare accessible to a wider audience.
Its success has encouraged more celebrities and women to enter the entrepreneurial space, showing that public figures can leverage their influence to build trusted brands.
Final Thoughts: Why Hyphen Matters for Hustling Women
Minimal design, quality ingredients in its product line, affordability, and a great customer connection through a strong digital presence, is the strategy that has helped Hyphen make its place as a trusted skincare company amidst a slew of them.
Hyphen’s is a story of how businesses can profit from the public draw of celebrities, who bring more credibility to it by becoming a part of its growth and development.
More and more public figures have started to look for other creative ways to express their passion, and are jumping onto the entrepreneurial bandwagon. There are many such stories of big names getting associated with entrepreneurial ventures, and trying to make a lasting impression on the masses.
The grind is going to remain but the results thereof, makes everything worth the while.
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