“We take pride in the fact that we make products that are not only safe for the skin but also for your planet.”
Radhika Mukhija
(Founder, The Bare Bar)
Radhika Mukhija hails from the culturally vibrant City, of Jaipur, a place of historical significance, artistic legacy, and deep-rooted traditions. Having been born to seafarer parents, Radhika’s childhood was shaped by a socially and environmentally aware landscape. Her grandparents were influential figures in organisations like the United Nations Environmental Preservation, Social Welfare, and Tourism. All these experiences shaped Radhika’s early years, making her aware of the world around her and falling in love with nature.
“Growing up in a family that cared a lot about the world, I learned to appreciate nature and love art from a young age. Even though I enjoy expressing myself through art, I found my passion in traditional and natural skincare. Today, I am living my childhood dream by leading my own homegrown brand, The Bare Bar. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and now, I get to share it with everyone,” shares Radhika.
Radhika is also the Founder of Maadhyam, a Bangalore-based socially responsible organisation that works with a dual objective to spread the love of art and give back to society. Through Maadhyam, she provides a platform to promote emerging Indian artists, sculptors, and artisans to showcase their work and bridge the gap between the artist and the buyer not only regionally but all across the country.
The Bare Bar: Simple, Clean & Sustainable
The Bare Bar creates handmade, sustainable beauty and wellness products. All its ingredients are sourced locally and are made in Bangalore, India without the use of any artificial colours, bleaches, fragrances, parabens, harmful chemicals, preservatives or any other nasties that come with commercial skin care products. Hemp seed oil, tamanu oil, clay, tulsi, argan oil, turmeric, mango butter, and rosehip seed oil are some of the ingredients used by The Bare Bar.
She personally curates her favourite fragrances for ‘The Bare Bar’ palette. She draws in her art and cultural background to give the brand a distinct identity. The products showcase an organic and earthy look of her rooted-to-earth Indian personality. All the products at ‘The Bare Bar’ are safe for the skin and the planet.
Vanilla deodorant, Kashmiri Lavender deodorant, Gulab lip balm, Vanilla body butter, Rose deodorant, and Madurai Jasmine deodorant are some of The Bare Bar’s best-selling products. It offers a holistic range of care– Face Care, Body Care, Hair Care, Baby Care, and a Wellness collection to cater to diverse needs. Its other products include soap bars, revitalising face mists, lip scrubs, accessories, body butter, face and body oils, deodorants and many other products that promise a sensory treat while nurturing well-being.
When Radhika Had To Jump Through Hoops
For Radhika, establishing The Bare Bar was solving a puzzle with missing pieces and she solved it really well. She was transitioning from a background unrelated to personal care and thus faced challenges in understanding legal formalities and state regulations for her start-up.
“Procuring materials that matched sustainability standards was tough. It posed difficulties in adhering to the desired standards of quality, quantity, and affordability of the products. Over and above that, vendor demands for advance payments and buyer requests for credit were another major issue. Resilient Radhika didn’t see setbacks as roadblocks but embraced them as learning opportunities. These challenges not only set a strong foundation for The Bare Bar but also helped Radhika explore the undiscovered.
What Makes The Bare Bar Unique?
The Bare Bar, founded in 2020, is based on sustainability and provides customers with responsible means to enhance their beauty. All the products are vegan and cruelty-free, and these products are locally made and handcrafted in India. Its customers include people who value a conscientious lifestyle, spanning across generations from Gen Z to 50-year-olds. Its products cater to everyone with strict adherence to quality, affordability, and inclusivity.
“I feel that one can indulge one’s senses, nurture and nourish oneself and yet care for the environment. While taking care of oneself is important, it should be done in a way that respects and protects our planet,” believes the Founder.
The team at The Bare Bar are environment lovers and embody a preference for a conscious and quality-driven lifestyle. Explaining how the start-up creates connections, Radhika says, “We build strong connections with our clients by actively engaging with the community through street shows, flea markets, pop-ups and meaningful interactions, in which we try to educate our audience about our ingredient choices and the rationale behind using sustainable products.”
Furthermore, The Bare Bar uses social media as a continuous channel for connection, education, interaction and striving to build a community around the brand. It also provides a direct avenue for customers to share their thoughts and ideas and offer feedback. The brand doesn’t just deliver products but builds extraordinary experiences for its customers.
“With each step we take and every door we knock on, we’re creating a story where being confident, feeling happy, and doing good things all come together smoothly. We are not just a brand about aesthetic allure, we’re all about being effective, honest, and completely transparent in everything we deliver.”
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