How an Assam startup is rethinking sustainable magnificence

India’s magnificence and private care trade has been booming, however additionally it is underneath scrutiny. Shoppers are more and more questioning the environmental value of cosmetics and the chemical compounds that go into on a regular basis self‑care. Throughout the nation, a brand new technology of entrepreneurs is responding with manufacturers rooted in sustainability, science, and transparency.

The Bathtub Science, launched in 2022 by Dr Geetima Deka, is considered one of Assam’s younger ventures rethinking private care. The founder’s mission is to redefine luxurious by remodeling waste into wellness — upcycling stale flowers, fruit waste, and meals by‑merchandise into practical skincare elements. Rooted in science and round sustainability, the model positions itself as “zero‑waste, zero‑tox”, with merchandise designed to be safer for each individuals and the planet.

From Concept to Impression

Geetima describes her resolution as each private and purposeful. “I wished to construct one thing significant, one thing that might flip waste into worth and make self‑care safer for individuals and the planet,” she says. That conviction turned the muse of The Bathtub Science.

“Our uniqueness lies on the intersection of science and round sustainability,” she explains. By upcycling discarded supplies into skincare elements, The Bathtub Science goals to show that waste is usually a useful resource, not a legal responsibility.

The early hurdles had been acquainted to most younger manufacturers. “The most important problem was belief; convincing individuals {that a} small Assam‑based mostly waste upcycling model may ship high quality akin to massive beauty firms,” Geetima recollects. Infrastructure was one other barrier: scaling manufacturing whereas sustaining purity and sustainability requirements.

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Authorities assist at a essential stage

That is the place the Assam authorities stepped in. “The Assam authorities got here on board at a essential development stage when the concept was validated, however scaling sustainably was a problem,” she says. Probably the most impactful assist got here by the My Assam Startup ID (MASI) grant of Rs 10 lakh, together with incubation and mentoring underneath the Startup Assam initiative.

The funding allowed The Bathtub Science to strengthen manufacturing processes, enhance compliances and certifications, and put money into higher sourcing and high quality management. Put up‑assist, Geetima notes, “We noticed stronger operational confidence, higher market entry, elevated belief from companions and prospects. With out this assist, scaling responsibly with out compromising sustainability would have been a lot slower and riskier.”

For Geetima, the connection to Assam is just not incidental however central. “Assam offers me uncooked supplies, tales, resilience, and id. I don’t wish to go away Assam to develop. I wish to develop Assam by my work,” she says.

She argues that Assam’s problem is just not an absence of expertise however visibility. As she places it: “Expertise is already right here; the narrative simply wants amplification.”

Wanting forward

The Bathtub Science continues to be younger, however its trajectory displays a bigger shift in India’s magnificence trade: sustainability is now not a distinct segment, it’s turning into mainstream. For Assam, ventures like Geetima’s present how native entrepreneurs can construct manufacturers that compete with nationwide gamers whereas staying rooted in regional id.

The founder’s journey underscores the position of presidency assist in bridging the hole between validation and scale. It additionally highlights how private conviction, scientific rigor, and ecosystem backing can come collectively to create a model that aspires to redefine luxurious; not by extra, however by accountability.

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