Reisha Shetty Junior Digital Writer

A social media icon, entrepreneur, and now, a mother, Diipa Büller-Khosla has always been a firm believer in following her heart and showing her truest self, even on social media.

Khosla, who is based out of Amsterdam, has often spoken about her heritage and culture, and about how it has impacted her life for the better, especially when it comes to beauty.

Aside from working round the clock to put India on the global map, Khosla often lets her followers in on beautiful moments with her family, especially with her beautiful baby girl, Dua.

Recently, she brought her popular ‘Ayurvedestry’ skincare brand, indē wild to India, which saw tremendous sales on the day of the launch itself, with both the products selling out in almost two hours!

We caught up with Diipa Büller-Khosla and spoke about her journey with skincare, building her beauty brand, and sharing a new side of Ayurveda with the world. Here’s an excerpt from our chat...

HELLO!: What was your skincare journey like while growing up?

Diipa Büller-Khosla: My personal skincare journey actually began as a teenager. I was 13 years old when I realised I had really oily skin and soon after I had a bad phase of acne till I was about 23 years old. When I was finally able to get rid of the acne, what stayed were the acne scars. That is when I started diving deep into skincare, learning what it is all about and what I have been doing wrong for the last 10 years to aggravate my skin.

H: What are the few things that you have learned during this journey?

DBK: So here’s what I learned then and have been following to date: Skincare is very holistic. It is a big mistake that we think is about the products you put on your skin. That is a part of it sure, but so is what you eat, and what your lifestyle is in terms of stress, and workout.

To truly get good skin, you have to take care of all these aspects. Skin takes time: I wish I knew this as a teenager because I was very impatient and focused on immediate results. So whenever you start a new routine, take it slow and give it time. Results won’t show overnight. Follow the routine at least for a month to understand whether or not it is getting you results and only then try something new. Less is more: Trust me I’ve learned this the hard way. When it comes to skincare, it is important to educate yourself about the ingredients. Seek professional help when needed: Especially with skin concerns like scarring or discolouration, seeking advice from a dermatologist will help in healing your skin and bringing it back to its original texture.

H: How, and when, did you start your journey with Ayurveda? How did you bring it into your skincare routine?

DBK: I suffered from acne for about 12 years and I tried pretty much everything to overcome it. Eventually, what cured it was a combination of science and Ayurveda which began with cleaning up my diet, using the right ingredients and superfoods, leading a holistically balanced life that Ayurveda prescribes - combined with incorporating salicylic acids, adding AHAs and BHAs into my skincare routine. All of this combined is what finally cleared my acne. I would love for people to learn from my journey that you can really combine both these worlds that have been highly studied and have lasted the test of time, to use them together to clear your skin and your gut. With indē wild, people can actually get the best of both worlds.

H:  Do you remember a childhood skincare secret that you follow even today?

DBK: A childhood skincare secret that I use today is that while washing my face, I always put really cold water or rub ice on my face as the last step to close all the pores and refresh the skin.

H: Blending Ayurvedic ingredients with actives is something very unique and new. What inspired you to incorporate that into indē wild?

DBK: Growing up, my mother was an ayurvedic doctor, so I’ve always been exposed to the science of skin and Ayurvedic rituals that help to enhance and connect the body to the soul. I know first-hand how important it is to find the right products that will work for my skin type and tone. I wanted to create a brand that not only solved those problems but I wanted it to be real, l want to be radically transparent about not just what ingredients are in these products but who these are made for.

It’s suitable for all skin types but also caters to the specific needs of Indian skin tones, like myself. We’re pairing our ancient rituals and culture with cutting-edge science by involving experts on both ends of the spectrum from choosing the Ayurvedic ingredients to the formula creation, which took two years to develop! By bringing Ayurvedistry to the market a brand new segment of beauty we’re offering something new and unheard of, filling whitespace.

H: How do you balance your core philosophy with your brand strategy? Was it hard for you to find the perfect balance?

DBK: I truly believe that the brand is an extension of my core philosophy and all that I personally believe in. Just like me, the brand stems from India and is representing India at a global level. I won’t say it was not challenging but I am also grateful for the support I’ve had to build this brand. A lot of things made it easier for me to find the perfect balance - like my mom being an Ayurvedic practitioner really helped me understand all the benefits and how they can be paired together with active ingredients to cut down the multiple layers in one’s skincare routine and keep it minimal.

 H: Has your experience of being an influencer helped you in this journey?

DBK: Yes and no. Yes, because it has enabled me to experience so many many different products comprising all sorts of ingredients, that only further educated me about skincare. No, because my journey as an influencer and that of an entrepreneur has been very different. Both are individual and full-time professions that I am constantly juggling between.

H: Has selling the Ayurvedic principles in the west been a tough task?

DBK: No, I think globally people are waking up to the power of Ayurveda. For generations now we have been consuming what the world today knows as turmeric latte.

H: What’s the skincare trend you’re currently obsessed with?

DBK: Minimalism. I like to keep my skincare routine as minimalistic as possible by using the products that work best for me

 H: What’s next for you and indē wild?

DBK: Next for indē wild is to foray into the hair category as well. I can’t reveal much yet but it’s going to be a very exciting product that my community has been waiting for for a very long time. The launch is also related to my mom which is very exciting for me. After that, we are going to bring out more products in the skincare and haircare category, all while expanding in new markets and continue doing the good work that we are currently doing.