Ranavat: A Truly Luxurious Skincare Brand That Unapologetically Illuminates Ancient Indian Tradition
We interviewed the Michelle Ranavat, the founder of luxe beauty brand Ranavat. We are elated to share a truly luxurious skincare brand that unapologetically illuminates ancient Indian tradition. When we tell you that this brand's core values are embedded in rich quality ingredients - we are not joking. There are certain brands that we love to share for their passion for exquisite quality and organic ingredients and stellar packaging - Ranavant and Beneath Your Skin - are at the top of our list.
Photo by MelaninASS
Check out the interview:
What inspired the launch of this brand? And what does the name mean?
Photo by MelaninASS
The name Ranavat is my last name- and the reason I chose to use something so personal is that Ranavat Botanics is truly about my desire to share Indian beauty with the world. Growing up in a small town in Wisconsin I was not always confident enough to share my culture. After having my boys and realizing how incredibly powerful our beauty rituals are, I knew I had to share them. I realized that there were huge gaps in quality when I would order the ingredients to make my treatments- and I was able to use my 7 years of experience in supply chain to find the highest quality ingredients.
What are your core ingredients and where are they sourced? What is so special about Ayurvedic herbs?
My core ingredients are Manuka Honey Powder for the masques and that is sourced from a non-GMO honey manufacturer in New Zealand. They are a food company that has been making honey lozenges and they also perfected the art of making honey into a powder while maintaining the incredible healing properties of honey. The Ayurvedic herbs we use are all organic and are sourced from an Ecocert recognized manufacturer in India. Each herb is picked at exactly the right time in the season and is dried and ground into a powder so that it can be preserved for long periods of time. Ayurvedic herbs are incredibly powerful because they were the first medicines that were used to cure diseases prior to the advent of modern medicine. These herbs have incredible healing and purifying properties and have been used for thousands of years in India. I truly believe that if we are able to harness the power of these herbs (which means they need to be kept fresh), than you can truly see results. This is the exact reason all of my masques are powder- so just like a spice, they are fresh and activated the moment you use them.
Photo by MelaninASS
How is your brand influenced by your culture?
Photo courtesy of Ranavat
Ranavat Botanics is inspired by my Indian heritage as well as my upbringing here in the US. When I created the line, I knew I wanted something that could sit next to my favorite Diptique candles and look gorgeous and regal on my nightstand. I did not want the treatments to be medicinal at all- and rather beautifully crafted and royal.
How do you define beauty?
Beauty is a feeling that you get when your inside and outside are in harmony with one another. I believe our skin is incredibly important- I would much rather invest in using high quality treatments for my skin than investing in the latest denim trends that may hit the back of my closet next month. I believe that when we take care of ourselves the way we deserve, our beauty shines the brightest. I don’t wait for my annual vacation to finally feel alive and beautiful- I take a small moment out of each day to pamper myself with some gorgeous treatments to feel like a queen.
Why is it important to "story tell" when it comes to our beauty products or more specifically the ingredients you choose?
It is incredibly important because what you see on the label or package does not always represent what you are buying. For example, Jasmine Oil can be listed on your ingredient list. It could be completely synthetic, extracted by harmful solvents, or steam distilled. All these three processes actually only show the single ingredient so as a consumer you can’t tell the difference from reading the list. That is why its my job to share how incredibly special our treatments are. For example, my jasmine oil in Mighty Majesty takes 125lbs of Jasmine flowers to extract only a single ounce of Jasmine oil. Also knowing the story behind the ingredient makes the treatment that much more luxurious and beautiful.
Photo by MelaninASS
What is your biggest inspiration?
My family! My dad came to this country with nothing and for him to have the strength to build his business slowly one client at a time, without ever taking a loan is a huge inspiration to me. He went for slow, steady and real growth – and that’s a huge inspiration for the type of brand I hope to build one day.