Almora Botanicals is a skin care brand based on Ayurvedic principles and adaptogenic ingredients. It was launched in 2023 by founder and chairman Ravi Prasad, former chairman of Himalaya Wellness.
Speaking to CosmeticsDesign-Asia, Prasad highlighted the significance of the preventative ageing movement – known as prejuvenation – among a younger set of consumers.
“Prejuvenation is more than a trend, it’s a truism. The preventative management of health is the basic tenet of Ayurveda. We are going back to our old roots, but the amazing thing is that Gen Z has picked up on it,” he said.
Citing a study by NielsenIQ, Prasad said 62% of Gen Z consumers were actively seeking out anti-ageing skin care products. This consumer is more interested in taking proactive steps to delay the visible signs of ageing before they emerge.
“More interestingly, a majority of them are looking for natural products and they want to pay extra for natural products. They're realising the advantages of going natural and how naturals are better tolerated by the skin. This generation is also more environmentally conscious and believe in living healthier lifestyles,” he said.
Prasad told us that Gen Z consumers was a growing base for Almora and he is keen to tap into this opportunity.
“They are increasingly and constantly increasing. I think we have to cater more to them. One constraint is that they have to try the product. For a lot of them, you have to be more accessible. That’s what we are working on at the moment, we’re planning to have a line of products suitable for Gen Z. For a brand to move into the future, you have to focus on the young consumer. Tomorrow's consumer is today's consumer.”
This range is set to debut in the middle of next year.
Prasad added that beauty has evolved beyond just products and should encompass more lifestyle aspects as well.
“There’s a caveat here. You can’t take shortcuts. You can’t just apply a product and prevent ageing. It all starts with a healthy and balanced lifestyle. You need a proper diet, adequate sleep, internal peace – all these factors are important.”
The brand has partnered with Danielle Collins, the face yoga expert and creator of the eponymous Face Yoga Method. The brand collaborated with Collines to create an exclusive face yoga fitness program using its products.
Additionally, the brand has other expert brand partners such as Dr. Tara Swart Bieber neuroscientist, medical doctor and senior lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is also the author of The Source: The Secrets of the Universe, the Science of the Brain.
Rapid expansion
Since Almora’s launch in 2023 with its flagship store in London, it has expanded widely across the globe. Today it is available on the shelves of Harrods and John Bell & Croyden.
Most recently, it launched in Singapore at Isetan Scotts department store located on Orchard Road in May.
Vivian Lim, head of international business development, said Singapore serves as a “gateway” for the brand.
“Most international brands choose Singapore because they want to learn, test, and try the market. The audience here is very international and diverse.”
She noted that the brand has had a promising start considering it is not yet very well-known in the extremely brand-conscious market.
The brand’s next stop is the Middle East where it will debut with Wellth, an integrated medical centre with links to alternative medicine advocates Deepak Chopra and Dr Frank Lipman.
Additionally, the brand is making steady progress in travel retail on board carriers such as Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
Prasad credits the speedy expansion to the products and the firm’s propriety Sapta Complex, a hero blend of seven oils that it claims is 10 times lighter than facial oils and five times more viscous than water. It also claims to deliver active ingredients faster and deeper into the dermal layers.
He emphasises the importance of physical retail for consumers to experience the unique texture of its products.
“Online is such a flat medium. An offline strategy is very important for us because the consumer needs to feel our product and how it is tangibly different on the market.”
The company is in the process of applying for a global patent for its Sapta Complex.
