We were lucky to catch up with Shubhangini Prakash recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shubhangini, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

At Feather & Bone we believe caring for your skin is a ritual. A holistic ritual. Our products take inspiration from Indian Ayurveda roots, family history and backing it with science. Our skin is the largest organ in our body. It isn’t just about skincare products, but about how our skin comes in contact with home, food, thoughts: inside-out and outside-in.

We believe our mind, the ingredients we put on and in our bodies and even the intention of products carry energies. Energies that we take on. This is why we understand the importance of caring for your skin without compromising the purity of the ingredients. In Ayurveda for the body to be balanced you have to care for it mind, body, soul. Caring for the three gives your skin, the largest organ, completeness. We focus on creating rituals not routines or resolutions; channeling our energy on celebrating the simple things in life so you are grounded in your personal power.

My journey is a journey that many young women experience: fear of ingredients and not feeling their best because of skincare products. I want to change that narrative in the industry. Being who you are should be celebrated. I know my brand can be the voice for women. At Feather & Bone, we listen to our customers. We are made by customer for customer. I know it’s becoming an empowering voice for women as evident in testimonials from customers: “Using Face Gems in the hospital right after brain surgery made me feel normal”; “I no longer need to use steroid cream on my hands for Eczema because HaLo fixed the problem”; ” My hair is growing after a round of chemotherapy thanks to the Hair Oil.”

We also believe that every family has a right to safe products. As a company we see profit not tied to just financials but also how much good we are creating in people’s lives. Feather & Bone helps you build a grounded life; we celebrate who you are, inside and out. We believe pure ingredients naturally boost self-value, a key to living a happy and healthy life. Feather & Bone is putting the person back in personal care.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

In the beauty space, greenwashing and misleading marketing often result in women developing low self-esteem and adverse reactions to the toxic ingredients found in the products they’re lured into buying. I personally experienced this as a young girl. At age 12, I had a bad reaction to a store-bought face wash. I tried everything to calm my skin, but nothing helped. I was bullied, insecure, and didn’t want to go to school. To help me, my mum recommended Indian sandalwood, and my skin instantly improved. This piqued my interest in understanding the relationship between natural ingredients and caring for the skin.

I spent hours learning about the skin as an organ and why ingredients matter. On average, most skincare products contain 20+ ingredients, making it difficult for the average consumer to figure out which one is causing the irritation. This early discovery motivated me to create my own face wash, the same formula I use today in Face Gems: the first ever face tablet and winner of best cleanser by Indie Beauty. The learning didn’t stop at age 12. Years later when I was pregnant with my son, I learned that many prenatal and newborn products are also ingredient packed. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) did a study on newborn umbilical cords and found 200+ chemicals, many of them toxic and from everyday products.

Further, most skincare products use water as a main ingredient. However, water creates a breeding ground for bacteria, which is why many preservatives are added to retain freshness, but preservatives are common skin irritants.

Feather & Bone products only have 3 plant-based ingredients that are 100% waterless. Our products are inspired by Indian traditions and backed by science. Our ingredients celebrate Mother Earth and Mother India: plant-based, pure and purposeful. Having only 3 ingredients allows the person to know exactly what they are applying on their skin; this makes the product significantly safer and easier to identify if someone is having a reaction. Further using only 3 ingredients and being waterless allows for maximum effectiveness as it is a lot more potent.

Our ingredients and formulas are inspired from Indian and Ayurveda traditions that have been proven remedies for hundreds of years. When developing a product we look for harmony between the ingredients and what the skin needs. We understand how each ingredient’s specific chemical composition will keep the skin balanced; search and only use the best ingredients for maximum effectiveness. The combination of our ingredients is superior and effective, which is why customers keep returning.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I invented the first ever face tablet: Face Gems (winner of best cleanser), a formula I created at age 12. I am passionate and have grit. I convinced the Indian government to let me export Indian sandalwood powder out of the country, something that is not allowed. I have gotten more no’s than I can count, but I am still going because my business is here to make a difference.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Our honesty and transparency. Most companies do a ton of greenwashing to sell products especially when it comes to natural. We don’t. We actually use the cleanest and simplest ingredients and in fact ask our customers to look at those ingredients.    

Contact Info:

• Website: featherandboneco.com
• Instagram: @feather.bone
• Facebook: @feathernbone
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/feather-bone/?viewAsMember=true