This month marks the long-awaited UK launch of Kulfi Beauty, arriving from the US. As the UK beauty landscape grows increasingly inclusive and exciting, here’s a closer look at Kulfi Beauty and other brands rooted in South Asian culture. Drawing on centuries-old traditions, nostalgic storytelling, and a genuine focus on their customers’ needs, these brands offer far more than representation
Kulfi Beauty
“Kulfi is a South Asian ice cream dessert that’s colourful, flavourful and delicious. I wanted beauty to feel like that” is what founder of Kulfi Beauty, Priyanka Ganjoo told Refinery29. Since launching in 2021, Kulfi beauty has reimagined what representation is in the beauty industry. The ethos of the brand is based on what Ganjoo calls “Rituals of Love” : the community spirit that makes beauty so joyful and colourful. For instance, their lipstick ‘First Sari’ beautifully evokes the feeling of entering womanhood by claiming a piece of heritage as her own for the first time.
While Kulfi’s shade range is unmatched (pun not intended), designed for people of all skin colours, the brand pays special attention to its South Asian consumers. The Kulfi Badi Lash mascara (tubing and is formulated to lift and volumize) addresses heavier and straighter lashes, a typically South Asian trait. Initially launched with just their kajal eyeliner, now the brand has multiple products to offer. One of my personal favourites is the Zari Eyes eyeshadow with a cream-to-powder formula in the most gorgeous colours and finishes with a perfect sheen. All of which is available at Space NK.
Fable & Mane
For many South Asians, the memory of being forced to sit still to get their hair oiled by your mother or grandmother is universal. Founders Akash and Nikita Mehta named their brand after this experience, recalling the fables their grandmother would tell them while she oiled their hair. Since its launch during the pandemic, the brand's message of self-care and ritual resonated with people seeking comfort at home. Now, you can pick up their products from Selfridges and Sephora to name a couple. They have also expanded into other hair products such as shampoos, conditioners, and scalp scrubs.
Their standout product has got to be the HoliRoots Pre-wash Hair Treatment Oil.A cult classic, this is meant to be massaged into the hair pre-shower and kept for an hour before washing off.Formulated with ashwagandha and dashmool it does an amazing job at strengthening the hair from the roots.
Blink Brow Bar
A London staple for over 20 years now, Blink Brow Bar was born out of founder Vanita Parti’s personal frustration with the lack of brow care in the British beauty landscape. Taking the traditional Indian skill of threading, Parti elevated it to a luxury beauty experience, pioneering the brow bar concept. Now Parti proudly announces that “We have proudly placed an Indian skill at the forefront of British beauty.”
They have since expanded to a full range of products just for your brows. The brand's products are often inspired by their Indian roots, with brow pencils named "Chai" and "Clove," as a constant nod to its cultural background. Their Nourishing Brow Oil is a spotlight product, again bringing the South Asian tradition of hair oiling to the forefront. With ingredients like lavender, almond, and sandalwood the oil helps create fuller, more healthy brows.
Calling Beauty
“A clean beauty brand that isn’t all talk” Calling’s motto exemplifies what stands out about the brand. On a mission to solve beauty concerns, Calling’s founder Sabah Yaqoob simply picked up the phone and called women, around 150, to figure out exactly what they wanted from their cosmetics. And the best result of this can be seen in their most popular product: The Face Fog. Created in response to women who wanted a face mist that isn’t heavy or greasy, the Face Fog has an ultra-fine pump and uses organic ingredients providing the perfect solution- and rave reviews- just by listening.
Skin and Dosha
Based in London, Skin and Dosha is a specialist skin clinic that blends modern expertise with a deeply holistic approach inspired by the ancient Ayurvedic tradition. Ayurveda, a 3,000-year-old system of wellness and medicine originating in India, is built on the principle of personalised care, recognising that no two individuals have the same needs, and that true balance comes from treating the whole person, not just the surface.
This philosophy means that each client begins their journey with a detailed consultation to identify their unique “dosha” or energy type. This insight becomes the foundation for all treatment recommendations, ensuring that every facial, therapy, or product is tailored specifically to the individual’s skin condition, lifestyle, and overall wellbeing.
The result is an experience that goes beyond the purely cosmetic, supporting harmony between mind, body, and skin. As their tagline beautifully sums up: “Facials for the mind, body and skin.”
Cover Image: via Kulfi Beauty