A Pioneering Leader of the Cosmetic Industry

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Dr. Vidya Charantimath, an avid researcher and a lifelong learner at heart, is the founder of V-Wonder Skin and Hair Aesthetic Academy and V-Kirana Herbals. Vidya is an inspiring woman entrepreneur, Vidya was raised by her uncles after her father passed away when she was barely a teenager. Her mother was unwell too, but that didn’t deter this determined woman from setting out on a journey that fulfilled her dream of educating those around her.

 

After finishing her schooling in Belgaum, Vidya moved to Pune for higher studies. She completed her IT education and even worked for a few years in the industry, rising to be a corporate trainer. Here, she picked up a lot of marketing and soft skills, as she was always in the pursuit of learning.

 

The Idea

 

In 2015, after the birth of her son, Vidya had a brainwave - she wanted to enter the cosmetic industry. Even as a child, Vidya was fascinated by the cosmetic industry and always DIY-ed her own formulations to treat acne and skin issues. And thus, she started manufacturing her own products after thorough research on every aspect of every product. She adds, “None of my products go out without end-to-end research.”

 

Armed with continued support from her husband, she started manufacturing creams and lotions at home on a small scale and started working on establishing her products in the market. As time went by, Vidya completed a course in Cosmetic Manufacturing from UK International. Her products were seeing great success in the market, and her products and consultations started helping people resolve their issues like acne and skin pigmentation. Up until this point, all her business was done through online means. In 2021, just when she had opened a small office and set up a physical space, COVID hit.

 

Not one to be deterred by problems, Vidya enrolled in and completed a fellowship in Cosmetology, Trichology, and PMU in 2021-2022. She then went on to complete a PhD in the same field in 2021-2023 from Christ University, UK.

 

The Path to Success

 

As part of her fellowship and Ph.D., Dr. Vidya gained hands-on experience in the field. She realized that all the academies that were training people weren’t giving the students a great learning experience and were in it for money. They only offered temporary training, but they didn’t support the students on their own entrepreneurial journeys. Dr. Vidya decided to then start her own academy and put to use her lifelong love for learning, teaching, and research.

 

From the very beginning, Vidya didn’t want to hide her knowledge. The course she offered was 100% transparent, provided lifetime membership, mentorship, and vendor support to students, and helped them kickstart their own careers with minimal investment. Established in 2023, her academy, V-Wonder Skin and Hair Aesthetic Academy has already successfully completed training 14 batches till now. They have students coming in from all over India, and they also have some international students from the UK and US choosing this course, thanks to its great reputation.

 

Dr. Vidya believes that her job doesn’t end at training. She is there for her students, no matter what comes. She teaches them to be independent and stand on their feet. She helps them in every possible way - be it business-related or mentoring.

 

The Future

Dr. Vidya’s approach to the future is two-pronged: expanding the academy and providing more jobs to people. When it comes to her academy, Dr. Vidya envisions opening academy franchises all over India. She wants to provide the highest-quality education and contemporary best practices to all those who come to her. She also wants to foster a sense of bonding and camaraderie among those who study under her. Dr. Vidya contends that 60% of students who come to her are “re-joiners.” These are students who have already studied at a different academy, but they are not fully confident in starting their own venture. Dr. Vidya wants to solve this problem at the grassroots level with her course.

Her other focus is on creating jobs for those women who are working under her venture, V-Kirana Herbals. She could easily market her products on Amazon or Flipkart; however, she wants to create livelihoods for the 20-22 women who work under her as dealers. She aspires to boost their skills and confidence and help them earn a good living.

 

Breaking Stereotypes

 

While the cosmetic industry may be seen by outsiders as a women-led field, Dr. Vidya believes otherwise. She sees this industry as an offshoot of the medical industry. This, coupled with the rising trends in the men’s self-care market, proves Dr. Vidya’s point that the cosmetic field is gender agnostic. She cites an example here: “In the 58% stock that we sell, nearly 25% of the stock is sold to male consumers.” With her ventures, Dr. Vidya is not only creating livelihoods, fulfilling dreams, and educating her students, she is also pioneering conversations on gender equity!

 

Dr Vidya Charantimath Cosmetologyst cosmetic formulator Founder Of V-wonder Skin and Hair Aesthetic Academy and V - kirana Herbals

phone number; 8971597256