Dynamic Entrepreneur in the Skincare Industry
There are many men and women out there thankful for the man that is Hardik Varia. As Founder of Phade Skincare and Whiskers Men’s Grooming Products, Hardik has helped many people look and feel their very best.
Born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Hardik earned his Bachelors in Business Administration from LJ College of Commerce and Post Graduation in Event Management from NAEMD. He had a passion for organising gigs wherein he used to promote international artists and music to develop a good music scene in India and build a gateway. He has worked with artists like Norman Doray, Chris Montana, Dave Kurtis, Jaytech, Tom Fall, Peter Brown and Stan Kolev. He has also worked closely with Nikhil Chinapa to develop a good music scene in India and hopes to start his own record label one day.
Interestingly, Hardik stumbled upon his first Business idea while attending music festivals around the world. “I used to notice men focusing a lot on grooming i.e. bodybuilding, hair styling, maintaining a good beard, and of course smelling good. Everyone wanted to look dapper. I also noticed what the shops were selling in terms of men’s grooming products and saw a huge gap. One of my friends even asked me to get a tattoo aftercare product from Europe as there was no Indian brand fulfilling this need,” shares Hardik.
Hardik researched and concurred that there was actually no Indian brand serving this virgin category, and that’s when he decided to start this trend in India. In 2017, he founded the Whiskers Men’s Grooming Products brand, which continues to grow strong.
The beginning of Phade Skincare also followed a similar journey. When Hardik’s wife was pregnant in 2018, she used to spend hours searching for good products online to prevent stretch marks. “We used to discuss hormonal changes and how the body reacts during and post pregnancy. I started surfing about companies that were into pregnancy care products and trust me I could not find one. As I was already serving the market through men’s grooming products, I could differentiate between ingredients very easily. All the products serving this category were not at all satisfying. I came across different skin problems in my family and friends like itchy skin due to diabetes, psoriasis, eczema, etc. I then decided to start an intense skin care company that would honestly serve this category,” says Hardik, who went on to establish Phade in the spring of 2021.
Phade was born to create exemplary skincare products using plant extracts, sustainable farming, and green practices which results in producing a dynamic range of skincare products. It uses hand-picked fresh ingredients to create products that contain potent healing and beautifying properties. Many of these ingredients are combined with the purest plant extracts containing minerals and trace elements found nowhere else on earth. Vitamins are captured in their all-natural fresh base, offering dramatic results as actual seeds, pulps and peels impart regenerative and healing powers that only nature can produce.
Phade’s product range is set to include their flagship stretch mark lotion/cream, psoriasis cleansers and creams, eczema creams, diabetes lotions and creams. Telling us how they have no competition thanks to the breakthrough formulation they have developed, Hardik adds, “There are no brands focusing on the appearance of stretch marks, instead, brands are selling products to lighten or cure existing stretch marks. The formulation and process from which we derive our actives are registered trademarks and thereby difficult to copy. Even if someone copies, the result will vary.”
A big reason why Hardik has always found success in all his ventures is that he is quick to catch the pulse of the market, which currently is ‘cosmoceutical’: “There is a growing interest in cosmeceutical products (combining cosmetics and pharmaceuticals). Technology is simplifying consumers’ purchase journeys both instore and online. Phade utilises a combination of dermatology and data to decipher individual skin needs. Environmental factors, lifestyle, mood, stress, pH, oil measurements, hydration levels are closely examined to determine and create appropriate creams. We also plan to launch a mobile app in the near future where consumers will be able to test their skin conditions by submitting skin concern pictures,” shares Hardik.
Professional and reliable, Hardik received an appreciation from IIM Ahmedabad for his superior management skills and sustainable methods. “We invite our key suppliers and manufacturers to work with us towards zero-waste manufacturing. Our domestic shipments are done with GOGREEN Carbon Neutral Service ensuring a cleaner, safer, enironment and doing our bit towards ensuring a healthy planet earth,” says 36-year-old Hardik, proving why he has been chosen as a Men’s Leader.
