Bringing Beauty-Tech Home

Varsha’s interest in skincare, she says, goes back much further than the idea of starting a brand. “I’ve been interested in skincare and beauty since childhood. It’s something I always enjoyed exploring.”

Growing up in a business family, Varsha was no stranger to the idea of building something of her own. After completing her MBA during the pandemic years, she found the time to explore her longstanding interest in skincare more deeply. “I was never very drawn to the idea of working a typical nine-to-five job. I always felt that if I wanted to work hard, it should be towards building something of my own.”

She began researching ingredients, understanding different skincare routines and experimenting with products herself. To share her experiences, she launched an Instagram page titled ‘All About Beauty’, where she posted product reviews, skincare tips and insights from treatments she tried.

Through this process, she also began observing the rapid growth of beauty technology devices internationally. In countries such as South Korea, Japan and the United States, tools like LED light therapy masks and other home-use skincare devices had already become a regular part of personal routines.

The idea for her brand took shape while she was trying to purchase an LED mask for herself. Finding reliable options in India was not easy, which made her notice the gap in the market. “That’s when I realised there was an opportunity,” she says. “If these products are becoming common globally, there should be a way to make them accessible here as well.”

The thought eventually led to the creation of Manimo, which Varsha launched about six months ago, as a brand built around technology-enabled self-care devices designed for safe home use. “Before launching the products, I spent months researching the technology and testing the devices personally. Friends and family members with different skin types also tried the products so that I could observe how they performed.”

Manimo’s portfolio currently includes devices such as LED light therapy masks, visual ear-cleaning tools, facial massage instruments, and electric gua sha devices, all designed to support simple, guided self-care routines at home.

Introducing beauty technology in a relatively new market, however, has required patience. Despite the global popularity of LED skincare therapy, many consumers in India remain unfamiliar with the concept. “Many people were seeing an LED mask for the first time,” she says adding, “Naturally, when something is new, there’s hesitation.”

Despite the brand’s online presence, she also focuses on allowing people to experience the products in person. The brand regularly participates in wellness events, flea markets and community gatherings where visitors can see and try the devices before buying them. “Awareness is the biggest challenge. I always try to think like a consumer,” she says. “If I saw a new product from a new brand, I would also want to try it before deciding.” The idea behind Manimo, Varsha says, is not to replace traditional skincare routines but to complement them with technology that makes self-care easier.

The company is now expanding both through direct-to-consumer channels and partnerships with selected retail outlets, while also exploring future product categories such as devices for foot care and hair care.