Behind the Glow: A Conversation with Nitin Jain, Founder of La Pink

A candid conversation with Nitin Jain, visionary founder behind La Pink, an Indian beauty brand

Nitin Jain, founder of La Pink, shares his inspiring journey of creating a leading Indian beauty brand. He discusses the challenges, innovations, and vision behind La Pink’s mission to redefine beauty standards in India and empower consumers nationwide.

La Pink is positioned as India’s first 100% microplastic-free beauty brand. How did you identify this specific white space in the Indian beauty and personal care market?

Like many Indian consumers, I wasn’t aware of the term microplastics until a product caught my eye at a duty-free shop upon returning from my European trip in 2018.

Reading the label, “Microplastic-Free Formula,” compelled me to learn more. That initial Google search revealed a significant gap in the Indian market.

While countries like the US, UK, and Germany were establishing regulations and making strides toward microplastic-free formulations, we in India had very little to zero knowledge about microplastics and the associated environmental and health damage.

As I dug deeper, I realized that globally, microplastic-free formulas were emerging as the next wave of conscious skincare. Yet, in India, this conversation was non-existent—not among consumers, manufacturers, or even industry experts.

Honestly, I had no immediate plans to build a personal care brand; I was focused on developing my travel business, Marvel Trip, at the time. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic impacted my existing business, my family and I decided to make a swift pivot.

I recalled the moment from my European trip, and that memory became the catalyst for starting the research and development into microplastic-free formulations for skincare and haircare products.

I knew that if we were going to introduce something new, it had to genuinely elevate the standard of beauty in India. The white space was undeniable—and it felt more like a responsibility than just an opportunity.

That’s how La Pink was born: with the vision of giving Indian consumers access to safer, cleaner, 100% microplastic-free formulations for the very first time—not just in one or two products, but across all the daily essentials they use.

What early experiences in your entrepreneurial journey and family business shaped your approach to building a science-led, clean beauty brand like La Pink?

I grew up around a family business culture where innovation, ethics, and long-term thinking were always prioritised over shortcuts. That mindset shaped me early—anything worth building must add genuine value.

My travels exposed me to global beauty trends long before they reached India. I was always curious about ingredients, textures, formulations and the science behind why certain products worked better.

Over the years, this curiosity became conviction: India deserves world-class formulations, not watered-down versions of global trends.

So when I decided to start my own venture, it was obvious that La Pink had to be rooted in science, transparency and high-performance innovation—because that’s what I’ve always believed good business stands for.

Can you walk through the research and formulation process behind La Pink’s products? What makes your ingredient philosophy different from conventional “natural” or “organic” brands?

When we began working on La Pink, we quickly realised the biggest challenge—India wasn’t technically prepared to formulate 100% microplastic-free products at scale.
Manufacturers simply didn’t have the know-how or the infrastructure. Many even denied the possibility altogether.

So we looked outward and collaborated with leading French formulators who were already pioneering microplastic-free innovations. Together, we co-developed advanced formulations that met two non-negotiables:

• Zero microplastics.
  
• High-performance, sensorially rich, luxurious experiences.

Once perfected, we transferred this technology back to Indian manufacturing partners, training them and enabling them to produce these next-gen formulations here in India.

What truly sets our ingredient philosophy apart is this:
We don’t believe in the binary of “natural” vs. “organic.” We believe in evidence-based natural beauty—where every ingredient must have a clear purpose, a safety profile, and proven efficacy. If it doesn’t elevate the formula, it doesn’t enter the product.

This combination of global R&D, scientific rigour, and clean-beauty responsibility is what differentiates La Pink from conventional brands.

La Pink emphasizes regionally trusted ingredients such as White Haldi. How do you balance traditional wisdom with modern cosmetic science?

India has an incredibly rich heritage of botanicals and actives—ingredients like White Haldi that our grandmothers trusted long before beauty labs existed. But tradition alone isn’t enough; the world now expects measurable, modern performance.

We focus on getting the ingredients from different parts of the world to ensure maximum potential of botanicals. Our white haldi comes from the USA, Cactus flower and sea lettuce flakes come from France and Australia and many such ingredients.

At La Pink, we take a dual approach:

• We tap into ingredients that the world knows, trusts and practically connects with for Indians that are still in the process of ingredient awareness.
  
• Then we elevate them using European -grade cosmetic science—standardising potency, stabilising efficacy, and ensuring compatibility with microplastic-free base formulations.

This creates the perfect balance: products that feel rooted in tradition but deliver results that match the highest international standards. It’s heritage, but future-ready.

As a founder, how do you decide which product categories to enter next? What filters guide a new launch?

At La Pink, our decision to enter any new product category starts with one non-negotiable: the formulation must be 100% microplastic-free. That’s the foundation of every innovation we bring to market.

1. Identifying real consumer gaps
We study what consumers are struggling with—especially categories where microplastics are still widely used. If we can offer cleaner, safer, microplastic-free formulations as an alternative without compromising performance, that category becomes a priority, saving consumers from chronic skin diseases and skin dermatitis.

2. Technical feasibility without microplastics
Not every product is possible to formulate without microplastics. So before we commit, our R&D team evaluates whether we can create a high-performance microplastic free formula using safer, skin-friendly substitutes. If we cannot meet our 100% microplastic-free standard, we don’t launch. 

3. Value addition through innovation
Bringing microplastic free formulation blended with unique ingredients like white haldi, cactus flowers and sea lettuce flakes was an innovation we cracked after two years of research and multiple rejections of the formulas.

We only enter a category if we can truly elevate it—either through better textures, cleaner manufacturing systems, or superior results—while staying completely microplastic-free. We avoid launches that are trendy but not meaningful.

For us, category expansion is not about speed—it’s about integrity. If a product can serve a genuine consumer need, uphold our microplastic-free formulation philosophy, and deliver uncompromised performance, only then does it become a La Pink launch.

What advice would you share with aspiring beauty and D2C entrepreneurs who want to build purpose-led brands?

The beauty market is competitive, but it’s also full of opportunity—if you build with clarity and conviction. My advice:

Most importantly, solve a real problem. The brands that last are the ones that elevate the industry, not the ones that follow it. We are the category creators for 100% microplastic free formulations in all of our products and no brand has been doing so with their range of products.

Don’t build a “me-too” brand. Consumers today are sharp; they know when a brand is built on trend versus substance.

Invest in science early. Formulation that is both natural and science-backed, is the heart of beauty. Packaging, marketing, trends—all come after.

Educate your consumer. If you bring something new, be ready to create awareness from scratch. And that is what we at La Pink are trying to establish in the Indian market, competing with decades-old beauty giants.

Play the long game. Purpose-led brands are built with patience, consistency and integrity and our purpose is crystal clear: bring products for Indian consumers that proves their efficacy while being free from the synthetic polymers and microbeads.

Nitin Jain’s passion and commitment have propelled La Pink into a trusted name in Indian beauty. His insights reveal a blend of innovation and tradition, promising a bright future for the brand and a more inclusive, authentic beauty experience for all.

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