Ace your skin game with this not-so-"ordinary" guide

Remember the time when we had to pay custom charges for a batch of our favourite skincare brand? Or wait for someone to visit and hope that they carry our yearly stash with them? Well, that wait is long over. And sure, The Ordinary—the holy grail of ingredient-led skincare—is now in India, but we’re all for supporting local brands. Thanks to these Indian skincare brands offering clinic-like results (no needles needed!) for all your skincare needs—from acne, fine lines, pigmentation, dull skin, you name it—at affordable prices, and at home, you don’t need to look further. 

Dr Sheth’s

Indian skin is more sensitive to pigmentation, it is more sensitised, and it has a different biology—is the understanding that Dr Sheth’s is built on by three generations of skin doctors. The products are vegan, cruelty and toxins-free, and rooted in ayurvedic derivatives of key ingredients—like centella and amla for vitamin C, rosehip for vitamin A, and neem and papaya for exfoliating to name a few. All this makes for easy transition from general to targeted skincare.

Minimalist

Based on the value of transparency, Minimalist brings single-ingredient driven formulas for your skin and hair (though we’re bent towards their skincare a lot more). Whether it is your daily dose of niacinamide, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, retinol, or the more advanced benzoyl peroxide, alpha arbutin, and polyhydroxy acid—the brand brings the best “chemicals” to its formulations. On top of this, they educate new users about what ingredients are used. 

Re’equil

The packaging of this one says it all—simplistic skincare boosted by soothing ingredients. This one is for all your hair and skin concerns, although we cannot recommend their acne range enough as a one-stop solution for all your acne concerns—the Pitstop gel being an absolute favourite for its ability to boost collagen and help lighten acne marks and pits. 

Neemli

With its naturally sourced ingredients, this Mumbai-based brand has gained a lot of acclaim for its PETA Certified skincare. Clean beauty is what they boast of and their hair care range is especially nice. Our go to picks: Grey Reverse and Hair Growth Concentrate

Conscious Chemist

Every element derived from nature may not be efficient just because it’s ‘natural’. However, when nature’s abilities are intelligently harnessed, it creates the perfect balance of active ingredients and botanical extracts. And, it is this coming together of nature and science that Conscious Chemist celebrates in its environmentally conscious, sustainable, clean product—which also reflects in its packaging of tinted glass bottles.

The Derma Co

As the name goes—this one boasts of being a dermatologist-backed brand with attention to detail so minute that they get you to fill in a personal survey, following which a prescription of the ideal ingredient for a concern is sent. Active ingredients like adaplene and benzoyl peroxide are available on prescription, but their salicylic range is a keeper if you have persistent acne and large pores.