India has been at the crossroads of a beauty crisis for decades — shelves overloaded with synthetic creams, bleach-laden dyes, and borrowed Western formulas that promise results but rarely deliver lasting wellness. What if the answer to modern beauty problems was already written down, centuries ago, in ancient Sanskrit texts from the hills of Kerala?
That is the founding conviction of Shesha Ayurveda, a brand that has made ancient Ayurvedic beauty its life's work — and recently made national headlines by securing a ₹2 crore deal on Shark Tank India Season 5. In this blog, we trace the journey from Kerala's forests to prime-time television, and explore why this brand's roots run deeper than any trending serum.
The Kerala Roots: Where Ancient Meets Authentic
Kerala is not just a state — it is the spiritual home of Ayurveda in India. For thousands of years, practitioners here have compounded herbal oils, formulated therapeutic pastes, and passed down classical recipes from generation to generation. According to the Kerala Ayurveda Academy, true radiance in Ayurveda comes from inner balance — when your dosha, daily routine, and environment are aligned.
Into this lineage was born Renji Anooj, co-founder of Shesha Ayurveda, who comes from a family of naturopaths and Ayurvedic doctors. Her knowledge of authentic Ayurveda from Kerala was not learned from textbooks alone — it was lived. When Renji and her husband Anooj Sreedharan decided to bring these formulations to market in 2017, they made a deliberate choice: follow the classical texts exactly, with no shortcuts.
Only Classical Ayurvedic Products are manufactured at a 100 year old manufacturing facility — a unit with a 100-year legacy, Ministry of Ayush approval, and a valid Drug Controller License. The ingredients are sourced from the Western Ghats and local forest communities, where quality is non-negotiable. This grounding is what separates Shesha Ayurveda from the hundreds of brands that simply use "Ayurvedic" as a marketing label.
The Journey: From ₹4 Lakh to ₹33 Crore
Every great brand has a slow burn. Shesha Ayurveda earned just ₹4 lakh in its first year, 2017–18. There was no advertising budget. No celebrity ambassador. No digital marketing playbook. What carried the brand forward in those early years was something more durable: word of mouth.
Customers who genuinely experienced results — clearer skin from Red Sandalwood Night Cream and Kumkumadi Thailam, visibly thicker hair from the Neelibringadi Hair Oil, improved scalp health — told others. That peer trust turned into a compounding engine. By 2020–21, revenue had grown to ₹1.2 crore. By 2023–24, it reached ₹10.84 crore. And in 2024–25, Shesha Ayurveda closed at ₹33 crore with a projected ₹33 crore for 2025–26.
None of this happened through aggressive discounting alone. It happened because the products worked — because ancient Ayurvedic beauty, when formulated faithfully, delivers results that synthetic alternatives rarely match. The brand is now available across its own website, Nykaa, and Amazon, with a growing international presence.
The Shark Tank Chapter
In early 2026, Anooj and Renji walked into the Shark Tank India Season 5 set with a bold ask: ₹1 crore for just 1.5% equity — a valuation of ₹66.67 crore. The sharks pushed back. Numbers were scrutinised. But the founders held their ground, backed by real revenue data and an authentic brand story that resonated.
The result? A joint offer from Aman Gupta (co-founder, boAt) and Namita Thapar (Executive Director, Emcure Pharmaceuticals): ₹2 crore for 8% equity plus 1% royalty until the invested amount was recouped. Shesha Ayurveda accepted. As reported by D2C Insider Pulse, the deal revalued the company at ₹25 crore and opened a new chapter of distribution, marketing, and scale.
The Shark Tank moment did more than raise capital — it introduced millions of Indian consumers to the idea that authentic Ayurvedic beauty brands from Kerala could stand tall in the mainstream market. Explore the full Shark Tank-approved collection to see the products that caught the Sharks' attention.
The Products: Ancient Formulas, Modern Shelf
Shesha Ayurveda's product range is a direct reflection of its philosophy — every formula has a name, a lineage, and a classical reference. Here is a closer look at the core range:
Kumkumadi Thailam
Crafted with pure saffron (Kumkuma), red sandalwood, manjishtha, and goat's milk in a sesame oil base, this ancient oil is referenced in Ayurvedic texts as a skin-brightening elixir. Shesha Ayurveda's formulation follows the classical ratio precisely. Read the deep-dive on Kumkumadi Thailam: the elixir for glowing skin to understand its formulation in detail.
Nalpamaradi Thailam
Traditionally used in Kerala as a pre-wedding beauty ritual, this oil combines wild turmeric, vetiver, Indian gooseberry, and manjishtha for visible tan removal and skin brightening. Read more in the Nalpamaradi Thailam for tan removal guide.
Shop Nalpamaradi Thailam for the authentic oil that's been part of Kerala beauty rituals for centuries.
Neelibringadi Hair Oil
An infusion of Indigo, Bhringraj, liquorice, and three types of milk (cow, goat, and buffalo) in a virgin coconut oil base, this oil targets hair fall, premature greying, and scalp health. Discover how it works in the guide on Neelibringadi oil for lustrous, voluminous tresses. Browse the full Kerala Ayurvedic hair oil collection for the complete range.
India's first 100% bleach-free hair dye uses henna, indigo, and coconut shell powder to deliver colour in 60 minutes — without ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, or resorcinol. The Nilini Ayurvedic Hair Color Kit is the product that caught the Sharks' attention on national television — and it's easy to see why.
Formulated with pure red sandalwood (Rakta Chandana), this night repair cream targets uneven skin tone, dark spots, and dullness. Used in classical Ayurveda for its skin-brightening and anti-inflammatory properties, it works overnight to restore clarity and natural radiance. Now an Amazon #1 Bestseller in its category, the Red Sandalwood Night Cream is Shesha Ayurveda’s most celebrated skincare product — driven entirely by results, not paid placement.
Why Ancient Ayurvedic Beauty Is Having Its Moment
The global clean beauty market is growing fast, driven by consumers who are reading ingredient labels more carefully, rejecting chemical-heavy formulations, and looking for systems that support long-term skin and hair health. Ayurveda fits this shift perfectly — it was never about instant results; it was about sustainable wellness.
Brands like Shesha Ayurveda are uniquely positioned at this intersection — offering not just products, but a complete framework of skin and hair wellness rooted in classical knowledge. Their Red Sandalwood Night Cream has become an Amazon #1 Bestseller in its category, driven entirely by authentic formulation and consumer trust — not paid placement.
As India's D2C beauty market continues to mature, brands with genuine heritage and verified formulations are emerging as the long-term winners. The numbers tell the story: from ₹4 lakh in 2017 to a Shark Tank stage in 2026, Shesha Ayurveda's trajectory is a blueprint for ancient Ayurvedic beauty in the modern marketplace.
The Ancient World Had the Answers — Shesha Ayurveda Is Making Sure We Don't Forget Them
From a small beginning in Kerala to a nationally televised deal on Shark Tank India, Shesha Ayurveda's journey is proof that ancient Ayurvedic beauty doesn't need reinventing — it needs rediscovering. At the heart of every Shesha Ayurveda product is a commitment to authenticity: classical formulas, quality ingredients sourced from Kerala's forests, and a manufacturing process that refuses to compromise on tradition.
If you've been curious about making the switch to authentic Ayurvedic skincare and haircare, explore the full skin brightening range and the Kerala Ayurvedic hair oil collection. The ancient world had answers that our great-grandmothers already knew — Shesha Ayurveda is simply making sure we don't forget them.
Q1: What is Shesha Ayurveda and where is it based?
Shesha Ayurveda is a Kerala-based Ayurvedic skincare and haircare brand founded in 2017 by husband-wife duo Anooj Sreedharan and Renji Anooj. All products are manufactured at their Palakkad facility — a unit with a 100-year legacy, Ministry of Ayush approval, and a valid Drug Controller License. Every formulation follows classical Ayurvedic texts and uses ingredients sourced from the Western Ghats.
Q2: What deal did Shesha Ayurveda secure on Shark Tank India?
Shesha Ayurveda appeared on Shark Tank India Season 5 (Episode 20) and secured a deal of ₹2 crore for 8% equity plus 1% royalty until the amount is recouped. The investment came jointly from Aman Gupta (co-founder, boAt) and Namita Thapar (Executive Director, Emcure Pharmaceuticals), valuing the company at ₹25 crore at the time of the deal.
Q3: What makes Shesha Ayurveda different from other Ayurvedic beauty brands?
Most Ayurvedic beauty brands use the term loosely. Shesha Ayurveda is different because every product is based on a classical formulation from ancient texts — not a modernised or diluted version. The brand sources ingredients directly from Kerala's Western Ghats and manufactures under Ministry of Ayush supervision. Revenue growth from ₹4 lakh to ₹33 crore without celebrity endorsements is a testament to genuine product efficacy.
Q4: What is Kumkumadi Thailam and how should it be used?
Kumkumadi Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic face oil made with pure saffron, red sandalwood, manjishtha, and goat's milk in a sesame oil base. It helps even skin tone, reduce pigmentation, and fade acne marks. To use: take 3 drops, warm between fingers, and massage gently onto damp skin. Leave on for 30–45 minutes or overnight for best results. Rinse off or leave on as a night treatment.
Q5: Are Shesha Ayurveda products suitable for all skin types?
Yes, Shesha Ayurveda's classical Ayurvedic formulations are designed to work with your skin's natural constitution (dosha) rather than against it. Products like Nalpamaradi Thailam are traditionally used across skin types in Kerala. However, as with any natural oil-based product, it is advisable to do a patch test before full application, particularly if you have highly reactive or allergy-prone skin.
