The ₹100 Cr Story of Kriti Sanon’s skincare brand Hyphen
amita-adminBollywood actress Kriti Sanon isn’t just winning hearts on screen—her entrepreneurial venture, Hyphen, has become India’s fastest direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand to enter the ₹100 crore club within a year of launch.
“It’s been an incredible journey,” says Kriti. “The love our customers have shown is overwhelming, with 60–70% returning to the brand. Their loyalty has been truly amazing.”
The Indian Skin Care market is projected to generate a revenue of US$10.48bn in 2025. The market is anticipated to experience an annual growth rate of 3.64% (CAGR 2025-2030).
But in this crowded market, how did Hyphen stand out?
Inspiration behind the project
During COVID, Kriti found herself diving deep into skincare. “ I’ve always been into it because of my profession, but turning 30 made me take my skin even more seriously,” Sanon says.
Despite her access to luxury skincare, Kriti Sanon found most brands overpriced and fragmented—products either addressed single concerns in isolation or used generic formulations. This forced consumers to layer multiple expensive products, driving up costs without guaranteed results.
Recognizing this gap, Kriti, an engineer, put her research and analytical skills to work, diving into ingredient science to decode formulations that balanced efficacy with real-world usability.
“I wanted to create skincare even my college-self could afford—without compromising the quality,” she says.
Kriti met Tarun Sharma and Vaishali Gupta from Pep Technologies, and decided to build something together — and Hyphen was born.
Hyphen – The name:
The name “Hyphen” signifies the union of nature and science, both of which Kriti deeply believes in. It also represents the idea of ‘hyphening’ multiple ingredients to create more effective skincare, and streamlining routines by merging steps, like a moisturizer and sunscreen in one, to simplify skincare without compromising on results.
Hyphen product range: Sustainability as a differentiator
Hyphen currently offers a thoughtfully curated range of 21 products focused on comprehensive facial care, including cleansers, moisturisers, serums, sunscreens, lip balms, and anti-pigmentation products. Every product reflects the brand’s commitment to clean beauty: they are 100% vegan, PETA-certified, and formulated without harmful ingredients.
Taking its sustainability efforts further, Hyphen has also achieved a Zero Plastic Footprint by using alternative packaging materials and eliminating plastic components. It was honoured with a PETA India Vegan Fashion Award in 2024, further validating the brand’s ethos – to both skin and the planet.
Kriti’s entrepreneurial lessons
Kriti describes herself as a creator and a curious person. “ I don’t do things half heartedly. So when I’m creating something, I want to make sure that I can use them,” she admits.
Balancing her acting career with entrepreneurship hasn’t been easy for Kriti Sanon.
One of the initial challenges was reconciling her preference for high-end, aesthetically pleasing packaging with the need to keep products affordable for a mass-premium audience. She eventually prioritized investing in quality ingredients over lavish exteriors, realizing that “the product is the celebrity.”
From last-minute label printing glitches to supply chain disruptions like truck strikes in Himachal Pradesh, which derailed launch timelines, crisis management has been her biggest entrepreneurial lesson.
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Apart from being the Co-founder of Hyphen, Kriti also serves as the Chief Customer Officer. As a consumer-driven brand, she is deeply committed to staying connected with customer needs, understanding how the products are performing, and listening closely to feedback — all to make Hyphen better every single day.
“I’m thoroughly enjoying the whirlwind journey of being an entrepreneur,” she admits.
How Hyphen Nails the 6 Ps of Marketing
Proposition: The core idea behind the brand- blending nature and science to create effective, affordable skincare.
Product: High-quality formulations with multi-functional benefits, simplified skincare, and user-tested efficacy.
Pricing: Mass premium pricing: affordable enough for wide adoption, while maintaining premium quality and feel.
Packaging: Fun, vibrant, youthful — but with a conscious choice to invest more in product quality than outer packaging.
Positioning: A real, authentic, consumer-first brand that reflects Kriti’s skincare journey and resonates with everyday users.
Promotion: Primarily via social media and D2C channels, using real consumer feedback, honest storytelling, and influencer-led discovery.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, Hyphen aims to expand its product portfolio by going deeper into categories that have shown strong consumer traction, planning to invest in consumer-led research and development to create innovative, pioneering products tailored specifically for the Indian market. They also plan to explore offline retail opportunities once they have a strong online foundation and reach a specific revenue milestone (INR 400 Cr).
With a sharp focus on quality, sustainability, and consumer needs, Hyphen is more than just a skincare brand — it’s a movement. And as Kriti Sanon continues to evolve as an entrepreneur, the future of Hyphen looks equally bright.
https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/beauty-personal-care/skin-care/india
