From a Thrissur home to Dubai and London: How two schoolgirls built a beauty brand

Thrissur: It started with a difficult childhood chapter, a sister looking for a way to keep her younger sibling engaged, and a simple experiment at home. Today, that experiment has grown into a beauty brand with around 10,000 orders and customers in the UAE and the UK.

Meet sisters Kanishka, an eighth-grade student, and Ekanshka, a Class 3 student, who are building their own brand, ‘Aesthetic’, from a small production space inside their home in Thrissur.

Their product range includes lip balms, solid perfumes and other fragrance products. What makes their story remarkable is not just the age of the entrepreneurs, but the way the business grew alongside their school life.

A difficult beginning
Ekanshka was only six when an accident at school changed her routine. She suffered internal bleeding after another child pushed her and eventually had to undergo surgery.

Her recovery was long, forcing her to stay away from school for nearly two years. With her younger sister spending most of her time at home, Kanishka began looking for ways to keep her occupied. That was when the idea of making solid perfumes emerged.

The sisters began learning about perfumery through online resources and started experimenting with different formulations at home. Their first products were shared with relatives and friends. The response was encouraging.

Soon, what began as an activity to keep two sisters engaged started looking like a business opportunity. Their parents, Shari and Bijeesh, decided to support the idea.

Weekends became business days
The sisters, who study at Vidya Vihar Central School, Kakkassery, have not allowed the business to come at the cost of their education.

School remains their priority. Production, packing and other business activities are largely done during weekends and school holidays.

A portion of their home has now been converted into their small production unit. Orders that initially came from friends and relatives gradually increased. Wholesalers from Thrissur, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram began collecting the products from their home and supplying them to retail outlets.

The brand has since crossed India's borders, with Aesthetic products reaching markets in the UAE and the UK.

‘Even a small business should be started’
Kanishka says the most important step is simply to start. “Even if it is a small business, what matters is taking the first step. We have received around 10,000 orders so far.”

The sisters recently received recognition at a government programme for entrepreneurs held in Kozhikode. Industries Minister PK Kunhalikutty met and honoured the young entrepreneurs.

For Kanishka, the interaction was particularly encouraging. She said the appreciation she received from the minister gave her more confidence and energy to take the venture forward.

Following the meeting, officials from the District Industries Centre also visited the sisters' production unit at their home.

Ekanshka's schoolbag is also a sales counter
For Ekanshka, entrepreneurship does not stop at making the products. She has found her own way of selling them—sometimes even carrying Aesthetic products to school.

“When I go to school, I keep our products in my schoolbag and sell them to students,” she says.

What began as an attempt to introduce the products to her classmates has now turned into something of a regular demand.

“Now my fellow students come to me and ask for the products, so selling has become easier,” Ekanshka says.

Her role in the venture has gone beyond production. At a remarkably young age, she is learning the basics of direct selling, customer interaction and building a product network.

From a corner of their home to Dubai and London
There is no corporate office or large manufacturing facility behind Aesthetic. There is a schoolgirl who discovered perfumery while trying to help her younger sister, a younger sibling who turned into a budding salesperson, and parents who chose to nurture their children's idea.

The sisters are still students. They have classes to attend, homework to finish, and holidays to enjoy.

But on one floor of their Thrissur home, another part of their lives is taking shape—one perfume, lip balm and order at a time.

What started during a difficult period in their childhood has now travelled from Thrissur to the UAE and the UK, showing that sometimes a business does not need a boardroom or a large investment to begin.

Sometimes, it only needs two sisters, an idea and the courage to take the first step.