A woman in a remote town in north-eastern India is using her own products to make her own cosmetics.
Anil Srivastava started her business by selling cosmetics in shops, but her aim was to make them available to anyone who needed them.
She now employs around 200 people in the village of Bajaur in Chhattisgarh’s Rajasthan region, and has raised $250,000 in seed funding to expand her business.
“The idea behind my business is to make a product out of my own personal beauty products,” she said.
“I don’t want anyone to be left out of the business, I want people to be happy and satisfied with their products.”
The beauty products are all made with natural ingredients and ingredients I have personally picked out and have kept on hand.
I have used these ingredients in different formulations, and I use them on a daily basis to make sure that they are safe,” she added.
Her products are currently available in over 100 outlets across Rajasthani, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, where she also operates a beauty spa in Jharkhand.
Her business is one of a growing number of small-scale cosmetics businesses operating in India, which offer a variety of products including skincare, personal care, fragrance and more.
People need to understand that there are many benefits of these products and I encourage people to try them out,” she explained. “
I think it is important that people know that there is nothing wrong with their personal care products.
People need to understand that there are many benefits of these products and I encourage people to try them out,” she explained.
According to the World Health Organisation, people in India suffer from an estimated 2.5 million preventable deaths each year due to non-communicable diseases.
A study in 2012 by the Indian Medical Association of India showed that a significant proportion of the population were not using their personal protective equipment to prevent respiratory diseases like COPD, pneumonia, bronchitis and HIV/AIDS.
This is because they lack knowledge about these illnesses and are therefore at a greater risk of developing them.
The study also found that the lack of personal protective gear, including masks and face masks, was a common cause of respiratory problems in the Indian population.
More people are also using personal care as a means of reducing their exposure to the harmful effects of air pollution, and some people are even taking to using their own personal care.
Recently, a study by the World Bank found that India has the highest rate of asthma among developed nations, with an estimated 6 million people affected by the disease each year.
Despite these statistics, Sivakuram and her business have not let their health go unnoticed.
Sivakus products have helped her husband and family deal with asthma attacks and other medical conditions, and she has also become a source of pride for the family.
“I am so proud of my business because people have been saying I am not good at business.
People have said that I am a good mum, good cook, but my customers say that I have made them feel better,” she laughed.
Although she is now selling her own personal products in the local market, Sibodakam said she does not plan to close her shop any time soon.
“Our business is about bringing together different communities and helping people find solutions to their health problems.
We have a lot of patients, so I have to make it so that my customers feel comfortable,” she concluded.
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