Dedicated to producing natural, high-quality cosmetic and protection products based on significant study. Cikitsa (pronounced Chikitsa meaning treatment in Sanskrit) is a brand that manufactures sustainable and eco-friendly herbal goods
After earning his BBM degree, founder Fazal Rahman chose to work in his family’s aluminium and steel industry. However, as an entrepreneur, he was always driven to do something that offered value, which is why he began looking into diversification options.
Whenhe discovered the endless possibilities and advantages of Ayurveda in cosmetics, he began working with professionals, including Ayurvedic doctors, and launched research that grew into a project study. With market demand for fully natural things and constant support from his better half Thamanna, the timing was ideal for Fazal. As a result, in 2020, he established Cikitsa in Kochi, Kerala.
The beginnings
Fazal and his team had to face numerous challenges while creating the business to get to where they are now. While most of them were expected setbacks, obtaining licences for their products was one of the more difficult challenges. Gathering all of a company’s essential paperwork is frequently laborious and time-consuming, and it took them a long time to complete the paperwork necessary for legal compliance.
“But by being proactive and consistent in our approach, we were able to speed up the process and make things happen. Another taxing challenge came in the time of the pandemic when our day-to-day operations were largely disrupted and we were forced to slow down. Nevertheless, our timely interventions and re-direction helped accelerate our recovery,” recalls Fazal about his share of initial struggle.
When their products were ready for sale, they started promoting it on their social handles. He adds, “We reached out to our network, both personal and professional, to get the word out about our launches. While the first few purchases came from friends and family, the word fast caught on and we ended up seeing good traction without any paid marketing. Thus, by simply leveraging our online presence and harnessing the power of word-of-mouth marketing, we were able to expand our reach and expand our customer base quickly.”
The products
Cikitsa hair oil is their star product. This hair oil was produced with thorough study, unique formulations, and synergetic herbs to treat vexing hair issues including dandruff, dryness, and reduction and prevention of premature greying. The ingredients include Aloe Vera, Emblica officinalis, M Hibiscus rosa, Lawsonia, Citrus Lemon, Piper nigrum, Sida retusa, and others.
Another item is the Goatmilk & Honey Oats soap. Each soap bar contains real goat milk, honey, and oats, which have anti-inflammatory and protective characteristics that can help with a variety of skin ailments like acne, eczema, and dry itchy skin.
The product line also includes cold pressed sweet almond oil, and cold pressed black seed oil, both of which have a variety of health benefits.
The achievements
The couple have been able to achieve constant progress by continuously measuring and analysing customer behaviour and key metrics.
“We kept an open mind while listening to our customers’ feedback and were quick to act on their key concerns and suggestions. Not only did this help us in retaining existing customers via repeat purchases, but also furthered positive reinforcements around our product, and attracted new customers,” Fazal explains.
“Launching our website helped us streamline the purchase process, and made placing an order with us a lot more convenient and hassle-free. That, along with implementing good SEO practices and regularly optimising our web pages for search, we were able to drive a lot more traffic and in turn, more customers,” adds Thamanna.
The duo aim to diversify their product portfolio in the next few years and introduce well-researched and well-formulated products to the market.
