For over two decades, Vasanti Cosmetics has been redefining beauty by prioritizing diversity, inclusivity, and high-performance, cruelty-free products. What began as a frustration shared among four women—three sisters and their childhood friend—evolved into a brand that empowers individuals to look and feel like themselves. The journey, however, was anything but easy.
Vasanti, from the Sanskrit word for Spring, grew from seeds planted when Monal Patel, Pinki Gosal and their friends constantly found themselves asking, “Why doesn’t makeup look good on me?” The realization hit hard: the industry simply wasn’t catering to their skin tones. “I never wore makeup growing up because I thought my face wasn’t suited for it. It never even occurred to me that the makeup itself was the problem—that it wasn’t made to suit somebody with my skin color,” Monal recalls.
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Pinki, on the other hand, was drawn to beauty from an early age, influenced by her glamorous mother who never left home without her lipstick and saree perfectly coordinated. However, her professional awakening came in the form of a jarring moment at a high-end beauty studio in Chicago, where an ex-model owner took one look at her and blurted out, “Get some concealer on her!” The makeup artists scrambled to correct what they saw as a flaw, layering her skin with an ashy, ill-fitting shade. “That was the first time anyone had pointed out my dark circles, and suddenly, I couldn’t stop obsessing over them. But no matter what I tried, nothing worked.”
Rather than accept the industry’s shortcomings, these women set out to fix them. Years of meticulous research and development led to their first product line, designed to enhance faces that looked more like their own, unlike anything else out there. Their goal was clear: makeup that felt weightless, performed flawlessly, and, most importantly, matched the rich spectrum of diverse skin tones. And so Vasanti came into the world.
But launching a brand in the early 2000s came with its own battles. “Nobody—besides us—was talking about diversity and inclusivity back then,” Monal explains. “Getting big retailers to take us seriously was one of our biggest challenges. We knew the demand was there, but convincing them was an uphill battle.” Sound familiar?
Despite these obstacles, the team behind Vasanti persevered, and their hard work would soon come to fruition with a pioneering new product: the VO2 colour corrector aka the Vasanti orange concealer. This breakthrough came at a time long before color correction became a trend, and proved to be a game-changer, solving a problem that countless people didn’t even realize could be addressed. “We launched an orange concealer back in 2001, and it wasn’t just any orange. It was the perfect peachy shade that worked across a broad spectrum of medium skin tones,” Monal shares. “Now, orange is a staple in the industry.” And Vasanti continues to innovate with this product, now infusing olive leaf extract for its brightening properties, creating a light and natural feeling concealer that suits a broad range of skintones.
With a growing reputation for innovative, effective, and ethical beauty solutions, Vasanti has built a loyal and diverse customer base, catering to consumers that the beauty industry had deprioritized for far too long. “We are incredibly proud of what we’ve built,” Pinki says. “Before clean, cruelty-free, and vegan products became industry standards, we were already championing them. But our biggest success isn’t just in the products—it’s in the people who use them. Hearing how our makeup has changed the way people see themselves is deeply fulfilling.”
As veterans in the beauty industry, Vasanti’s founders have witnessed dramatic shifts in trends and consumer expectations. Pinki observes that while diversity is now a buzzword, brands must do more than just expand shade ranges. “Formulating for diversity means creating products that truly adapt to different skin tones, rather than just adding more shades to the lineup. Too many options can be overwhelming rather than helpful. True inclusivity is about making beauty more accessible and intuitive.”
Looking ahead, Monal and Pinki predict a rise in multifunctional beauty—products that not only enhance appearance but also nourish the skin. “Skin wellness is going to be the next big focus, with solutions tailored to inflammation, nutrition, and overall well-being,” Pinki notes. “AI technology will play a role in creating targeted, personalized skincare. But more importantly, brands will need to focus on concerns that have been overlooked for too long—like hyperpigmentation and melasma in melanin-rich skin.” And Vasanti is already on that path, with a skincare line that blends innovation and luxury.
Vasanti’s story is one of resilience, innovation, and the unwavering belief that beauty should be inclusive. It’s a story of four women who turned their frustrations into a movement—one that continues to challenge industry norms while staying true to their original mission. “The fact that we are still here, still growing, and still making a difference 26 years later—that is our greatest success,” Monal says. And with each new innovation, Vasanti proves that beauty is at its best when everyone is seen, valued, and celebrated.
To learn more about Vasanti check out their website below.
https://vasanticosmetics.ca/
Nadia Elkharadly
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