Target participants
Individual DIY skincare hobbyists, small-batch entrepreneurs, and professional formulators in India who create their own skincare products.
The problem
DIY skincare makers in India struggle to find reliable sources for lab-grade raw ingredients. They often resort to purchasing from general online marketplaces or unverified suppliers, leading to concerns about ingredient purity, efficacy, and safety. This lack of transparency and accessibility means they waste significant time vetting suppliers and risk compromising the quality of their homemade products.
The current market primarily caters to large-scale manufacturers, leaving individual formulators and small-batch entrepreneurs with limited options. It's tough for them to buy small quantities of high-quality, certified ingredients, which impacts their ability to create professional-grade skincare and sometimes even causes skin irritation or adverse reactions for end-users. This gap in the supply chain holds back the growth and professionalism of the DIY skincare community across India.
Research question
What are the current challenges and unmet needs of Indian DIY skincare makers when sourcing lab-grade raw ingredients? How do they currently navigate this process, and what are their criteria for trust and quality?