How Indie Beauty Brands Are Celebrating Diwali—And Inviting Everyone To Join In

As brands inspired by Indian beauty or I-Beauty multiply, the traditions that inform it are increasingly becoming part of the conversation in the beauty industry outside of India.

Holiday traditions, of course, are important facets of cultures around the globe, and Indian culture is definitely not an exception. Diwali or the Festival of Lights, a five-day holiday kicking off Saturday, is one of India’s most important holidays of the year, and North American beauty companies are beginning to celebrate it. Sephora Canada recently launched its first-ever Diwali campaign, and indie beauty brands such as Pure Alchemy Beauty, Nazarr, Cria, Sahasra Beauty, Fable & Mane, Shaz & Kiks, Ranavat and Sahajan are joining in the Diwali festivities with content and promotions.

On Diwali, people clean their houses, light diyas or small candles, set off fireworks, wear fine clothes and decorate with rangoli, colorful art using rice. Esha Singh, co-founder of skincare brand Pure Alchemy Beauty, says the holiday is “the celebration of good triumphing over evil, knowledge thriving over ignorance and hope overcoming despair. The stories behind Diwali differ from region to region, but the message of light overcoming darkness remains the same for all people. Diwali is also a celebration of prosperity and is used to honor Maa Lakshmi Ji, the [Hindu] goddess of fortune.” Ruby Kular, founder of cosmetics brand Nazarr, says, “Diwali represents the end of a fruitful harvest season. We celebrate our land and God for giving us a good crop.”

Kular is Sikh, and she explains Diwali represents freedom to Sikhs. “This was the day when our sixth guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, was released from prison for not converting religions, which, at that time, he was forced to do by the Indian emperor Jahangir. Instead of accepting his freedom from prison, he refused to leave until the Hindu prisoners were also released by the emperor,” she says. “Sikhs’ core foundation rests on equality of all mankind, and we strive for justice. Freedom to express yourself and your religion is extremely important to us.”

Indie beauty brand founders agree Diwali can be celebrated by people whose cultures don’t typically celebrate it as long as they do so with respect. Shivonie Tirbhawandat, founder of coconut oil-centered brand Sahasra Beauty, says, “Acknowledgement goes a long way and those who celebrate will appreciate it.” Shubhra Sharma, founder of hair and brows product brand Cria, says, “It’s about lighting up the night––the darkness––with as much light as we humanly can, and we can all certainly do so, irrespective of what religion we align with.”

Singh cautions, “Diwali is not the time to flaunt your knowledge of India or to talk about your Indian vacation. It is a beautifully sentimental holiday, and one of the easiest ways to observe it is to reflect on your own character and what happens around you to see if you have been embodying the light that Diwali signifies.” Nikita Mehta, co-founder of haircare brand Fable & Mane, advises, “Rather than simply lighting candles or doing a rangoli in your home, go out of your way to understand what Diwali is and the background. For example, for Christmas, we’d learn about the nativity and not just about Santa Claus.”

“Brands with an ethos that connects to India or Indian science or spirituality can take a significant role in promoting the culture and inviting others to it.”

Earlier this week, Mehta and her brother Akash Mehta, co-founder of Fable & Mane, spoke on a Sephora Instagram Live about Indian haircare and Diwali. The social media discussion was indicative of how beauty companies are creating educational and festive content in the spirit of Diwali to participate in the holiday.

Haircare brand Shaz & Kiks will show behind-the-scenes glimpses of its sister co-founders’ family’s Diwali festivities on Instagram Stories. The brand’s followers will get a look at Diwali foods, including the rice pudding kheer, cashew and milk sweets kaju barfi, and mutton biryani, a rice and lamb dish. Kiku Chaudhuri, co-founder of Shaz & Kiks, suggests playing games to celebrate. She says, “Traditionally, some sort of gambling takes place on Diwali night. Dice games play an important role within Hindu mythology. Poker, rummy, Theen Paati, an Indian version of poker, are all commonly played. Our family is not big on gambling, so we like to play charades or Taboo! But you have to have some type of money-betting involved.”

Continuing about her brand, Chaudhuri says, “Our community loves seeing the faces behind the brand because it helps create connection both ways. More and more, consumers want to support brands that they believe in, feel invested in, and we don’t need to put up only highly-curated, editorialized content. We’re a family-owned business, and the impetus of our company is bringing the joy and cultural care practices that were passed down to us by the women in our family as shared rituals. Sharing on our digital platforms on how we live outside our company and especially cultural moments is an extension of that.”

In the past, Sahasra Beauty didn’t participate in Diwali. Tirbhawandat says, “It’s honestly something I never thought of because I’m so used to other brands solely acknowledging common American holidays.” This year, that will change, but Tirbhawandat maintains her brand will observe Diwali respectfully. She says, “In Hinduism, we do practice some form of modesty, especially when we are at a temple or religious event. I don’t think it would be appropriate to have Diwali content on our pages when we have other content that might not be as appropriate. Many years ago, a designer put Goddess Lakshmi on a bikini. That’s a big no-no.”

Lisa Mattam, the Indo-Canadian founder of Ayurvedic skincare brand Sahajan, grew up Catholic and didn’t celebrate Diwali, but, as she became friends with people from the Indian diaspora, she started to celebrate it. There are around 18 million people in the Indian diaspora, and it’s the largest diaspora in the world.

“Without context, I believe we risk appropriating the beauty without the spirituality or the significance. When we have celebrated in the past, I talk to my kids about the meaning of Diwali,” says Mattam. She remarks, “Brands with an ethos that connects to India or Indian science or spirituality can take a significant role in promoting the culture and inviting others to it.”

“There are a growing number of South Asian beauty brands and showing them love during this time would be wonderful.”

On top of content, indie beauty brands are feting Diwali with special promotional discounts. Shaz & Kiks is having a 20% off sale on Saturday and Sunday. Five customers that partake in the sale will receive tote bags that launch next month. Nazarr will be offering Punjabi Party and Money Moves eyeshadow palettes, and mattie liquid lipsticks at a 35% discount. It’s providing free shipping on Evil Eye Jewelry, too.

Ranavat is offering a 20% discount on online purchases through midnight Sunday. In particular, the ritual-focused brand is spotlighting its Jasmine Hydrating Mist made out of jasmine flowers from West India. Founder Michelle Ranavat says, “Jasmine is considered a symbol of good fortune, and one of the most auspicious flowers used to adorn deities and create a welcoming aroma for guests during the festive season.”

Pure Alchemy Beauty will donate 25% of the proceeds it generates over the Diwali weekend to New Georgia Project, an organization dedicated to registering voters in the state of Georgia. Cria will offer a 10% discount on products for Diwali. In honor of the holiday, Fable & Mane released a limited-edition $149 Holiday Trunk on Tuesday. The vibrant trunk handcrafted by Indian artisans includes the brand’s HoliRoots Hair Oil, Vegan Silk Twilly, Vegan Scrunchie, Vintage Hand Mirror, Handcrafted Neem Comb and a sticker that says “Keep Good Karma.” Pure Alchemy Beauty is planning to introduce an exclusive celebratory product for Diwali next year.

If non-Indian beauty brands or stores highlight Indian practices or ingredients for Diwali, indie beauty brand founders of Indian descent emphasize they should properly attribute them. Ranavat says, “Beauty companies especially in the wellness space should share the origins of a practice like dry brushing if it originates from South Asia.” To people who don’t usually celebrate Diwali, Nikita Mehta instructs, “If you put [Diwali] on your social media, make sure you have a disclaimer that you’re appreciating Diwali. Give religious people the ownership, authority, respect and credit.”

Overall, I-Beauty brand founders welcome beauty industry recognition of Diwali as an element of a larger inclusivity movement. Kular says, “The beauty industry has a very unique advantage to create awareness. We are an industry that displays ads in every media outlet possible, magazines, TV, posters, billboards, social media, etc.” Ranavat says, “Being more inclusive can only help beauty companies show their South Asian customers they care.”

Mattam says, “The more the industry can do to support Indian culture––and all cultures––they create not only a culture of inclusion, but one of possibility. And, specifically in beauty, they offer a reminder that no matter what you look like, you are beautiful and your community and country believes that.”

Chaudhuri says, “Growing up, and even until a few years ago, it felt very insular being Indian and South Asian. We lived in two separate worlds and almost had to keep our Indian-ness hidden away because many of us felt afraid of being ridiculed or disrespected. Shining any light of information, education, and joy around our culture plays an important part of us feeling included and respected. There are a growing number of South Asian beauty brands and showing them love during this time would be wonderful. And normalizing it like any other holiday. Whether it be Indian holidays or any other holiday, it’s great to learn about different cultures and celebrate together as humans.”