The beauty and personal care market in Pakistan is estimated to be worth $4.92 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow annually at a rate of 2.16% (Source: Statista). According to Myra Qureshi Jahangir, CEO, Conatural Beauty Pvt Ltd, “a growing population, the devaluation of the rupee, and smart entrepreneurs in the local market have resulted in the recent influx of local skincare brands.”

Conatural was launched in 2016 by two sisters, Myra and Rema Qureshi, who, in their search for high-quality skincare products, always ended up purchasing imported brands. This led them to believe that there was a strong need for a local brand that could offer natural and organic skincare solutions while moving away from skin-whitening creams and soaps. With her prior knowledge of Ayurveda, homoeopathy and Chinese medicine, Myra Qureshi worked with chemists from Australia, the EU and the UK to develop products made from natural ingredients and set up a manufacturing unit in Lahore. Conatural initially started with seven products and now offers 150 formulations in its skincare, haircare, men’s skincare and professional salon care categories. In the skincare category, in addition to the usual offerings, the brand has a SuperActivs range with products containing high-potency vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and retinol, derived from natural and synthetic origins.

As a brand, Conatural has been very stringent about its use of the terms ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ – only using them after receiving international certification authenticating their ingredients. By following superior manufacturing processes and strictly adhering to ISO 22716 certification guidelines, Conatural guarantees all its products are free from harmful chemicals and additives commonly found in most products.

In recent years, men have demonstrated a growing interest in skincare and grooming products, and in June 2024, Conatural decided to test the response of the men’s skincare market in Pakistan by launching a men’s facewash line. “We realised that the Gen Z man has very specific skincare needs that go beyond basic soap for a morning facewash routine,” says Myra Qureshi.

She adds that “men have a variety of skin issues, ranging from skin that is oily, rough or acne-prone, and many of them were already using our products as they catered to these special skin needs.

Euromonitor also reported that approximately 10% of the sales in the skincare category can be attributed to men. So, three years ago, we started studying men’s skincare formulations as their skin type is different from that of women.“

The men’s skincare line comprises three facewash variants: Acne Defence, Oil Control and Hydra Power in the 60-ml SKU. The brand aims to test the market’s response over the next three months and then launch more products in the Conatural Men line.

In terms of competition, Qureshi says that Conatural has a few competitors in the men’s skincare market, apart from Garnier, Pond’s and Golden Pearl (imported brands such as Dove and Nivea also offer men’s skincare products). However, according to Qureshi, “none of them focus on using natural raw materials to minimise chemical exposure to the skin that can result in long-term skin damage.”

Conatural’s target audience falls in the 20-to-45-year-old urban men who have access to digital, hence the use of social media platforms to promote the range. In fact, Conatural does not use mass media, preferring to invest in YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok ads and spend on influencer marketing, point-of-sale displays and customer trials.

In terms of pricing, Qureshi is of the opinion that the brand’s products are very affordable, even more so given that imported brands have become very expensive. The Conatural men’s facewash is priced at Rs 485 for 60 ml, which is in line with other locally produced brands such as Garnier and Pond’s.

Conatural’s product range is available online and stocked at more than 1,500 local retailers, including Conatural’s own experience centres located in Karachi and Lahore. The experience centres allow consumers to get a feel for the product before making a purchase decision.

Conatural also caters to the luxury hotel market in Pakistan by supplying skincare and haircare products under private labels, and it also sells internationally under private labels through Amazon in the US and UAE. The brand is eager to make Pakistan proud and contribute to its export economy by establishing a strong international presence.

Qureshi emphasised that the brand is purely and proudly Pakistani and sources its raw materials locally.

“The entire ‘buy local’ belief is supported by our supply chain process being completely Pakistani, and while China may offer raw materials at a much lower price, we prefer a local, dependable supplier.” Unfortunately, some ingredients such as willow bark or chamomile extract have to be imported. However, she believes that the brand is committed to offering natural skincare products and will always value quality over price. “From day one, we established that we are not in the business of adulterating products; we are in the business of quality!”

Qureshi believes that their perseverance and innovation will help the brand grow organically, as it has over the last eight years, and foresees strong international demand for the brand’s products.

Sadia Kamran is Marketing Manager and an English language instructor, Anees Hussain.
sadiaazam@yahoo.com