Start-up aims to become one-stop destination for wigs

23-year-old Nishtha Malik offers wigs and toupees made out of human hair

Nishtha Malik is the founder and owner of Beaux Hair, a company that makes hair extensions. She was driven by the loss of her mother to cancer in creating this company.

Founded in 2019, the company aims to become a one-stop-solution for all types of hair needs. She recently won the International Woman Achiever Award for her startup.

The memory of her mother looking for good quality wigs while undergoing chemotherapy was what pushed her to make the choice. After pursuing a masters in entrepreneurship in London, she worked with an organic hair care company.

In 2019, Nishtha returned to India and was disheartened by the lack of progress in the industry. She decided to start the company with the hope of giving confidence and courage to women undergoing chemotherapy by providing them with quality wigs and extensions.

A large portion of her customers are people suffering from cancer and alopecia.

"I didn't even know there was a disease called alopecia, much less that it is such a significant problem until I started my company," she says.

The brand is well-known among men and women over 40 years of age. Women between 20 to 40 years who approach them are usually looking for customised hair extensions to either add to their length or volume or to use as an accessory. They also cater to celebrities and fashion designers.

"We offer extensions made out 100 per cent virgin remy hair (hair collected from a donor with the cuticle still intact). These are usually collected from temples around the country. This makes our product slightly steep, but it is a one-time investment and people will never know the difference," says Nishtha.

The hair wigs and extensions market is a thriving one, which is set to touch revenues of over Rs 738.25 billion by 2023. "Wigs and toupees are a great alternative to surgical hair transplant procedures, which is why it has become so popular," she explains.

For more information, visit www.beaux-hair.com