I was in my early thirties and all of a sudden, I experienced a bout of skin sensitivities – cystic acne, hives, and eczema. Which before this I never experienced before. Upon much trial and error and MANY visits to the dermatologist, I learned I was allergic to the synthetic preservatives in my skincare and the sulfates in my shampoo. Scared to try anything new, I called my father who is armed with a degree in Botany and an avid lover of Ayurveda to help me create a remedy to heal my inflamed and sensitive skin. We pored through Ayurvedic texts and read about time-tested gentle skincare ingredients crafting a formula tailored to soothe and heal my aggravated skin. And it worked! I was in awe with how effective plant medicine was and this is how the PRANA face oil was born.

From there I sought out to learn more and traveled throughout India, ending up in my father’s hometown. I met with generational healers in Kerala, India who made plant medicine to learn the extraction processes and methods of making these herbal skincare remedies. After I came back to New York, I made a conscious choice to leave my job in Finance where I had established myself for over 15 years, it was not an easy decision. I felt like I was jumping out of a plane with no parachute.  But I was determined. I wanted to let others know that they are not alone in experiencing adult-onset skin allergies and how Ayurveda is an incredible solution that is chemical-free providing gentle skincare.

What I hadn’t realized at the time is that taïla has always been a part of my destiny. I grew up in a household where Ayurveda was ingrained in my daily life. I come from an agricultural family in Kerala dating back to the 1600’s. With a primary focus on Ayurveda (holistic medicinal system from India), the estate always had an Ayurvedic garden along with an Ayurvedic Vaidyan (doctor) on the premises. During my time spent in Kerala, I still remember vividly our afternoon walks after teatime — we would stroll through the gardens where my father would share his wisdom about plant medicine with me. I would just drink in the knowledge because it was truly fascinating to me. Born in New York City and having this whole other world offered allowed me to appreciate both Kerala, a tropical paradise, and New York, a fast-paced melting pot of cultures. However, growing up in NYC, I found myself veering away from the Ayurvedic lifestyle I lived and was attracted to the pretty packaging. And as life would have it, it was my experience that brought me back to my heritage.

When creating taïla, it was extremely important that the products are firmly rooted in Ayurveda while also focusing on the sensory experience. The mind and body connection is extremely important in healing.  If I gave up my established career and the financial stability to create this company, I needed to make sure that what I put out in the world is authentic and made with integrity. No other word can describe it other than passion, taïla is my calling. So, I made the decision that we would control every step of the process and manufacture everything in-house. I pick each and every ingredient making sure they are of high quality from farms with sustainable practices. I formulate every product. I instinctively choose the aromas of each product. I oversee our extraction and manufacturing process in our Apothecary/Lab in Brooklyn. This is a labor of love. taïla skincare emerged from my desire to create safe skincare that heals with nature and represents my heritage.

Honor Your Beauty,