In a world of 10-step skincare routines, cosmetic additives claiming to cure a problem overnight, and aggressive sustainability marketing campaigns, Terasu invites you to slow down, no matter how hard it may seem. Anusha Santosh believes that skincare should be simple, whether it’s the usage or the components that go into it. Terasu was launched in January 2024 in Chennai as an online store. Learn more from an insightful discussion with its founder.
Not just another clean brand
Anusha, a full-time corporate lawyer and soap-making hobbyist, decided to take a leap of faith in 2024, launching her one-woman brand Terasu. “My sister and I have had sensitive skin all our lives, which is how I got into making cold-processed soaps a few years ago. I used to gift soaps to people, and a lot of my friends and family asked me to customise soaps for them based on their specific skin type, so it turned from a hobby to a business. ”
She shares the story about how she settled on the brand name: “Terasu means ‘to illuminate’. Initially, I wanted a Japanese name, which is how I found the word Terasu, but coincidentally, it bears the same meaning in Malayalam, so it worked out perfectly!”
Recalling the early days, she says, “Honestly, I thought people would love handmade products, but I ended up having to oversell myself. I did pop-ups, but after a few, I had to shift my perspective. The first thing I did was to set up at farmers’ markets instead, where people understood the value of artisanal products. I didn’t have to explain or justify anything; they knew what to expect and were ready to make a purchase.”
The beauty and skincare industry has seen a boom in ‘clean’ and ‘conscious’ labels. Terasu stands out by promoting one clear fact: Anusha makes everything at home, by hand, using authentic ingredients.
Crafted with love and a purpose
“I use natural ingredients and want Terasu to represent slow living. I want people to appreciate the beauty of nature in its most raw and natural form. I use zero chemicals in my products. People say Niacinamide lightens your skin; I say turmeric and oat milk do it too. I want people to pamper themselves and do it with all the authenticity that nature has to offer,” Anusha says passionately.
On the subject of doubting her brand, she reflects, “The first pop-up I did was an absolute downer; I sold nothing. I had also sponsored over 200 bags for the event, but in spite of that, I never heard back from anyone. It affected me so much that I took a month off from working on Terasu. Then I decided to pick myself up and embrace the journey. It wasn’t the end of the world; every business has its ups and downs.”
She busts myths surrounding the skincare industry. A soap-making course from the National Industrial Development Institute in Delhi led her to unlearn what she once believed were facts. Rosemary oil needs a 20% concentration to aid hair growth, but most brands have a mere 1-5%, which is barely effective. Inspired, she now makes 100% pure, cold-pressed rosemary oil, letting it infuse for 90 days before selling it. Commercial soaps marketed as ‘pure’ or ‘conscious’ often have a chemical coating, defeating the purpose.
Moving slow in a fast world
She talks about scepticism surrounding the words ‘slow’ or ‘conscious’. “Those who get it, get it. For those who don’t, I say, ‘Good things take time. ’ We had an order for 5,000 soaps, where they insisted that it was urgent. We said we would need time, and they cancelled their order. I only make small batches of my products, which retains their freshness.”
In a world obsessed with fast-moving things and short-term trends, Terasu aims to promote a slow-living culture. Anusha says she initially felt the pressure to keep up with trends and introduce multiple products at once, but that was not what she set out to do. Over time, she realised she wanted to concentrate on one product at a time and perfect it before moving on to the next.
The turning point in her business was her first farmers’ market, where she realised that Terasu had a vast scope and a niche audience. She just had to find them. She says proudly, “It’s not about selling once, it’s about selling time and again to the same people. One of my friends’ mothers has psoriasis and had to stop using soap completely. I make a soap with turmeric and oat milk, and one with pink and green clay. Both these have changed the condition of her skin. Regardless of whether other people buy them or not, I will continue making them for her!”
She spends about a month developing each product, testing different ingredients and measurements. Each product takes about a month to develop, with different ingredients and measures. “If I’m not convinced about a product, I don’t sell it. People are trusting me with their skin, so if a trial turns out badly, I don’t go ahead with it.”
Building a community through storytelling
When asked about feedback that changed her mindset towards her brand, Anusha notes that she received responses about the first batch of sugar scrubs—too grainy, abrasive, and lacking something. She takes every piece of feedback as constructive criticism, considering it room for improvement.
Looking into the future, she talks about her dream for Terasu. “It would be great to set up a little store where I can go and make soaps, or even conduct workshops. There is a storytelling aspect to every craft, and it is the same with soap-making. It is truly therapeutic, so I would love to share that experience with more people and have a community. I want people to witness how moody soaps are and how they behave erratically,” she laughs.
Building a community of like-minded people, fostering a sense of belonging, and garnering trust and support. That’s what she would like to achieve. She took big risks by starting her business and investing in raw materials, and she hopes they will pay off. She believes that taking risks is the only way to know if something will work—and for Terasu, it did.
An answer to the ‘why’
Getting out of bed may seem like a gargantuan chore for many, but not for Anusha. Every day is a new day; there’s always something to learn. She does everything in her home studio, from designing to formulating to making to packing. Staying creative while running a business is a task in itself, having to handle logistics, backend work, and shipping. Anusha says even though that is true, her family plays a big role, helping her label products, arrange them on her shelves, and pack orders. Having this supportive group lets her focus more on formulating new products and taking the time to develop them.
Notes from the studio
If she were to remove the branding and sell the products without a name, what outcome would she hope for? “In an era of white labelling, if I had to do it, I would want people to keep coming back for more. I want them to trust the soap to do what it should do, and continue using it. I want people to appreciate slow living and nature the way I do, and I hope to grow my brand in the same direction moving forward,” Anusha concludes.
Terasu encourages gentle, slow mornings, mindful consumption, grounding rituals, sustainable lifestyles, and, of course, self-care. “I’m not overly ambitious; I simply want to create something that people trust,” she says. In a market saturated with quickfire solutions, that kind of mindset might just be Terasu’s biggest strength.
Terasu’s products range from artisanal bar soaps, sugar scrubs, whipped soaps, oils, foot soaks, and bath salts. Their products are available on their official Instagram page @terasu.india and Swiggy Minis.
