Nitin Guppta, Founder, Juhst, on building an Indian-skin-first beauty proposition, shifting from discount-led acquisition to retention, and turning collagen into a broader functional wellness platform
Juhst is building its beauty and wellness proposition around a distinct thesis: Indian skin needs science designed for its specific biology, rather than repackaged global formulations. The brand is putting collagen at the centre of its portfolio while using skincare, dermatology and functional formats to build a broader inside-out skin health proposition.
In an interaction with BW Retail World, Nitin Guppta, Founder, Juhst, discusses the brand’s growth strategy, its 48 per cent repeat purchase rate, the shift away from discount-led customer acquisition, upcoming product launches and the opportunity he sees in Indian skin science, collagen, D2C beauty and dermatology-led retail. Excerpts.
Juhst has carved a niche in India’s evolving lifestyle and consumer market. What has shaped the brand’s journey and growth strategy?
We built Juhst around one idea: Indian skin needs its own science, not a repackaged global formula.
My background is in pharma sourcing and procurement, so I understand actives and manufacturing, rather than making clinical claims. That foundation has shaped how we approach the category.
The biggest shift has been repositioning around the idea that skin should not merely perform; it should be supported. Collagen became the anchor, while skincare completes the system.
We have deliberately moved away from the traditional ritual- and routine-led framing of beauty. Our focus is on building a science-led proposition around what Indian skin actually needs.
How has Juhst performed recently in terms of revenue, customer acquisition and profitability? Which categories are driving the business?
Collagen already accounts for the clear majority of our revenue from skincare — roughly seven in every 10 rupees.
This quarter, our focus has shifted from acquisition through discounts to retention. Subscription for our collagen sachets is where we are seeing significant momentum, alongside every possible mechanism to improve retention.
We actually walked away from our previous performance agency because its discount-heavy playbook was working against what we stand for. We rebuilt our advertising approach from scratch and have also paused paid social advertising.
Our repeat purchase rate is currently 48 per cent, which reinforces our belief that retention is a much stronger growth lever for us than simply spending more to acquire customers.
What are Juhst’s expansion plans over the next 12–24 months?
September 2026 is our relaunch, with better claims, rebuilt product pages and cleaner formulations.
We are also turning collagen into a platform rather than a single SKU. We have three to four new functional formats in development — including products focused on cellular skin support, a night formula for sleep recovery, an afternoon anti-glycation formula and a postpartum formula. The objective is to create solutions for different age and life stages.
We are also developing an anti-pigmentation sunscreen specifically for Indian skin, which we believe addresses a genuine gap in the market.
At this stage, however, we are not chasing new geographies. We want to go deeper into our Indian-skin thesis before going wider.
Another important area is our relationship with dermatologists. We are building direct relationships through clinic retail, symposium talks and peer-to-peer engagement, rather than transactional partnerships.
What consumer trends do you see shaping beauty and wellness, and how is Juhst positioning itself?
Indian skin has historically been a footnote in global formulations. But our skin has different melanin behaviour and different pigmentation risks.
For us, the answer is not to turn that into a marketing angle. It is to actually formulate for Indian skin.
We also use the term ‘well-aging’ rather than ‘longevity’. Well-aging is something consumers can understand and act on, whereas longevity can often remain an abstract concept.
Ultimately, our differentiation is honesty in formulation. We do not want to make claims that we cannot substantiate.
With customer acquisition costs rising across D2C, what are the biggest opportunities and challenges for Juhst?
Acquisition costs are rising for everyone. Our answer is retention, not louder ad spend.
Subscriptions around collagen are one part of that strategy. The other is building a dermatology channel that does not depend on advertising platforms for customer acquisition.
The category is becoming increasingly crowded, and I believe the winners will be substance-first, not spend-first.
What is your long-term vision for Juhst over the next five years?
Five years from now, we want Juhst to be the brand that defines inside-out skin science for Indian skin.
Collagen will remain at the core, skincare will complete the proposition, and dermatology will provide the trust layer.
That is the ecosystem we are building — one where science, formulation and credibility come together to create a distinctly Indian approach to skin health.
