Q&A with Anita Kaushal, founder of Mauli Rituals

Mauli Rituals is a brand defined by love, tradition and wellbeing.
Taking inspiration from the ancient Ayurvedic Rituals of the East, the skin and bodycare brand create products which make a real difference to your skin and your health. Never testing on animals, Mauli also shy away from the use of chemical ingredients like fragrance, parabens, silicones and sulphates to ensure you only receive the very best treatment for you.
We sat down with its founder, Anita Kaushal, to find out more about the brand and how we can better look after ourselves and our skin coming into the New Year..
Describe Mauli Rituals in 3 words…
Purity + Performance + Sensorial
How did the idea for the brand come to you?
My husband and I had enjoyed successful careers in creative consulting and skincare distribution, so we knew the industry on some level. There came a point in our lives, when we both wanted to give back, so we set ourselves a target to raise £1m and Mauli became one of the means to do that. Add to that Bittu’s father is an Ayurvedic doctor and I had grown up seeing my mother make and use natural skincare from her kitchen larder and her skin is exceptional, so everything just fitted into place. India’s rich, rejuvenating herbs and healing traditions were second nature to us but as wonderful as they were, they needed modernising to make them user-friendly and eco-luxe for a refined British market. We’ve achieved that and I’m proud to say, the results-driven range is exceptional.
What is the most special and unique quality of Mauli?
Intention. We put so much passion and purpose behind Mauli that it can be seen and felt. Every exquisite ingredient is considered and has to work on many levels. We mix the holistic principles of science lead Ayurveda with the sensorial benefits of Aromatherapy and we do it to create both inner balance and outer radiance. Because the quality of our ingredients is second to none, you need very little, so they are also great value for money.
Tell us about the ancient influences that inspired Mauli…
Ayurveda is a science and there is sound meaning behind the ingredients chosen, the way extracted, formulated and applied. We have grown up living an Ayurvedic lifestyle and simply took that for granted but what it suggests is a life lived in balance and recognising when something is not right. It’s about prevention, rather than cure.
Why is wellbeing so important to you as a brand?
For too long, people have chased wealth over health. I believe that looking and feeling beautiful comes from the inside out and our products deliver on both the physical and emotional level as nothing is as beautiful and alluring as a person who is comfortable in their skin. That’s the gift of wellbeing.
Beyond this, skin is the largest human organ and what we put on it, is absorbed into it, so it’s a major concern to absorb toxins into the blood stream via pretty looking products that essentially do more harm then good. I have a son and I don’t want him to grow up absorbing toxins, when there is something I can do about it.
Do you have a favourite product and why?
Oh, that’s like asking a mother to pick her favorite child – impossible. I like each product for what it does. I’ll tell you which I use every single day and can’t do without. Supreme Skin Serum as it’s all I need for beautiful skin and I even mix it with water and use it as a cleanser when I’m travelling. Then Grow Strong Hair Oil because it’s made using traditional Ayurvedic methods that take months and the results are outstanding. Plus it lasts and lasts. Finally, I would have to say Reawaken Hand & Body Wash because the simple act of washing hands and body with this exquisite blend enriches my every day. How can I go without our candle, the massage oils, the healing salts…too hard of a question.
Tell us about your pamper ritual…
To me it does not feel like pampering, when I look after my body. It serves me so well that to look after it, is simply doing the right thing. Day to day, I opt for quicker rituals, such as a 3 minute oil pulling session, massaging with Sacred Union Dry Oil, adding a little Grow Strong to the end of my hair and at night giving myself a 15 minute massage after a bath in our salts. Showers in the morning and a bath in the evenings are a daily ritual, come rain or shine. Sundays are reserved for longer sessions using our products and really taking my time. I feel so re-energised after I’m done and so ready for the week ahead.
How can we adjust our routines in January?
Winter is a time when our bodies intuitively need to hibernate, yet we force ourselves to socialise and over-indulge with heavy foods. By January many of us are feeling burnt out, yet we force ourselves again – to reach our goals, live better, do more, be more. That’s all fine and growth has its place but my advice is go easy on yourself. See fewer people, but get out in the fresh air, meditate on what you want from the coming year but ease into it. There is no rush. The only thing you really want to do in January is be kinder to yourself and self-care rituals that include massage, healing soaks in the bath, swapping to non-toxic products and just noticing how far you’ve already come.
Do you think a “skin-tox” is important?
As said, everything you spray, rub and cream onto the skin is absorbed into the body, moved through the blood stream and will in turn affect your mood. If you haven’t ruled out toxic, chemical led skincare products yet, we suggested that would be your first step. Once you anoint your skin with pure, opulent and efficacious natural ingredients you’ll notice how much better you look and feel.
What is the one most important tip you can give when it comes to skin and wellbeing?
Take good care of yourself. Wellness is far cheaper than illness. For example, our Himalayan Healing Salt contains the same trace minerals found in the human body. As you bathe in these salts and they enter the body, lost minerals are replenished and toxins diminished. They also help induce a good night’s sleep – so vital to functioning well.

 

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