From a legacy built by a visionary pharmacist to a brand trusted by salons and homes across India, Honeybee WaX has carved its niche in the waxing industry. At the heart of this transformation is Vikram Sharma, the son of Late R.C. Sharma, and the current Director of Honeybee WaX. In this candid interview, Vikram shares his journey of returning to India, stepping into his father’s shoes, and reimagining the traditional waxing experience for Indian and global consumers alike.
Q.1. Your family’s wax brand has a long history; how have you built upon it? How did you decide to continue and evolve the business?
My father, Late R.C. Sharma, was a pioneer in the wax industry. A trained pharmacist by profession, he had a passion for cosmetic formulations. Over a period, he noticed a growing demand for wax and identified a gap in the market. With his expertise and vision, the journey of Honeybee started.
At the time, I was well-settled in Australia, but I returned to India to look after my father. Over the years, he built a strong reputation in this segment, and it was only later that I truly understood the impact of his work, and it inspired me deeply.
We specialized in sugar-based wax, an affordable solution designed for the masses. Western formulations weren’t popular in India back then, so he focused on developing a proven sugar wax formula. I had the opportunity to meet European manufacturers, where I learned the finer details of the craft to create other types of waxes and their formulations.
As I delved deeper into the business, I realized that I had inherited my father’s passion and dedication. That realization kept me going. Today, people believe in our brand just as they once believed in him, and we take great pride in carrying forward his legacy.
Q.2. The wax industry is quite competitive. In terms of formulation, effectiveness, and skin benefits, why do your wax solutions stand out?
The wax industry is highly competitive, and there is always room for improvement. The wax products offer instant gratification, and consumers immediately get to know whether they are going to use the product again or not. It is all based on their experience. The key lies in how well the formulation works on skin.
Many people feel discomfort while using wax, often due to skin irritation or excess moisture. While Western products may be more advanced, they can also be harsh on the skin. At Honeybee, our liposoluble waxes are designed to deliver a superior experience. My mantra is to create products specifically for Indian skin. Unlike other brands that use vegetable oil, at Honeybee, we incorporate cottonseed oil into our wax, which is good for skin. Even with the second application, our wax ensures a smooth and nourished finish on skin, and no irritation.
Q.3. Indian women have diverse skin types and preferences. Can you describe how you ensure products cater to a wide range?
The Indian landscape is diverse with different terrains bringing different seasons and weather conditions. Similarly, Indian skin comes in a variety of types. They can have oily or dry skin, or a combination of both. During the months of January and December, when the northern part of the country suffers from cold weather, the southern and western parts of the country enjoy comfortable temperatures. Keeping this in mind, we ship products that are more in sync with the weather and automatically fit the needs of our customers. I do not believe that any other brand follows the same notion for their consumers and the attributes of their landscape as we do.
Honesty, we have invested a lot of effort into ensuring that our wax stands out and provides relief to a variety of skin types. This applies to our international clients as well. Recently, we shipped our products to Singapore, a country with a tropical climate. It rains every third day, there is a lot of moisture in the air, whereas we shipped a product to the Netherlands where the weather is much cooler, the winds are much drier.
The standard procedure involves asking consumers, customers, and importers about the destination of the goods. We then adjust our formulations accordingly to offer the best products.
Q.4. Could you please provide some information regarding your brand’s offline and online reach?
We began as a B2B brand, which means that we sold our products to salons. In India, waxing as a service is typically performed in a salon. The supply chain for us means that it will go to a wholesaler, but we will end up in a salon. For us, that is the end consumer. Through salons, we have developed a strong offline presence in the B2B segment. Our presence in most states in India is limited to a few states in the east, but we have excellent markets in Bangalore and Hyderabad.
A changing trend in at-home usage of cosmetic products has led to an increase in direct B2C brands every year. At Honeybee, we formulate products, customize them, and make them more user-friendly for at-home waxing. We have now entered the online market through our website, popular portals, and e-commerce shopping sites such as Amazon, and Walmart. With our products, we continue to introduce many firsts in the industry.
The experience a customer has when using our products at home is very important to us. We are trying to get as much out of a ready-to-use or easy-to-warm packaging as possible. We offer wax in a pan, beads in a pan, and microwave waxing jars for use. With Honeybee, you have the option of using it either in a salon or at home.
Q.5. In growing your business, what were the biggest challenges you encountered, and how did you overcome them?
My biggest challenge, aside from learning how to do business in India, has been the perception of waxing as a service. Despite being one of the most popular treatments in salons, more common than hair colouring or keratin treatments, and it is not viewed as glamorous. Consumers often overlook the importance of the wax brand being used, even though they care about the quality of their experience.
Salons remain loyal to us because they know Honeybee offers the highest quality wax, ensuring a comfortable and effective service. However, my aspiration is to reach a stage where consumers themselves walk into a salon and specifically request Honeybee by name. Our goal is to deliver not only the finest product but also the best possible experience, both in salons and at home.
A direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform is a natural next step. If consumers experience the ease and effectiveness of Honeybee’s at-home waxing products, they’ll be more likely to recognize and seek out the brand at their nearest salon. By consistently meeting consumer needs across various touchpoints, we aim to make Honeybee the go-to choice for hair removal.
There is nothing I love more than a Make in India story.
Q.6. As consumers become more aware of the importance of clean beauty, do your wax products contain natural, organic, or sustainable ingredients?
Consumers today are becoming more aware of the products they use, and I believe they would be keen to know about the wax they choose. I strongly advocate for sustainable, organic, and natural ingredients.
Our products are formulated with the goodness of nature, using original, time-tested recipes. We specialize in hot wax made without any harmful chemicals—just sugar, water, lemon, and citric acid. Citric acid, commonly used in food, makes our formula completely safe for use.
We take pride in using extremely gentle and skin-friendly ingredients. In contrast, many cosmetic products on the market are loaded with harmful chemicals. Our commitment to purity and safety ensures that consumers get the best, most natural waxing experience.
Last Updated on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 9:09 pm by Admin
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