Esskay Beauty Resources appoints Sapna Bhavnani as Chief Vegan Officer to advance conversations around vegan beauty and salon education.
The professional beauty industry is witnessing a growing shift towards transparency, conscious consumption, and ingredient awareness. As consumers increasingly question what goes into the products they use, vegan beauty is becoming a larger part of salon conversations across India. In response to this changing landscape, Esskay Beauty Resources Pvt. Ltd. has appointed hairstylist, entrepreneur, filmmaker, and sustainability advocate Sapna Moti Bhavnani as Chief Vegan Officer for Rica Responsible Beauty, the professional haircare division of Italian beauty brand Rica.
The announcement also marks the launch of the #MadAboutVegan campaign, an initiative focused on encouraging awareness, education, and adoption of vegan beauty practices within the salon industry. Through this collaboration, Esskay aims to support salon professionals with knowledge, products, and resources as consumer expectations continue to evolve.
Why Sapna Bhavnani?
For Esskay Beauty Resources, the appointment is rooted in experience rather than endorsement. Long before vegan beauty became a mainstream industry conversation, Sapna Bhavnani had already built Mad O Wot, recognised as India’s first fully sustainable green salon.
Commenting on the partnership, Subham Virmani, Director, Esskay Beauty Resources Pvt. Ltd., said, “Esskay has spent over two decades building the trust of India’s salon community. Sapna has already done what many salons are only beginning to consider: building a thriving business on plant-based, cruelty-free principles. By joining hands, we’re reiterating that vegan is not something to watch from the sidelines; it is a standard the industry is steadily moving towards.”
The partnership reflects a growing recognition that sustainability and professional salon services are no longer separate conversations.
The Consumer Shift Towards Conscious Beauty
According to industry stakeholders, consumer behaviour is changing rapidly. Millennials and Gen Z consumers are increasingly seeking transparency around formulations, sourcing practices, and ethical standards before making beauty purchases.
Ankit Virmani, Director, Esskay Beauty Resources Pvt. Ltd., believes that this demand is already influencing salon services across the country.
“The vegan shift in Indian beauty isn’t approaching, it’s already here. Consumers want transparency in what goes into their hair, along with uncompromised results. While clients may not always articulate it directly, the demand for vegan solutions already exists in every salon.”
As salons respond to these expectations, vegan alternatives are becoming part of a larger conversation around service innovation and consumer trust.
More Than a Trend
For Sapna Bhavnani, the movement extends beyond products and beauty routines. She views veganism as a broader commitment to responsible choices and long-term impact.
“Vegan is not a trend. It is a reckoning. We are at a point in history where every choice we make—what we eat, what we wear, what we put on our bodies—has consequences for the planet, for animals, and for the generations that come after us,” she said.
Bhavnani further emphasised that veganism is about accountability and understanding the impact of everyday decisions. Her role as Chief Vegan Officer will focus on helping bring this conversation into the professional salon space through awareness and education initiatives.
The launch of the #MadAboutVegan campaign signals a growing industry focus on sustainability, ingredient transparency, and informed consumer choice. As professional beauty continues to evolve, collaborations such as this highlight the increasing role of education and advocacy in shaping future salon practices. Through its partnership with Sapna Bhavnani and Rica Responsible Beauty, Esskay Beauty Resources is contributing to an industry-wide conversation about what responsible beauty could look like in the years ahead.
