For many women entrepreneurs in beauty, the story begins with a gap in the market. For Saumya Yadav, it began with something far more personal: postpartum hair loss.
“My journey started with postpartum hair struggles,” she shares. What followed wasn’t just research; it was revelation. While exploring professional haircare solutions, she realised that most premium products available in India were imported, expensive, and not formulated for Indian hair textures and climates.
Over time, she saw the pattern clearly. This wasn’t an isolated problem but systemic. Many Indian women were investing in products that simply didn’t work for them, because better, localised options didn’t exist.
And that insight became the foundation of &Done Hair, a homegrown haircare brand built around performance, practicality, as well as real consumer needs.
Building &Done Hair: From Personal Struggle to Market Insight
Yadav’s journey reflects a larger shift among women entrepreneurs in beauty: moving from aspiration-led branding to solution-led building.
Her approach is simple. “I understand the problem deeply before attempting to solve it,” she says. In fact, she has learned that lesson the hard way. In her previous venture, she shut the business down after realising it lacked product-market fit. She returned eight million dollars to investors, a decision that marked the lowest point of her career. But it also reshaped her as a founder. “It taught me to question assumptions, stay true to myself, and dig much deeper into consumer insights before building anything,” she says.
Leadership Without Compromise
In an industry that largely serves women but is often structured around male-led decision-making spaces, Saumya’s experience has been refreshingly grounded. “Compared to the US, I found India surprisingly progressive,” she explains, adding that she didn’t notice a significant difference in how she was treated compared to her male co-founder.
Her philosophy on leadership is rooted in preparation and integrity. “I work very hard and I’m extremely honest. That honesty builds trust. When you’re clear, grounded, and consistent, leadership comes naturally,” she says.
Beauty That Works for Real Life
As a founder in the homegrown haircare segment, Saumya’s own relationship with beauty has evolved. “Life today is fast paced. Beauty products need to be made for how we actually live,” she says.
Her goal is not to add pressure to already stretched lives. Instead, she wants women to feel supported, not guilty, overwhelmed, or chasing unrealistic standards. “Products should work for us, not demand more from us,” she says. This ethos defines &Done Hair: functional, efficient, and thoughtful. It’s made for Indian hair and modern routines.
The Mantra That Guides Her
Every founder has a north star. For Saumya, it’s direct and uncompromising: “The customer is king. Find a deep enough problem and do a damn good job of solving it.” And perhaps the most powerful advice she follows? “Don’t build to impress. Build to solve something real.”
On Women’s Day, her story is a reminder that the future of beauty in India belongs to brands that are grounded in insight, not illusion, and to women entrepreneurs who are willing to build differently.
