As 3TenX completes its first year, in a conversation with Vidhi Arya, Megha Arora – Founder of 3TenX, reflects on milestones, challenges, and the vision driving the brand’s journey to becoming a trusted name in professional haircare.
This year marks a significant milestone for 3TenX as the professional haircare brand completes its first year in the industry. Co-founded by Megha Arora and Aankith Arora, 3TenX has swiftly grown into a trusted name among salons and consumers alike, crossing 2000+ salon partnerships and making its way to Sephora shelves within just ten months. Built on resilience, authenticity, and a clear vision, the journey so far reflects both the challenges and triumphs of establishing a young Indian brand in a competitive market.
Over the past year, what has been the single biggest learning from running 3TenX? And, looking back, what was the most surprising challenge you faced in your first year?
“Our biggest learning has been that resilience matters far more than perfection. In a market where international brands have dominated professional haircare for decades, we realised that building consistent trust with stylists, salons, and consumers requires persistence, patience, and the ability to keep showing up. The most surprising challenge we faced was overcoming salon bias and customer hesitation against trying an Indian-founded professional brand. It was less about proving our formulas worked- which they did, and more about shifting long-held perceptions.”
Which milestone this year felt the most validating for the brand? Also, were there any pivots or strategy changes you had to make in year one?
“Crossing 2000+ salons within just 10 months was a milestone that truly validated our vision. It proved that stylists and salon owners believed in both our product quality and our long-term commitment. Another highlight was becoming the first Indian haircare brand to be retailed at Sephora. It is a moment of immense pride and global recognition.
As for strategy, we initially leaned heavily into salon-first growth, but quickly realised the need to expand equally into direct-to-consumer (D2C). This dual focus allowed us to build credibility in professional channels while also making our products easily accessible to customers nationwide.”
What has largely influenced your decisions around supply chain, sourcing, and manufacturing?
“While we are proud of our Indian roots, our identity is built around delivering world-class quality above all else. To achieve this, we source ingredients globally and manufacture through international partners who align with our uncompromising quality-first approach. This ensures that our customers get the same standards they would expect from any leading global brand.”
Were there any unexpected challenges in maintaining global quality standards?
“For us, much challenge didn’t arise because we do not manufacture in India. By collaborating with international partners from the beginning, we’ve ensured that every product maintains consistent, global-level standards. This decision allowed us to sidestep the compromises that sometimes come with local manufacturing while staying true to our vision of offering salon professionals and consumers only the best.”
Over the past one year, how have you undertaken marketing operations for the Indian audience in terms of positioning or promotions? What’s your social media game all about?
“Our marketing has revolved around three pillars: storytelling, real results, and vibrant, relatable branding. We’ve leaned into the power of authentic storytelling, bringing forward the founder’s journey, highlighting the trust of salon professionals, and showcasing real transformations instead of overhyped promises. Our social media has been central to this. Rather than polished campaigns alone, we’ve focused on relatability: raw behind-the-scenes moments, authentic testimonials from stylists, and engaging content that feels approachable yet aspirational. This mix has helped us build a strong emotional connection with both salons and consumers.”
What’s in store for 3TENX in the coming 3–5 years?
“Our vision is clear: to dominate the Indian professional haircare market while expanding our footprint globally. We aim to continue disrupting the industry with innovation, bold creativity, and products that deliver uncompromising results. Over the next few years, we want to make 3TENX not just a brand but a movement, one that challenges norms, redefines quality, and proudly shows the world that an Indian-founded brand can stand shoulder to shoulder with international giants.”
Join 3TenX at PBI Mumbai
3TenX is the official Haircare Partner for Professional Beauty India, Mumbai. PBI is coming to Mumbai on October 6 and 7 at BEC, NESCO, Hall 1, Mumbai. Join in to know more about the brand and its recent offerings.Register Now for PBI: https://professionalbeauty.in/register/mumbai
