Celebrities, influencers and other high-profile figures constantly curate collections of pricey apparel and colorful makeup kits to spread brand awareness and generate income. International supermodel and Virginia Beach native, Pritika Swarup, understands launching a beauty brand differently, however. Swarup’s signature line—Prakti—is her opportunity to empower women, uplift communities and give back to Indian craftswomen.
Swarup’s philanthropic approach to commerce is largely due to her lifelong commitment to and interest in Virginia Beach-based nonprofit Operation Smile. Swarup currently serves as a global ambassador for the international organization, advocating for Operation Smile’s mission and fundraising initiatives through press conferences and global volunteer opportunities.
Swarup has not only spent years watching medical professionals perform life-saving surgeries on adults and children with debilitating cleft lips and cleft palates but has watched the patients blossom in their newly found beauty. Swarup wants to provide Indian women with the same confidence-boost through her new, sustainable beauty line.
“We realized that there was this wide space between the super traditional Indian Ayurvedic brands and Western brands,” explains Swarup. “There was really no brand that bridged that gap and had global appeal. That’s how Prakti’s hybrid concept came into play. We’ve taken Ayurvedic and Indian ingredients and integrated them into these really modern, refined beautiful textures.”
Prakti’s flagship product, PritiPolish, promises radiant, glowing skin with its unique mixture of rice powder, pomegranate enzymes and traditional Ayurvedic ingredients like vetiver root and rose damascene oils. Its packaging is 100% recyclable too.
Of equal importance to Prakti’s clean, cruelty-free products is its protection and celebration of Indian craft techniques. The line’s Suman Saroj Initiative is a social responsibility campaign that provides village craftswomen in Lucknow the opportunities to hone their skills and work towards financial independence through earning a sustainable income. Swarup is also dedicated to showcasing the unique artworks of Indian women, some of which are featured on product packaging or will later be integrated into different facets of the Prakti brand.
Operation Smile remains at the forefront of Swarup’s most valued partnership as the two entities believe firmly in living happy, beautiful lives fearlessly. “Operation Smile is so important to me, and it’s also integral to the brand’s give-back programs,” says Swarup. “It was so important that [Prakti] be not just a beauty brand but that we could go beyond that and give back in a really meaningful way.”
Learn more at PraktiBeauty.com.
