Picture a Delhi summer, the air sticky with heat, and a young Priyanka Ganjoo savoring a colorful kulfi with her pals. That sweet, carefree vibe? It’s the heartbeat of Kulfi Beauty, the game-changing makeup brand she launched in 2021. But Priyanka’s story isn’t just about dessert-inspired dreams—it’s about grit, guts, and a mission to flip the beauty script for South Asians and beyond. As a standout among women change makers, she’s rewriting the rules and proving women in business can spark real women empowerment. Let’s spill the chai on her journey!
Priyanka Ganjoo didn’t grow up twirling mascara wands. Born and raised in Delhi, she faced a world where makeup came with a side of judgment. “Growing up in South Asian culture, I wasn’t allowed to participate and use makeup,” she once shared in an Entrepreneur interview. It was all about dodging attention, not celebrating it. Beauty? That was for “pretty girls”—a narrow box she didn’t fit into. So, makeup stayed off her radar until her 20s.
Then, life took a turn. After moving from India to Singapore and later the US for school, Priyanka landed in the corporate beauty scene, working with heavyweights like Estée Lauder and Ipsy. That’s when the lightbulb flickered on. She saw a glaring gap: South Asian faces like hers were missing from the beauty convo. “I rarely came across South Asian representation,” she told Tini Lux. That itch wouldn’t quit, and soon, she ditched the corporate grind to build something bold—Kulfi Beauty.
So, why “Kulfi”? It’s not just a catchy name—it’s personal. “I wanted beauty to feel like that experience,” Priyanka said in a Refinery29 chat, recalling those joyful kulfi-eating days. Launched in February 2021, Kulfi Beauty isn’t about hiding flaws or chasing Eurocentric vibes. It’s a playground of color and self-expression, rooted in South Asian flair. Think creamy kajal eyeliners, vibrant lip oils, and brow gels that say, “Be you, loud and proud.”
Her first big move? The Underlined Kajal Eyeliner, a nod to the cultural staple she grew up with. “No one was excited about this product. It was our opportunity to reinvent it,” she told Entrepreneur. With shades like Nazar No More (black) and Purply Pataka (berry), it’s smudge-proof, bold, and built for Indian skin tones. And the fans? They went wild. Kulfi hit Sephora shelves, proving this change maker was onto something massive.
Priyanka Ganjoo isn’t just slinging makeup—she’s sparking a movement. Her vision? To smash toxic beauty standards and lift up South Asians globally. “My vision in launching Kulfi was to present to the world an empowered South Asian, who is not only comfortable in their own skin but thriving in it,” she told Three Ships. That’s women empowerment in action, folks.
She’s all about joy, not judgment. Growing up, makeup felt like a tool for the male gaze or lightening skin—a colorism trap she rejected. Kulfi flips that. “I want them to play with makeup and have fun with it,” she said in Entrepreneur. Whether it’s a glittery Zari Eyes shadow or a Lassi Lips oil, her products scream self-love over societal rules.
And she’s not stopping at South Asia. Priyanka’s got global dreams. “Eurocentric beauty standards are the norm in most of the world, and I want Kulfi to be there for everyone, on a global scale, so we can challenge that together,” she shared with The Quality Edit. That’s a women change maker thinking big!
Building Kulfi wasn’t all glitter and gloss. Priyanka self-funded it with her savings, pouring her heart into every step. “I had never fundraised before. It was very time-consuming,” she admitted to Create + Cultivate. Investors threw shade—saying South Asian beauty “wasn’t aspirational.” Ouch. But she kept pitching, landing an angel round and proving the naysayers wrong. The pandemic? Another curveball. Yet, it gave her time to grow a digital community that’s now Kulfi’s backbone.
Today, she’s a shining star among women in business, showing that vulnerability and hustle can coexist. “Vulnerability is the superpower that allows your audience to resonate with you,” she wrote on KulfiBeauty.com. And resonate they do—her brand’s sold out products like Free the Brow Gel three times at Sephora!
Priyanka’s not just a founder—she’s a vibe shifter. She’s taken Kulfi from a Delhi memory to a global stage, all while championing inclusivity. For Indian women, her products nail those tricky undertones and humidity woes. For everyone else, they’re a call to ditch the rulebook and have fun. “I want our beauty routines to be touched with the joy you felt when you found a kulfiwala,” she told Femina. That’s her magic.
As one of the fiercest women change makers, Priyanka Ganjoo proves women empowerment isn’t just talk—it’s action. She’s built a brand by South Asians, for South Asians, and beyond, showing women in business can lead with heart and hustle. So next time you swipe on some Kulfi kajal, know it’s more than makeup—it’s a revolution, led by a gal who dared to dream big.
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