Tapping into a different market

Conatural creators discuss the demand and significance of organic skin ingredients.

LAHORE: Consumers have recently been on track appreciating the value of natural skin care. Be it a face wash, moisturiser, mask or shampoo, there is plenty of awareness in regards to natural skin regimes. Myra Qureshi and Rema Qureshi take it a step further with Conatural, a new range of skin care products.  The Express Tribune talks to the sister duo about the significance of natural skin ingredients.

“In my 20s, I developed allergies to almost everything from dust to shellfish,” says Myra, adding, “And most of these allergies started to take a toll on my skin and there came a time when I could not use commercially manufactured face washes or lotions. That’s when I switched to natural means of skin care.” On a backpacking trip to the Far East, Qureshi was introduced to exotic fragrances and essential oils. “I moved back to Pakistan last year after a 13-year stretch and started searching the local market to find products that I could use,” she continues, “when I couldn’t find anything I loved or that suited me, Rema and I decided to come up with our own range of products. While in Cambodia I got intrigued by aromatherapy and after a lot of research, we developed a basic range of hair oils, masks and scrubs.”

“Our product ideology is a mix of exotic essences, Ayurvedic and modern aromatherapy,” says Rema, “Due to the natural origin of our products, colour and consistency may vary from batch to batch. This does not affect the quality of the product. And since the products are all natural, the shelf life of the products is no longer than eight  months.”



Rema continues to talk about the adulterated market and how hard it has been to get certified. “The first thing we had to decide was where our brand would be placed in the market and whether we wanted to be a high-end product catering just to the elite or in the mid tier category, offering people quality goods but at affordable prices.” The decision was fairly simple as one look at the local market had them convinced that people were in dire need of good products at reasonable prices. There is a scarcity of quality products and people need goodness in their lives.

While their manufacturing unit remains in Pakistan, Conatural outsources its raw materials from across the world, including the US, Jordan, Australia, Africa and the Far East. The brand is in the process of developing a new range of products, including a line of baby products, Pro-age line and an under-eye creme along with shampoos and conditioners.

“The results have been great because, as a race, South Asians are generally deficient in nutrients, such as vitamin D, and the potency of natural products replenishes these nutrients in the skin,” concludes Rema.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2015.

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