Whenever we use a skincare product, the first thought that crosses our mind is — “Can I really trust this?”
So many questions follow: Will it suit my skin? Is it safe? Does it actually work?
Romita Mazumdar understood this hesitation deeply. Before launching her brand Foxtale, she personally spoke to over 3,000 people — listening to their skincare struggles, needs and doubts. It was not just only about research; it was insight. And those insights became the foundation of her brand. Every product she developed was rooted in real conversations, real concerns and a genuine need for skincare that delivers on its promise.
That’s how trust wasn’t just built — it was earned, one honest conversation at a time.
In a business world obsessed with buzzwords like “disruption” and “hyper-growth,” Romita Mazumdar quietly built something far more radical — trust. An R&D lab funded by her own savings and a refusal to launch even a single product that didn’t earn its place on a real woman’s shelf.
Today, as the founder and CEO of Foxtale, Romita is not just another name in India’s D2C boom — And her goal? Nothing less than turning Foxtale into a ₹1,000 crore brand by 2025, with profits that don’t come at the cost of purpose.
From Ranchi to Wall Street
Life always moves in ups and downs — and Romita’s journey is no different.
But what makes her story truly special is how she navigated those highs and lows, turning every challenge into a stepping stone and every setback into a lesson. Romita’s story begins in Ranchi, a small Indian city with limited exposure but limitless grit. When she landed in the U.S. for her undergraduate degree at UCLA she was stepping into an entirely new paradigm.
In her words, “The moment I landed there, I realized what my parents had invested in me. I promised myself I’d earn it back — their version of Return on Ad Spend.”
The Beginning
Driven by this determination, she started her career in finance and got a job at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. On paper, everything looked perfect — she was working in high finance, tech banking and even interacted with top people in Silicon Valley. But deep down, she knew her true interest wasn’t in numbers or technology — it was in understanding people and their needs as consumers.
Unlearning the Valley, Understanding India
In 2018, Romita returned to India. But what she brought back wasn’t just a resume — it was the burden of recontextualizing everything she’d learned. She realized quickly — Uber India isn’t Uber US. Oyo isn’t Airbnb. The diversity in India is deep. What works in Delhi may fail in Indore.
Soon she joined A91 Partners, a growth equity firm started by ex-Sequoia veterans. There, she played investor, analyst, strategist — but also observer.
From Pitching Founders to Becoming One
Ironically, Romita’s journey into entrepreneurship didn’t begin with a big idea in a boardroom — it started with a casual slip of the tongue. While chatting with a colleague, she happened to say that one day she wanted to run P&G. The room fell silent, but she didn’t take her words back.
That moment gave her unexpected clarity. She didn’t just want to carry a fancy title like “entrepreneur.” She wanted to build something real — a brand worth ₹1,000 crore, with strong profit margins, and without taking shortcuts. It was something about creating an impact.
But What was her final Calling?
Romita began researching India’s skincare ecosystem — not from a desk, but from inside beauty stores, malls, and WhatsApp groups. She interacted with over 3,000 women and interviewed 937 in-depth, asking about pimples, patches, and products that promised more than they delivered.
The insight was universal: efficacy is everything.
What she discovered was, “People want results — visible, measurable, fast. Not jargon.”
What’s the Foxtale Formula?
“In a world of overnight brands, Romita took the longer road — asking, listening, learning. And that’s exactly why Foxtale feels personal.”
She finally found the right formulator after reaching out to over 20 industry experts on LinkedIn. Together, they set up a proprietary R&D lab in Chennai, and Romita self-funded the entire first phase — a bold move that laid the scientific foundation for Foxtale. Each Foxtale product was tested until it passed a 97% efficacy threshold. No less. That standard wasn’t marketing — it was a moat. The brand launched in December 2021 with a focused portfolio: cleanser, serum, moisturizer, sunscreen. Her approach was simple, “Fewer SKUs. Higher repeat rates. Solve a problem, and solve it well. That’s how you build loyalty.”
Quiet Growth with Loud Impact
Unlike many D2C brands that rely on overnight virality, Foxtale took the slower, more intentional route — and it paid off. Few Industry reports and internal data reveal a brand that’s not just growing, but compounding. Foxtale has built a loyal base by focusing on efficacy over flash. Recently, Foxtale expanded its portfolio with the launch of a lip care category, continuing its mission to solve real problems for real people.
The Skin Tells a Story — So Should the Brand
Foxtale is now eyeing international markets, even as it doubles down on its Indian user base. Romita’s goal isn’t to be India’s Glossier or a clone of cult global brands. In a world where noise sells and speed blinds, Romita Mazumdar reminds us that the real power lies in patience, principles, and people. She didn’t just create a skincare brand. She rewrote the rules of what “care” in “skincare” should mean. Foxtale is not just her business. It’s her biggest bet — on science, on skin, and on the stories they hold.
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