Jaipur | Rajshree Upadhyaya | By launching the hair beauty brand Truth & Hair in February 2024, Saumya Alagh and Shailesh Singh established a strong presence in India’s competitive beauty and personal care market. They entered the industry with a fresh perspective on hair care. While most brands focused primarily on cleansing and nourishment, the founders believed there was a significant gap between hair health and hair beauty. Consumers were looking for products that not only cared for their hair but also helped them style, enhance, and manage it while delivering immediate visible results.
This vision became the foundation of Truth & Hair, a Gurugram-based startup. The idea was largely inspired by Saumya Alagh’s background as a certified trichologist. Through her work, she observed that people with different hair textures often struggled to find products tailored to their specific needs. Straight, wavy, and curly hair behave differently, yet many mainstream brands continued to offer one-size-fits-all solutions. Recognizing this gap, the founders decided to develop products designed for individual hair concerns while giving equal importance to scalp health, styling, and appearance. Instead of limiting themselves to traditional shampoos and conditioners, Truth & Hair created a portfolio that combines hair care with beauty-focused innovation.
The company introduced products such as root touch-up hair mascara, flyaway control wands, curly hair styling products, texture-specific shampoos, and conditioners designed for different hair types. Their formulations include ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, collagen, and aloe vera, while also emphasizing sulfate-free and cruelty-free standards. The founders positioned the brand around the belief that healthy hair begins with a healthy scalp, while styling products should help consumers achieve their desired look without compromising hair health.
Startup Gained National Recognition
The startup gained nationwide recognition after appearing on Shark Tank India Season 5. During their pitch, the founders explained how they were attempting to create a new category within the Indian beauty market by focusing on hair beauty rather than directly competing with established shampoo brands. Their flagship product, a hair mascara designed to provide quick root touch-ups and conceal visible grey hair, emerged as one of the company’s standout offerings and helped attract attention from both customers and investors.
The founders sought Rs. 1 crore for 2.5% equity, valuing the business at Rs. 40 crore. While the sharks appreciated the brand’s unique positioning and early traction, they raised concerns about the valuation and long-term scalability. The discussions eventually led to a deal with Varun Alagh, co-founder of Mamaearth. He offered Rs. 2.5 crore for 25% equity, a proposal that significantly altered the company’s valuation but provided the startup with both capital and strategic guidance from an entrepreneur who had successfully built one of India’s largest digital-first beauty brands.
Expanding Reach Through Product Innovation and Online Channels
The Shark Tank appearance significantly increased Truth & Hair’s visibility and introduced the brand to a broader audience. Following the show, the company continued to focus on product innovation while expanding its reach through online channels. Its vision remains centered on creating solutions that combine scalp care, hair health, and styling benefits within a single ecosystem. The company continues to offer a range of hair beauty products, hair styling solutions, and scalp-care products.
Although still a relatively young company, Truth & Hair has carved out a niche by addressing hair concerns through a combination of science-based formulations and beauty-focused innovation. In a market traditionally dominated by conventional hair care products, the brand’s effort to establish a dedicated hair beauty category has helped it stand out and build a growing presence in India’s expanding beauty industry.
