Hi! We are Ayumi Naturals and it’s lovely to meet you. We thought it would be nice to go back to basics and introduce the brain behind this brand for those who are new to us.

This is Sheilesh Shah, Ayumi’s founder. Also known as Shi, from the moment he wakes to the moment he sleeps, he is passionate about natural skincare. As well as the benefits of plant based ingredients for our internal health as well as our skin. To get to know Shi and therefore Ayumi better, we hosted our very own exclusive interview with him.

• When did you first realise the benefits of natural ingredients for our health and wellbeing?

I grew up surrounded by the powers of nature. My father was an Ayurvedic practitioner and would heal and treat his clients with herbal and plant based remedies. From such an early age, I gained an in-depth knowledge about the healing properties of these traditional Indian ingredients. Which herbs and spices are best for particular ailments from simply being surrounded by them on a daily basis. When my father moved to the UK in the 70s this knowledge was brought with him. So, my career developed into this sphere a well.

• Where does the name Ayumi come from?

The name Ayumi was born from the ‘Miracle of Ayurveda’. Ayurveda is the 5,000-year-old ancient health and wellbeing system that originates from India and its ancient philosophy teaches the respect and power of our natural surroundings. Ayurveda teaches that if we live in a balanced way, then we will enjoy good health. It is this natural philosophy that inspired Ayumi with a particular focus on using traditional Indian herbs and spices to cleanse, balance and protect the skin.

• How long ago did Ayumi launch?

Ayumi launched 10 years ago, originally starting out with our three skincare ranges: Turmeric, Sandalwood and Neem. Since then we have launched a huge variety of different products, from massage oils to haircare to henna powders. They are all formulated with Ayurveda at the core of the brand with the traditional Indian ingredients at the forefront.

• What was the original motivation to launch a skincare brand?

To understand the answer to this, it helps to know my background is 35+ years’ worth of experience in the food industry which then moved into the herbal extract and supplement side. I thought to myself, if these ingredients are used to treat and balance our internal health, they must have an effect topically. It all started when I was mixing some turmeric powder with some yoghurt and formed a mask. I got my friends and family to try it and it clicked that I needed to explore this avenue. There was a huge gap in the market at the time for affordable, natural, Indian inspired skincare brands so I knew it was the right time to bring this ancient holistic philosophy to the UK beauty industry.

• What is Ayumi’s mission?

Our mission is simple: spread the power of plant. Our aim is for our skincare products to become your day to day, AM-PM skincare and haircare products which cleanse, detox, brighten, balance, protect, hydrate and condition. We believe natural, clean skincare and haircare products should be affordable whilst giving effective and visible results. Our mission is to simply spread the word about Ayumi so more people can have access to affordable products that bring visible results.

• What makes Ayumi different?

Ayumi’s unique blend of ingredients truly makes it stand out. Traditional Indian ingredients like Turmeric, Sandalwood, Neem, Moringa, Arjuna, Gotu Kola have so many health and skin benefits yet aren’t commonly found in the West. This makes our version of natural skincare even more potent.

• What has been a significant milestone for Ayumi that you are most proud of?

I would say a big achievement is been over a period of time in that we have always worked at such a fast and efficient pace launching new Ayumi products. We adapt to consumer demands easily, ensuring that we are catering to our customers’ needs and product desires. We are also constantly reviewing our formulations to ensure they are as clean as possible, evolving as the natural beauty industry grows. The brand itself is a huge achievement for me, moving from a background in Ayurvedic and Indian food into beauty with Ayumi’s transformative skincare products.