Juice Cosmetics is a family affair, and Simran Kamra ’24 MBA grew up in the business.

“I was always surrounded by colors, creativity, and conversations about beauty,” says Kamra. “Makeup was a natural part of my environment, and from a young age, I was fascinated by how it could empower and transform.

“This early exposure shaped my interest and passion for the industry.”

Today, Kamra is director of innovations at Juice Cosmetics, a “clean” beauty brand focused on safe ingredients with superior performance, based in her hometown, Mumbai, India.

“Juice cosmetics is deeply rooted in family legacy and vision. My grandfather dreamed of creating beauty that was bold, safe, and affordable,” says Kamra. “That dream was carried forward by my father who founded Juice Cosmetics in 2014 with the goal of bringing clean, accessible, and expressive beauty to the Indian consumer.”

The name, “Juice,” reflects that brand’s personality, she adds: “Vibrant, energetic, and inclusive—just like the kind of beauty we want to encourage.”

 

An MBA to Juice Her Career

Kamra had a plan when she enrolled in the MBA program at UCR’s A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management (AGSM). “My long-term vision was always to return to India and contribute meaningfully to the family business,” she says.

“However, I wanted to step outside my comfort zone first and learn from global business environments, build an international perspective, and understand how innovation drives brand growth.”

As she reflects on some of the most valuable experiences at AGSM, the range of views she encountered among fellow students and faculty was significant. “The exposure to working and collaborating with people from diverse cultural backgrounds broadened my perspective, improved my communication s skills, and helped me develop a more inclusive and global approach to leadership,” she says.

“The experience also sharpened my marketing acumen and strengthened my ability to innovate within the beauty and wellness space.”

Now steadfastly anchored in that space as she had planned, Kamra leads new product development initiatives in her position as director of innovations. “My role covers the entire product lifecycle—from trend research and identifying market gaps, to formulation, packaging, sampling, color curation, branding, and launch planning.”

She also develops go-to-market and market entry strategies to make sure each product aligns with consumer needs and business objectives, she adds. Kamra works closely with cross-functional teams to make sure every product delivers on performance and the company’s “clean beauty values.”

 

‘Supersafe Beauty’

The company’s slogan is “Supersafe Beauty,” and underscores Juice’s commitment to their clean beauty values. “Very few brands in India manufacture their own makeup, but we do,” says Kamra. “We combine modern biochemistry with the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, ensuring every product is clean, effective, and trustworthy.”

Juice has also launched a transparency program called “Label Padho, Hoshiyaar Bano,” which means “Read the Label, Be Smart.”

“We maintain full transparency and traceability, knowing every ingredient used,” she says of their in-house R&D, which includes claims testing (confirming what is promised on the label is true). “Our approach is deeply personal, and the team and I test products ourselves before launch to ensure they meet our safety, performance, and sensorial benchmarks.”

 

Developing Strong Ties with Customers

Currently, Juice is available online and in more than 30,000 stores across India and on Amazon.com in the United States. The company is also expanding internationally.

“A fun and surprising part of the process is that some of our best ideas have come from spontaneous customer feedback or late-night team brainstorms,” says Kamra. “What I enjoy most is seeing an idea come to life and being embraced by customers.”

The most challenging part of the fast-changing, trend-conscious cosmetic industry? “Timing and launching the product at the right moment,” she says.

“Juice is a personal dream, and I’m excited to keep pushing boundaries and making beauty better, cleaner, and more empowering.”