The Founders of Shaz & Kiks

Tell us a bit about you and your company—how did you get started down this path?

We created Shaz & Kiks, a hair wellness brand, because we were inspired by our childhood summers in the lush, green foothills of the Himalayas. Every morning we helped our grandma pick plants and flowers from her garden to create botanical blends to nourish our hair. She taught us the art of holistically taking care of your hair by harnessing the powers of Indian herbs, oils, and flowers rooted in Ayurveda, the world’s oldest healing system. We’ve taken these ancient Indian rituals passed down by generations of women and reimagined them for all.

SHAZ: I’m an engineer by trade and a big part of my career has been focused on product innovation and development. When creating our products, my main focus is creating the most sensorial experience with each of our formulas. It’s a fine balance between keeping the natural foundation, but bringing new life to it through its texture and delivery formats. When Kiku and I started conceptualizing the idea of bringing Ayurvedic beauty rituals to the modern consumer, my goal was “How can we make wash day fun?”

KIKU: I’m a student of culture and history (literally what I studied in school). I’m passionate about our Indian heritage and how we can celebrate it and share it with the world with integrity. I was our grandma’s pet student and loved learning about the Ayurvedic lifestyle and how to use plants to nourish our bodies. I do a lot of the brand storytelling and study different Ayurvedic ingredients and their clinically-backed benefits, which become the base of each of our products. Our secret sauce is really in our sisterhood and how we bring our different skill sets and areas of expertise to building Shaz & Kiks.

It sounds like you learned a lot about beauty from spending time with your grandmother in India. Have any of the beauty rituals she taught you stayed with you today?

SHAZ: Our family is in the chai/tea industry—we are from Darjeeling, the land of tea. Our grandma used to drizzle the last bits of the morning chai from the kettle through our hair after we washed it when we were kids. It made it so smooth and shiny, and I loved that ritual. Tea is nutrient-rich with caffeine, polyphenols, and antioxidants, which are all great for scalp and hair health. I used to create my own tea hair rinses until we created our Rice+Chai Refresh Spray!

KIKU: Our grandma used to always say everything starts from the gut (which is a very Ayurvedic philosophy). She taught us that what we ate, the time of day we ate it, and in what season were all very important to have good digestion. I always had a lot of bloating issues, and every morning she would make me warm water steeped in ajwain (carom seeds), ginger, and fennel. To date, I start most of my days with that drink and it does wonders. 

Can you tell us a bit about Ayurveda and how you’ve incorporated it in Shaz & Kiks?

Ayurveda is the world’s oldest healing system originating from the Indian subcontinent over 4,000 years ago. It literally means “science of life” and is a holistic approach to maintaining a delicate balance of the mind, body, and spirit to help live your healthiest life. 

Ayurveda can be incorporated into almost every aspect of your life. The way it’s translated into haircare and Shaz & Kiks is by creating formulas and a ritualistic system that proactively takes care of your entire hair ecosystem. The idea that prevention is better than treating is a very Eastern approach to wellness. All of our products have a high concentration of synergistically blended Ayurvedic herbs, oils, and flowers that have proven benefits to help prevent the underlying issues of scalp and hair problems—inflammation, bacterial and fungal growth, pH imbalance, stripping of natural oils, and lack of the right nutrients being delivered to your follicles. These are all factors that lead to hair loss, dandruff, breakage, eczema, dryness, etc. The main goal is to create a balanced, well-functioning scalp skin barrier which is the base of healthy hair. 

How do you approach staying healthy and relaxed when you travel by plane? 

KIKU: Oh, it’s a whole ritual, especially on those long flights to India and Asia. For me, it’s all about hydration and circulation—compression socks, an airplane foot hammock (which really helps with circulation), Peter Thomas Roth’s Water Drench hyaluronic gel mask, and always our Essential Prewash. I tie my hair up in a topknot—plane air can be so dry and damaging, and so can the friction of your hair rubbing on the seat!

SHAZ: For long flights, it’s all about comfort and hydration/moisturizing for me. Being very petite is a huge plus to get comfy! I always bring a neck pillow, travel blanket and portable foot rest. As hard as it is to resist that glass of champagne, I try to avoid alcohol on flights. I like to bring a nasal spray to avoid getting that super dry feeling and I love some of the Korean beauty gel moisturizers to keep my face hydrated. My current favorite is the SKIN1004 Hyalu-CICA Sleeping Pack, it’s actually a night time gel, but it’s super hydrating and great for long flights. And finally, my biggest secret – both for a long flight and any travel – is my portable bidet, which totally looks just like a water bottle!

Do you take any particular supplements prior to traveling or during?  

Both of us regularly take ashwagandha and turmeric supplements, which are great to take every day and also while you travel. 

Along with electrolyte powder that we put in our water bottles and sip throughout the plane ride, we also always have ajwain/carom seeds with us that we put in hot water which instantly helps with bloating or cramping. 

What are a few of your favorite healthy spots to eat when you’re in India? 

The healthiest (and best) food in any place in India is going to be home cooked food 🙂 but of course, there are amazing restaurants everywhere. Healthy food in India means locally sourced and a wide, diverse range of vegetables, meats, and seafood, cooked with nutritious herbs and spices. 

Kolkata in West Bengal is our dad’s hometown and one of the cities we spent every summer in. We love Swadhin Bharat Hindu Hotel (no website), a historic eatery that used to be a hideout for freedom fighters during India’s fight for independence from Britain. Our father has been going there since his college days, and he still loves taking us. The menu changes every day according to what the kitchen finds at the bazaar. Bengali cuisine is very fish-heavy and you can find 8 to 9 different varieties of fish dishes on any given day. Afterwards, go down the street and grab a coffee at the famous Coffee House Kolkata. 6 Ballygunge Place – A classic restaurant set in a vintage townhouse with all period pieces decorating the interior. It’s very regional Bengali food, a lot of fresh seafood, seasonal vegetables and lesser-known delicacies that are hard to find outside of home cooks. Sienna Store & Cafe – We came to this charming cafe on our last visit, it’s a concept cafe run by a mother-daughter duo who run a ceramics workshop along with a menu that champions all local and sustainable ingredients. The menu is pretty global—think burgers, omelets and risotto, but using farm-to-table (or they say bazaar-to-table) items. Everything is so fresh and delightful!

We’ve been traveling more to Mumbai and Goa for Shaz & Kiks, sourcing our raw ingredients and doing photoshoots in Mumbai, Maharashtra. There we love Swati Snacks, a classic, casual local favorite. It’s a vegetarian joint that keeps the menu really simple, healthy, and fresh with favorite veg dishes from primarily the western and southern parts of India. The rice pancakes steamed in banana leaves are a must! Bombay Canteen has hands-down been our favorite place to eat during our last few visits. The team there is phenomenal and brings in regional cuisine from all over the country and blends them beautifully on a plate. Really celebrating the diversity of India’s regional cuisine. 

In Goa, there are so, so many good places it’s hard to pick, but you can’t get better fresh seafood than Jamun, which is cooked in the Goan coastal style. 

Any strategies for dealing with jet lag? 

Fortunately we don’t really experience jet lag that much. We’ve been traveling between hemispheres since we were born (our father had a lot of foreign assignments), so don’t know if it’s because of that, but neither of us experience it. Our best tip is to power through that first day. Be excited about where you just landed, get out and explore, and then call it an early night if needed.

Do you have any rituals you use while on a trip to reset and ground yourself in a new place?

We both jump right in and go eat somewhere local. Take a walk, stop at a cafe, and have a local tea or coffee. We’re also big readers, so not only do we love a good guide book, and of course a YOLO Black Book, but we also love to read fiction/historical fiction novels that are set in a destination before we travel there. It’s such a fun way to get excited about a trip and mix in some storytelling.

What are a few things you always pack for your beauty/wellness routine?

KIKU: Of course Shaz & Kiks travel friendly jars: Essential Prewash, Ultra Hydrating Turmeric Shampoo, and Naram Conditioner. I mentioned my Peter Roth Thomas hyaluronic acid gel mask already, but I love traveling with it because it’s so cooling and hydrating. 

SHAZ: I don’t go anywhere without my Shaz & Kiks Balancing Clay Cleanser and Rice+Chai Refresh Spray for my haircare and my favorite facial oil, the Forest Essential Soundarya 24K Carat Serum, to make sure I can do my nighttime facial massage routine.

What are a few of your favorite wellness destinations (and why)? 

KIKU: Six Senses Vana in India is an amazing Ayurvedic retreat. It’s fully immersive with guided nutrition, activities, workshops, and various therapies. You totally disconnect from the outside world, and I’ve never felt more present. I love the tailored Ayurvedic diet that is made daily for each guest. 

SHAZ: My favorite wouldn’t be traditionally categorized as a wellness retreat, but every year I look forward to my week of rowing and New England fall at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Vermont. What’s better than a crisp Vermont fall morning and the meditative feeling of being on the water? 

Where are you dreaming of going next?

KIKU: Trekking in Bhutan

SHAZ: I’d love to explore some of the less well traveled states in India, like Meghalaya and Nagaland, known for natural beauty and lush landscapes.