Kiren Ajrawat of Halva Beauty grew up in an Indian household where hair oiling was a cherished Sunday ritual. Her mom would massage her own special oil blend into her hair, just as generations before her had done. That simple act of care stayed with her and inspired her to think beyond the scalp.
Kiren began to wonder if these oils could nourish hair, why not brows too? Using those same time honored ingredients, with her own personal touches (like sweet orange oil), she created a clean and nourishing brow oil to help nourish and promote fuller-looking brows.
What started in her NYC kitchen is now a modern brow ritual.
How did Halva Beauty come to be?
Growing up in an Indian household, hair oiling was a Sunday ritual in my family. My mom would massage her own oil blend into my hair, and my grandmother did the same for her. It was a simple act of care that had been passed down for generations.
That ritual stayed with me as I got older and eventually made me think beyond the scalp.
I started wondering, if these oils could nourish hair so deeply, why couldn’t they do the same for our brows?
Using ingredients I grew up with, along with a few personal touches of my own, I created a clean brow oil meant to support healthier, fuller looking brows.
What started in my NYC studio apartment kitchen, mixing oils by hand and testing formulas to see what worked the best for brow growth, has grown into a modern brow ritual inspired by my upbringing. Today, Halva Beauty is proudly made in NJ, and it’s something I’m proud to share with the world.
How did you decide what to preserve from tradition and where to add your own voice?
There were certain ingredients I always knew I wanted to keep. Castor oil and sweet almond oil are staples in Indian hair oiling and are known for their strengthening and hair growth supporting properties. They were a big part of what my mom used on my hair, so it felt important to preserve them in my formula.
At the same time, I wanted Halva to feel modern and personal. The formula has seven ingredients, and within that, I added a few natural oils that felt true to me. One of those is sweet orange essential oil. It’s not traditionally used in Indian hair oiling, but I wanted a natural scent that felt light and uplifting. Scent has always been important to me, especially when it comes to natural fragrance.
I experimented with several essential oils before deciding on sweet orange, including rosemary, lavender, fenugreek, and peppermint.
Sweet orange stood out because it smells beautiful in the formula and offers antioxidant and vitamin C benefits that support hair health. It became a natural way to blend tradition with my own point of view.
Is there an ingredient you feel connected to emotionally?
Yes. I feel especially connected to castor oil and sweet almond oil. Those were the main oils used in my family’s hair oiling rituals and are widely used in Indian culture.
While I was working with the raw ingredients, the scent of sweet almond oil really stood out to me. It immediately brought back memories from growing up. Scents have a way of taking you back to a specific time and place.
You can’t smell almond oil in the final product, but I know it’s there. I know what it represents for me, and I know how nourishing it is. That connection made it feel important to include.
What does your ideal Halva customer look like?
There isn’t one specific person I picture. Halva is meant for anyone. It’s made with simple, natural ingredients and designed for people of all genders.
While it’s helpful for those with thin or sparse brows, it’s also for anyone who wants to take better care of their brows. Even people with naturally full brows still benefit from nourishment, just like the hair on their head or their skin.
Almost everyone I know has some sort of hair care and skin care routines, but brows are often overlooked. Halva was created to fill that gap. It’s something I use every night, and I’ve seen people of all ages and genders benefit from it.
What has building Halva taught you about yourself?
Building Halva has taught me how to be comfortable with uncertainty. I come from an engineering background, so I’m naturally very structured and used to clear processes.
Starting a business is different. There isn’t a guidebook, and many things are learned along the way. I’ve had to get comfortable making decisions without having every answer in front of me.
One of the biggest lessons has been learning to move forward instead of overthinking. Sometimes trusting your instincts and taking action is better than waiting for things to feel perfect. That shift has been a big part of my growth.
Five years from now, what do you want people to feel?
I want people to feel confident. I hope Halva encourages people to appreciate their natural features and focus on nourishing what they already have rather than covering it up.
Brows might seem like a small detail, but they’re a defining feature of the face. When they’re thinning or patchy, it can quietly affect how someone feels about themselves. I want Halva to help shift the way we think about brow care, moving the focus from quick fixes to long term nourishment.
In five years, I hope Halva grows beyond brow oil into more brow and lash care products, all rooted in the same idea of nourishment over concealment. If the brand helps people feel more confident and comfortable in their own skin, that will mean everything to me.
When do you feel most connected to the brand?
I feel most connected to Halva when I hear from customers. When people share that their brows feel healthier, that they’re seeing growth, or that using the oil has become part of their nightly routine, that’s when it feels real.
Many customers talk about the cooling rollerball, the soothing sensation, and how using the oil helps them slow down at the end of the day. It becomes a small moment of self-care that feels grounding.
Knowing that something I created helps people feel more like themselves is what keeps me going. Building Halva has also helped me reconnect with my cultural roots. Creating something inspired by a ritual I grew up with has made that connection feel present again. That combination of personal meaning and customer trust is when I feel most connected to the brand.