Award-winning Leicester-based brand Varu Beauty was founded just over two years ago by makeup artist and formulator Jigna Varu, with a clear mission: to help people feel great on the inside and the outside.
Blending science, ethics, and glamour, the brand has quickly gained recognition for redefining what clean, inclusive beauty looks like.
Picture credit: Jigna Varu
Jigna’s journey into beauty began long before Varu Beauty.
She trained as a professional makeup artist in 2008/2009 and worked across London Fashion Week, celebrity music videos, fashion shoots, and the bridal industry. However, family expectations led her into the corporate world for eight years.
“I still had that passion for beauty brewing inside me,” she explains. “It never really went away.”
The idea for Varu Beauty took shape during lockdown, when social media sparked a surge in makeup trends. Curious, Jigna tested popular products herself and was alarmed by their ingredients. “It takes just 20 seconds for a product to
pass through the skin barrier into the bloodstream,” she says.
“When you realise how many cosmetics are filled with heavy metals and hormone-disrupting chemicals, it becomes really scary.”
With a background in biochemistry and specialist training in cosmetic formulation, Jigna saw a clear gap in the market.
After extensive research and a trip to Milan, Varu Beauty was born. Every product is vegan, halal, cruelty-free, and free from harmful ingredients. “If you can’t pronounce it and you wouldn’t eat it, why would you put it on your body?” she asks, noting that the average woman consumes around 2.5 kilos of lipstick in her lifetime.
Inclusivity sits at the heart of the brand. “I wanted Varu to be for everyone — young girls, mums, aunties, grandmas,” Jigna says.
“I’m your big beauty sister. I’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to read the ingredients list.”
The name Varu, meaning “wolf” in Gujarati, reflects strength, loyalty, and confidence — values embodied in the brand’s tagline, “fearlessly kind cosmetics.”
Innovation has driven Varu’s rapid success. Within its first month, the brand gained national press and sold out of its hero loose powder, a unique formula containing over 30% water. “It’s makeup that hydrates while it perfects — skincare
with beautification,” Jigna explains.
In September, Varu Beauty won Best Business at the Enterprise Vision Awards, an achievement Jigna describes as “incredible recognition so early in the journey.” The brand’s bold yet lightweight lip products are bestsellers, with customers often saying, “It should be illegal how confident I feel wearing this.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Jigna has ambitious plans. “You’ll be seeing us in stores, expanding internationally, launching skincare, and growing in markets like Dubai, Europe, and India,” she says. “But at the core, we’ll always be about confidence, kindness, and empowering women.”
For more information visit: www.varubeauty.com
