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After more than 15 years in corporate People & Culture roles, including leading employee programmes across more than 90 countries, Urvashi Handa has entered the beauty and personal care sector with VINSKYN, a body-care brand inspired by grape-derived ingredients and modern skincare science.
A lifelong skincare enthusiast, Urvashi spent years studying ingredients, formulations and skincare routines while drawing inspiration from her travels. The idea eventually developed into VINSKYN during a significant phase of her personal life, with the brand’s formulations taking shape during her pregnancy and the business launching during her baby’s first year.
Launched on September 17, 2026, VINSKYN focuses on bringing skincare actives commonly associated with facial care into everyday body-care routines. Its formulations feature ingredients including Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Alpha Arbutin, Hyaluronic Acid and grape-derived extracts.
The brand is currently building its direct-to-consumer presence, particularly among younger consumers, while also expanding into corporate and festive gifting.
Where Personal Interest Met a Business Opportunity
Born in Dehradun and based in Gurugram for nearly two decades, Urvashi is an MBA graduate who spent much of her professional career in Human Resources and People & Culture functions.
Her interest in skincare extended beyond personal use. Over the years, she explored skincare science, ingredients and formulation concepts and completed an online Skin Care & Repair programme associated with Harvard Medical School. She has also undertaken skincare coaching education.
According to Urvashi, the concept for VINSKYN began taking shape during travels through vineyards in Europe and Africa, where she came across vinotherapy and the use of grape-derived ingredients in skincare.
Inspired by this approach and the antioxidant properties associated with grape polyphenols, she began exploring how grape-based ingredients could be combined with modern skincare actives in body-care formulations.
This thinking eventually became the foundation of VINSKYN’s philosophy, “The Alchemy of Grapes.”
The central idea behind the brand is that skincare routines should not stop at the face and that body skin can also benefit from targeted ingredients and more specialised formulations.
Building a Brand Alongside Motherhood
For Urvashi, the development of VINSKYN coincided closely with pregnancy and early motherhood.
“Pregnancy changed how I looked at my own skin. The skin on my body needed as much attention as my face, and I felt there were limited products positioned around that kind of targeted body care. That became an important part of the brief for VINSKYN,” Urvashi said.
The brand was developed over approximately two years in collaboration with cosmetic chemists. Product trials, packaging decisions and formulation discussions continued through Urvashi’s pregnancy and into the early months of motherhood.
She describes that period as one that significantly influenced the way she approached both product development and entrepreneurship.
“Building a company with a newborn at home meant every decision had to be worth the time it took. I started applying the same thinking to the products. If something is going to become part of a daily skincare routine, it should have a clear purpose,” she said.
VINSKYN’s products are positioned around common body-skin concerns including dryness, uneven-looking skin tone, dark spots, rough texture, strawberry skin and dehydration.
The formulations have also been developed with Indian weather conditions in mind, including humid summers, dry winters and exposure to urban environmental stressors.
According to the company, the broader objective is to encourage consumers to approach body care with the same level of consideration they increasingly bring to facial skincare.
Building Early Momentum Through D2C and Corporate Gifting
VINSKYN is currently growing through two primary channels: direct-to-consumer sales and corporate gifting.
The company has begun supplying wellness and personal-care hampers to organisations in Gurugram and is working to expand its corporate gifting programme to other markets across India.
Urvashi’s background in employee experience and engagement has influenced this part of the business.
“I spent years working with companies on employee engagement and thinking about how organisations communicate appreciation. Many corporate gifts are used briefly and then forgotten. A product that becomes part of someone’s daily routine can create a more lasting connection,” she said.
The company’s gifting strategy is focused on combining premium personal care with workplace wellness and employee appreciation.
For the current phase of growth, VINSKYN is focusing on building awareness, reaching new consumers and expanding both its direct-to-consumer and corporate channels.
Bringing Facial-Skincare Thinking to Body Care
VINSKYN currently offers three products designed to work individually or as part of a body-care routine.
HydraVine Body Serum is a 155 ml hydrating body serum with an MRP of ₹1,599 and is currently available at ₹1,099. The formulation includes more than seven skin-beneficial actives, including Niacinamide, grape-derived ingredients, Ceramides, Peptides and Hyaluronic Acid.
The product is positioned around hydration, smoother-looking texture and skin-barrier support.
VINOTONE Body Serum, also available in a 155 ml format, has an MRP of ₹1,599 and is currently priced at ₹1,099. It contains more than eight skin-beneficial actives, including Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Alpha Arbutin, Hyaluronic Acid and grape-derived ingredients.
The formulation is positioned around radiance, hydration and supporting a brighter and more even-looking skin tone.
VinoGlow Shower Gel is a 300 ml cleansing product with an MRP of ₹899 and is currently available at ₹699. It contains more than six skin-beneficial actives and is designed to form the cleansing step of the brand’s body-care routine.
The formulation combines cleansing ingredients with actives including Niacinamide, AHAs, BHA, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides and grape-derived extracts.
Together, the products form what the brand describes as its VinoBath body-care ritual.
Fragrance also plays an important role in the formulations. According to the company, the products have been developed to combine skincare benefits with a premium sensorial experience, allowing body care to function as both treatment and daily ritual.
“Body care should not feel like an afterthought or like additional work,” Urvashi said. “Consumers are already managing busy routines, so the intention is not to keep adding unnecessary steps. The idea is to create upgraded body-care options that combine hydration, targeted ingredients and a sensorial experience in a practical format.”
She added that grape-derived ingredients remain central to the brand’s product philosophy.
“Grapes contain naturally occurring polyphenols that are widely studied for their antioxidant properties. That connection between vineyards, antioxidants and skincare became an important part of the brand story,” she said.
The Meaning Behind VINSKYN
The brand name combines VIN, referencing vineyards and wine culture, with SKYN, a stylised interpretation of skin.
According to Urvashi, the name also carries an intentional association with the phrase “win skin,” representing the brand’s ambition to encourage healthier-looking, more confident body skin.
As VINSKYN moves beyond its initial launch phase, the company plans to continue building its body-care portfolio, strengthen its direct-to-consumer presence and expand its corporate gifting network across India.
For Urvashi, the business represents the convergence of several parts of her life – a long-standing interest in skincare, more than a decade of corporate leadership experience, exposure to global markets and the personal experience of becoming a mother while building a new consumer brand.