Prasanna Vasanadu on Building Tikitoro: Safe, Science-Backed Skincare for Kids and Teens
👨💻 StartupTalkersFrom breaking skincare myths to building toxin-free products, Prasanna Vasanadu explains how Tikitoro is creating safe, age-appropriate skincare for kids and empowering parents to make informed choices.
The global children’s personal care market is witnessing steady growth, driven by increasing awareness around safe and age-appropriate products. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6–8%, reaching over $20 billion by 2030.
In India, the broader personal care and skincare market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9–11%, fueled by rising demand for clean beauty, toxin-free formulations, and D2C brands.
Additionally, the clean and natural beauty segment is expanding rapidly, with a projected CAGR of 12–15%, as more consumers prioritize ingredient transparency and long-term skin health, especially for kids and teens.
As part of StartupTalky’s International Women’s Day series, we speak with Prasanna Vasanadu, Founder of Tikitoro, who is building a brand focused on safe, research-backed skincare for growing children.
Building Tikitoro: A Personal Journey to Purpose-Led Skincare
StartupTalky: What inspired you to create a personal care brand specifically for kids and teens, and how has your journey as a woman entrepreneur shaped Tikitoro’s mission?
Prasanna Vasanadu: Tikitoro was born from a very personal experience. As a mother dealing with my own health challenges, such as hormonal issues, I became more careful about what goes into products used every day on growing children.
When I searched for safe and age-appropriate skincare for my kid, I realised there was a massive gap. Most products were either designed for babies or adapted from adult formulations; nothing was truly created for growing children.
As a woman entrepreneur, this journey shaped Tikitoro to be uncompromising about safety. We don’t formulate products for trends; we formulate for long-term health. That clarity, where care meets responsibility, defines our mission.
Educating the Market on Age-Appropriate Skincare
StartupTalky: Building a niche skincare brand for children requires breaking many myths around early skincare. What challenges did you face in educating parents and the market about age-appropriate formulations?
Prasanna Vasanadu: The biggest myth we had to break was- "Kids don’t need skincare.”
The truth is, children today are exposed to pollution, sun damage, early hormonal changes, and lifestyle shifts much earlier than before. But educating parents required shifting the conversation from “beauty” to “barrier protection, hygiene, and skin health".
Another challenge was explaining why adult products are not suitable for developing skin. Many parents assumed gentler versions of adult products were fine. We had to introduce the idea that 4-16 is a unique physiological stage of development.
Education became a core part of our brand through informative content, ingredient transparency, and open conversations. We also launched Tikipedia, a knowledge series where I talk about skincare myths, awareness, and evolving trends, etc.
Bringing a Woman’s Perspective to Product and Brand Building
StartupTalky: As a woman leader in the D2C space, what unique perspectives do you bring to product development and brand building at Tikitoro?
Prasanna Vasanadu: As a woman and a mother, I look at products from a long-term perspective. For me, product development isn’t just about immediate results; it’s about what repeated exposure does over the years. That perspective changes everything. In brand building, I prioritise clarity over exaggeration. We don’t overclaim.
We formulate every product from scratch, from getting feedback from the parents till the product comes into the market. NO WHITELABELLING AND NO SHORTCUT.
As a D2C brand, we are able to maintain our relationship with parents. Many of our new products are developed on the basis of parents' demands and feedback. This will help us to stay closely connected and attentive to their needs.
Ensuring Safety, Transparency, and Research-Backed Formulations
StartupTalky: How do you ensure transparency, safety, and research-backed formulations in every Tikitoro product, especially when catering to sensitive young skin?
Prasanna Vasanadu: Trust is very important when creating for kids. By basing every Tikitoro product on globally accepted standards, we establish that trust. We follow global certification standards for clean and safe personal care products, and our formulation incorporates COSMOS-approved ingredients.
Safety isn't something we guess at. To ensure our products are appropriate for delicate and sensitive skin, we subject them to thorough dermatological testing and safety evaluations. Every claim, whether it's vegan, non-irritating, dermatologist-tested, paediatrician-verified, or toxin-free, is backed by stringent testing protocols. We follow the same safety benchmark across our entire product range. Unlike some brands that selectively highlight certifications on just a few hero products, we follow the same safety benchmarks across our entire product range.
We also believe in helping parents understand what goes into the products they use for their kids. We encourage them to read labels, ask us questions, provide feedback, and be aware of the specifics of what they select for their children.
A Women’s Day Message for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
StartupTalky: This Women’s Day, what message would you like to share with aspiring women entrepreneurs looking to build purpose-led brands in the personal care industry?
Prasanna Vasanadu: Age is just a number. What truly matters is clarity and courage.
I used to question myself when I stood in front of the mirror, wondering if I was competent, capable, or prepared. Every female entrepreneur has this period of uncertainty. But growth begins the moment you decide to move forward despite it.
You don’t have to start perfect. You have to start committed. Building a purpose-led brand requires resilience, constant learning, and strong financial discipline. Passion will start the journey, but financial management sustains it. Understanding your numbers, margins, and scalability is just as important as understanding your customer.
Above all, don't wait for validation. If you notice a genuine issue that has to be resolved, follow your gut and act with honesty. Improvement is a process; when women decide not to shrink themselves, they gain confidence and make an impact.
This Women’s Day, my message is simple: start anyway, learn anyway, and grow anyway.
Balancing Growth with Core Values in a Scaling D2C Brand
StartupTalky: How has Tikitoro navigated the balance between scaling a D2C brand and staying true to its core values of safe, age-appropriate skincare?
Prasanna Vasanadu: Scaling brings pressure to expand faster, launch more, and follow trends. However, we've chosen disciplined growth. Every new product goes back to our core filter: Is this genuinely needed for 4–16-year-olds? Parents wanted more options, so we increased the number of items or created new products, but we never sacrificed our safety standards to grow.
How Women-Led Brands Are Transforming Personal Care
StartupTalky: What role do you believe women-led brands play in reshaping the personal care industry, particularly in underserved segments like kids' and teens' skincare?
Prasanna Vasanadu: I believe women-led brands are changing this industry because for us, it is more than just business; it’s a personal mission. When my son was young, I noticed a big gap in the market. While adult products were far too harsh for my child's delicate skin, the baby products I used on him were too gentle to properly clean an active child. I realised that every parent in the nation was dealing with the same issue and had to make concessions after talking to other mothers. Because we are also consumers, women-led brands are equipped to address these issues.
Most importantly, the focus shifts from 'what is legally allowed' to 'what is genuinely safe' when a mother formulates a product for her own kids. This is why Tikitor is fully committed to toxin-free, endocrine disruptor-free care.
I know that parents want to make educated choices since I am a certified parent educator. By emphasising ingredient understanding and transparency, women-led brands organically develop trust. In addition to selling goods, our mission is to educate parents about the products they are putting on their kids' skin.
Apoorva Bajj