A Mother, A Mission, A Market Gap: Prerna Singla’s Journey with Clariteens
📝InterviewsWhat began as a mother’s careful choices for her child’s skin has evolved into Clariteens; a brand rooted in trust, safety, and real experience. Prerna Singla is redefining kids’ skincare by blending science with instinct.
The children’s skincare and personal care market in India is witnessing steady growth, driven by increasing parental awareness, demand for safe ingredients, and the rise of D2C brands. The broader baby and kids personal care market in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 10%, fueled by ingredient-conscious consumers and a shift toward gentle, dermatologically tested products. Globally, the segment is also expanding as parents move away from adult-formulated products toward solutions specifically designed for young and sensitive skin.
In this evolving landscape, women-led brands are playing a crucial role by bringing authentic, experience-driven innovation to the market. As part of our International Women’s Day series, we speak with Prerna Singla, Founder of Clariteens, who is building a purpose-driven skincare brand rooted in safety, trust, and real parenting insights.
From Motherhood to Mission: Building a Brand for Young Skin
StartupTalky: What inspired you to create Clariteens, and how did your personal experience as a mother dealing with your children’s skin issues shape the brand’s mission?
Prerna Singla: Clariteens was shaped by my decade-long experience in the B2B skincare manufacturing industry, combined with my personal journey as a mother. Having spent years working closely with formulations, ingredients, and product development, I developed a deep understanding of what truly goes into skincare products. That knowledge made me extremely mindful about what touches my child’s skin.
As a parent, I often found myself avoiding many products in the market and instead creating or adapting formulations to ensure they were gentle and safe for young skin. During this process, I realised a significant gap in the industry. Very few skincare products were designed specifically for children and early teens, and most available options were either formulated for adults or contained ingredients that could be too harsh for developing skin.
That realisation became the foundation of Clariteens. I wanted to combine my industry expertise with a mother’s instinct to create skincare that genuinely understands young skin. Clariteens focuses on developing products that are gentle, safe, and thoughtfully formulated to support children’s skin through its most delicate and formative years.
Building Against Odds: The Reality of Entrepreneurship as a Single Mother
StartupTalky: As a single mother building a D2C brand from scratch, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?
Prerna Singla: Building a brand while raising children as a single mother was not easy. One of the biggest challenges was balancing personal responsibilities with the demands of entrepreneurship. There were moments of uncertainty, financial pressures, long working hours, and the constant need to prove that the brand had a place in a competitive market.
What kept me going was the purpose behind Clariteens. I knew the problem was real because I had experienced it myself. I also focused on building the business step by step rather than trying to scale too quickly. Surrounding myself with the right mentors, learning continuously, and staying committed to the mission helped me overcome many of those hurdles.
Safety First: Rethinking Skincare Standards for Children
StartupTalky: Clariteens focuses on safe, effective skincare for children. How do you approach product formulation and safety standards in a market where children’s skincare is still largely unregulated?
For us, safety is non-negotiable. Even though the children’s skincare segment is still evolving in India, we follow strict formulation principles that go beyond basic compliance. Every Clariteens product is designed keeping in mind the sensitivity of young skin, which is very different from adult skin.
We work closely with experienced formulators and focus on gentle, dermatologically tested ingredients that are known for their safety and efficacy. At the same time, we consciously avoid harsh chemicals, unnecessary fragrances, and ingredients that can irritate developing skin. Our goal is to create products that parents can trust without hesitation.
From Factory to Founder: Leveraging Manufacturing Expertise
StartupTalky: You transitioned from B2B manufacturing to a consumer-facing brand. What lessons from your 10+ years in manufacturing proved most valuable in building Clariteens?
Prerna Singla: My background in manufacturing gave me a very strong foundation when building Clariteens. Having spent over a decade in the industry, I understood how formulations are developed, how quality control works, and how supply chains function. That knowledge helped me make informed decisions about ingredients, sourcing, and production standards.
It also helped me ensure transparency and consistency in our products. Many consumer brands struggle because they rely entirely on external partners, but my manufacturing experience allowed me to stay closely involved in the product development process, which has been extremely valuable.
Turning Challenges into Purpose: A Message for Women Entrepreneurs
StartupTalky: As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2026, what does your entrepreneurial journey as a single mother represent for other women who are turning personal challenges into purpose-driven businesses?
Prerna Singla: For me, this journey represents resilience and belief. Many women go through personal challenges, but those experiences can also become powerful sources of inspiration. Clariteens started from a problem I faced as a mother, and today it has grown into something that can help many other families.
If my journey can inspire even a few women to believe that their struggles can be turned into meaningful ideas, I would consider that a success. Women often underestimate their ability to build something impactful, but when purpose and passion come together, incredible things can happen.
The Rise of Conscious Parenting: Shaping the Future of Kids’ Skincare
StartupTalky: How do you see the children’s skincare and personal care market evolving in India, and what role do women-led D2C brands play in shaping this space?
Prerna Singla: The children’s skincare segment in India is still at an early stage but growing rapidly as parents become more conscious about ingredients and product safety. Today’s parents are much more informed and they are looking for products that are transparent, gentle, and specifically designed for young skin.
Women-led D2C brands are playing a very important role in shaping this shift because many of these businesses are built on real-life experiences. When mothers and women founders create products, they often bring a deeper understanding of the needs of families and children. This authenticity is helping build trust and driving innovation in the category.
Start Small, Think Big: Advice for Aspiring Women Founders
StartupTalky: What advice would you give to women entrepreneurs, especially mothers, who are looking to launch their own consumer brands but feel held back by personal or societal challenges?
Prerna Singla: My biggest advice would be to start small but start with conviction. Many women wait for the “perfect time,” but in reality there is never a perfect moment to begin. If you have an idea that solves a real problem, take the first step and learn as you go.
It’s also important to build a strong support system; mentors, collaborators, and even fellow entrepreneurs who can guide you through the journey., don’t let self-doubt hold you back. Mothers are natural problem-solvers and multitaskers, and those skills translate very well into entrepreneurship.
Varun Bhardwaj