Project Qaafi

Founded by Aahan Chatterjee • Skincare • Started in 2024

Interviewed by Manica Pathak

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Founded in 2024, one of the most intriguing aspects of Project Qaafi lies in its origin— incepted by a marketing and advertising professional who has leveraged strategies and design to conceptualize skincare products for everyone. Amidst the conventional approaches that have continued to dominate the space, Project Qaafi arrives with a bold and unapologetic approach. Yet, beyond the chunky typography and nostalgic visuals—aspects that are very central to the brand— lies a thought-backed strategy; from sourcing ingredients through trusted vendors to adopting sustainable packaging that is both conscious and looks good on the shelves. Blur The Border speaks to founder Aahan Chatterjee on how his background shaped the inception of Qaafi, allowing it to navigate a saturated market with a meticulous approach. True to its name, which translates to “just enough,” Qaafi delivers exactly what’s needed—cutting through the jargon and extravagant claims often associated with skincare.

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Gunjan's Picks

Who is the one influencer you wish to see using your products?


Shantanu Deshpande and Nikhil Kamath

Is there a podcast/book/social media handle that you’ve found helpful for your business?

Not necessarily, I've learnt a lot from reading. HBR' have been quite helpful. Subroto Bagchi's books have been amazing too.

If you could collaborate with any Indian or international brand, who would it be?

Hindostan Archive and Pista Barfi have been absolute trailblazers. I'd love to partner up with them.



BTB: How did the name Project Qaafi, for a skincare brand come about?

AAHAN: I think the name speaks for itself. For me, the idea was to choose a word that feels natural to say—something that cuts through all the frills, extravagant ingredients, and over-the-top claims often associated with skincare today. It needed to convey that this product is just the right amount of what you truly need. We wanted it to feel conversational, crisp, and relatable. A very good example would be a lip balm or moisturizer that you always have on hand—not just because it works well, but because it’s become a trusted staple in your routine. That’s the kind of feeling we wanted to evoke. And that’s where the word ‘Qaafi’ came in, where we follow a simple philosophy: ‘zyada nahi, bas qaafi’. It’s about being honest; we are not going to promise miracles like your hair growing back in 20 days. We understand that skincare is part of a bigger lifestyle choice, and that’s the essence we want to uphold.


BTB: Could you tell us about your journey from marketing and advertising to launching a skincare brand? What inspired this shift?

AAHAN: For me, brand building has always been a favourite aspect to learn about and pursue. As much as I would like that to be a very philosophical reason, I just love marketing and branding in general. The way I look at it is I didn't shift from marketing and advertising to just skincare, but rather from working for a brand to building one on my own. That’s because a larger part of what I used to do while working in agencies like Schbang, Landon & Fitch and Socio Wash involved understanding key elements including core business objectives, strategizing and how bigger brands work, perceive their customers and dealing with them, and how they dive deeper into the consumer psyche with a thoughtful approach rather than that just being a social media post. My family has been in the FMCG space for the last 20 years, so, I think marketing and understanding how corporates and brands work in India have been very instrumental in helping me make several decisions. When I was studying marketing at NMIMS, I was also witnessing the rise of many D2C brands. Around 2020 and 2021, there was a significant surge in new brands, and the whole world was shifting online. However, there wasn’t an established infrastructure to support this shift. This is when brands got creative. During that time, I noticed personal care brands becoming increasingly authentic and rooted in their content. Many small brands with simple, clear narratives were flourishing, which was really inspiring.


BTB: Could you walk us through the journey of getting Project Qaafi off the ground, from the initial concept to the recent launch? What were some of the key steps and challenges?


AAHAN: From a branding and design perspective, we honestly didn’t face much of a challenge because we had a solid identity from the start—no identity crisis whatsoever. We had a very clear vision of who we wanted to be, where we wanted to go, and how we wanted to be perceived. 

The idea was to avoid leaning on the same tropes that brands typically follow and instead take a different approach. The real challenge came when we decided to focus on sustainable materials. We wanted to build a brand that wasn’t just different but intentional. Being a design-first brand meant creating a design-led experience in a category where most brands are just pushing “buy one, get one free” deals. That’s why we invested heavily in packaging. We partnered with a vendor who works exclusively with sustainable materials. But let’s be real: complete sustainability isn’t entirely achievable. 

We had so many trials in mind where we had planned on launching with a completely different range but we figured that that's not the category or brand we wanted to be. So, when we launched a scalp serum and a hand cream, which I think are the most unlikely combination, typically if you see, for a brand to launch with right now. We did not want to flood the market with another product because doing so eliminated our reason for existence— a strong ‘why’ helps us distinguish ourselves and for us, that ‘why’ is, of course, ‘Design’ and releasing and selling only what we feel is like the need of the hour or what we feel makes sense, and letting consumers know this is why we feel it makes sense. 


BTB: Could you share a bit about your sourcing process? How did you approach this as a new brand, and were there any notable challenges?

AAHAN: We work with two facilities in India—one for the hand cream and another for the scalp serum. Instead of going with the large-scale manufacturers in Himachal Pradesh, which produce most skincare products you’ll find on shelves, we took a more niche approach. We wanted quality to be the focus, so we spent months researching, testing, and finding manufacturers who could offer that. These are smaller facilities, but they are certified and uphold strict quality standards, which was important to us. Sourcing itself is quite straightforward, especially since we are working with B2B vendors. For example, the scalp serum includes patented ingredients that we can only get from specific, approved suppliers. The process also involved a lot of real-world testing—whether it was the hand cream or scalp serum, we had people use the products in their daily lives. For the hand cream, we even checked how it held up during tasks like typing or if it left marks on laptops. That feedback helped us tweak the formula—adding or reducing ingredients like shea butter—to make it just right. Packaging was where things got tricky. We wanted aluminium tubes initially, but they were expensive and unavailable in quantities we could afford. So, we went with compact, recyclable PET bottles that are functional and portable. They have a secure lock to avoid spills, making them user-friendly. Balancing sustainability, aesthetics, and practicality wasn’t easy, especially on a budget, but we found ways to make it work. Overall, it’s been a learning process. Even now, while one product is out, I’m already looking at how we can improve the next batch—whether it’s refining the packaging, making it more user-friendly, or enhancing the overall experience.

My last purchase from a homegrown brand was … 


A t-shirt from Bluorng

What is the show/book/song you are currently obsessing over? 

The band-Blind Pilot

In my spare time, you’ll find me…

Working

Name a few other homegrown small brands you are loving right now.

Hindostan Archive, Pista Barfi and It’s Wild Out Here

Your personal favourite from Project Qaafi?

Scalp Serum



BTB: What kind of support and challenges have you encountered from the industry?

AAHAN: I have had a fairly good relationship with my vendors; so usually where your minimum order quantities are very high I have managed to get them at a rate which allows me to sustainably run the business, not to stock up too much inventory and focus on just selling. I want to be intentionally slow where I build a brand first, then sell a product. Other than that, there are always going to be challenges with vendors when you're a small company because you're not their most important client, right? But I think there's not been an unexpected challenge that I have had to tackle as of yet.

BTB: You have introduced a distinct range of products, from scalp cream and hand cream to scented candles and soap. What inspired this particular selection for the launch?


AAHAN: The strategic decision behind launching these products was intentional—we wanted to go against the tide. I wanted to offer something different and challenge the idea of hand cream being "just a luxury." We wanted people to ask, "Why is this brand focusing solely on hand cream?" and, more importantly, "Is a hand cream really that important? 

If you think about hand cream, it's long been seen as a luxurious and indulgent product, something you'd expect from brands like Dior, Chanel, or L’Occitane. But in India, hand cream is still a niche category compared to staples like moisturizers, cleansers, toners, or sunscreens. The reality is that our hands are constantly exposed—using our phones, holding a pen, and touching countless surfaces. Yet, we often neglect them. For many, skincare is all about the face, but your hands and neck have much thinner skin, making them more vulnerable to environmental damage and ageing. We wanted to shift the focus back to hands and position hand cream as an essential. 

Everything about us is bringing a very contemporary twist to this very classical notion of Indian skincare. When I say that, what I mean is that we have a very Ayurvedic-centric visualisation of Indian skincare, something to do with herbs, age-old traditions passed down through generations, forests, and mystics which I feel is very outdated and a perspective very romanticized by the West.  But is that only what Indian skincare is? Probably not, because we are seeing a wave of Indian brands across categories that are elevating commodities, redefining how India is seen on the global stage, neck to neck with brands across the globe.


BTB: Project Qaafi’s branding stands out by blending subtle Indian touches with a unisex style, challenging conventional feminine-coded aesthetics in skincare. What led you to take this unique branding direction?

AAHAN: If you look at our typography, style and graphic design—they are very chunky.  Even details like a hidden coupon code within the list of ingredients reflect that we want you to know what you are putting on your body. That is why I say that we're a design-led brand because it doesn't just mean having great design or making a good social media post. It means customizing the service experience in a way that it gets delivered as an afterthought. So that's been our entire objective and aim with the design. That’s because, skincare brands often adopt a very feminine tone, which works well in many cases, but we wanted our voice to be neutral. Our goal was to create a unisex brand with a design that feels aspirational to everyone, regardless of age or gender. Everything we do ties back to our core statement: we are a contemporary twist on the classical notion of Indian skincare, paying homage to Indian art. For example, using the Devanagari script connects us to that heritage. We are not a run-of-the-mill brand; we use nostalgic elements with a retro vibe. We dabble a lot, with a highly experimentative and explorative energy. Even when you look at our feed we are not doing generic content because for us setting the tone with a bold and loud vibe is important to grab attention, something that stands out in a space where several brands lean toward pop colors, bright pastels, thin fonts, and cursive designs. But you will also see minimalism coming through with tiny accents to make you dive deeper into the brand.


BTB: As an entrepreneur, how do you structure your day-to-day? What hacks have you found useful for balancing your personal time with the demands of transitioning from a full-time job to running a brand?

AAHAN: I would have loved to say that I have a set routine where I hit the gym, do yoga, and then settle into work mindfully. But honestly, it’s chaos from the moment the day starts—which I think is pretty normal when you’re building a brand. Personal time doesn’t really exist because from the second you wake up to the second you sleep, your mind is constantly racing with thoughts about what needs to be done, what can be improved, or what’s next.

I’d like to think of myself as a telecon on steroids because I spend a huge chunk of my day cold-emailing people—that’s where most of my time goes. And sure, a good 50% of it is anxiety: How will this happen? Is it even happening? But that's pretty much how I structure my day.


BTB: Looking ahead, how do you envision Project Qaafi evolving over the next few years, and how do you plan to leverage your expertise in advertising and brand building to achieve these goals?

AAHAN: Over the next few years, I see Project Qaafi evolving into a lifestyle-first brand rather than staying confined to skincare. I don’t envision us being just a product-driven business; instead, I want us to be artsy and culturally resonant. Whether through our photography, communication or how we build a community, I want to create something that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with brands like Jaipur Rugs, Pista Barfi, and Bombay Sweet Shop. That’s the vision I have for Project Qaafi—a brand that doesn’t just sell skincare but introduces you to a lifestyle, one that’s deeply connected to cultural identity while embracing the future of Indian design. Collaboration will play a key role in this journey. We recently partnered with Satsuma and created soaps for our Diwali Edit inspired by the City Palace of Udaipur lighting up the waters of Lake Pichola. This experience reflects exactly what we aim to do—craft meaningful and aspirational products.

As for how my background in advertising and marketing comes into play, it’s all about iteration and experimentation, taking risks, trying unconventional ideas, and learning from mistakes. For me, the biggest challenge is capturing attention—it’s not just about money but also about those two seconds I have to make someone notice the brand. It’s about reaching the right audience, speaking their language, and staying true to what Project Qaafi represents. While I would love to launch massive PR campaigns with influencers, we are consciously taking it slow, focusing on sharp, direct communication without being overly flowery or pretentious. Beautiful photography and authentic storytelling will be the foundation as we scale. That’s the plan for Project Qaafi in the years ahead—a brand that bridges culture, design, and lifestyle while growing thoughtfully and purposefully.

FOLLOW PROJECT QAAFI'S INSTAGRAM @project_qaafi

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