A New Body Care Company Senthera Introduces In India

The first fragrance that Margarita Kuritsyna recalls wearing at her childhood home in Ukraine is a tropical scent known as Pacific Paradise. The bottle, which is pink and blue, usually emitted a fruity and playful aroma. “The box featured a young woman surrounded by palm trees. It was probably my mom’s perfume that I continued to use for a while”, she shares.

Many years later, her journey into the world of fragrances and perfumes grew deeper. She found herself drawn to scents that often included hints of vanilla and consistently turned heads at the events she attended.

After spending her childhood in Ukraine, Margarita built a new life in Gurugram, India. Not long after, she embarked on a journey to discover the ideal fragrance that also offered nourishing benefits. This led to the creation of Senthera, her brand, which was established in 2023 and officially launched in July this year.

The first product, Make Love, comes in beautiful pink packaging and includes a shower gel infused with 10 oils, an exfoliating body scrub, and a collagen body cream. As soon as you open the bottles, you’re greeted by the delightful scents of rose, lychee, and vanilla. It’s a subtle aroma that lingers in the air long after you’ve used it.

Among the three products – a quick shower gel for speedy baths, an exfoliant for a thorough cleanse, and the collagen body cream for moisturized skin – the cream stands out as the favorite. Its fragrance, rich with notes familiar to the Indian palate, is both gentle and powerful.

Even though Margarita didn’t study perfumery and was working in events and management, she made a shift towards wellness early on.

“I tried a lot of different things after college, but I remember stepping into the body care world when my mom gave me a gift of body cream and shower gel. It smelled amazing, but it didn’t really do much for my skin. I’ve always been drawn to the wellness industry, and my love for fragrance never faded. That’s why I decided to start my own brand”, she shares.

During a wellness retreat for the launch of Senthera at Goa’s Brij Parasio, surrounded by massages and delicious meals,Margarita points out that people often focus on their facial care with various active ingredients but neglect their bodies.

“That’s why our ingredient list features peptides, collagen, and a bunch of other nourishing components”, she explains.

Margarita, who usually jumps in and out of the shower pretty fast, believes it’s super important to take some time twice a week for exfoliation. That’s why her scrub leaves all the natural oils that our bodies make. The product is free from harsh chemicals, silicone, and parabens, plus it’s vegan.

“I really dislike that squeaky clean feeling that some products give, which strips the skin of its oils. It leaves the skin feeling really dry. We try to keep our bathing routine quick but still special on most days”, she shares.

That’s why the line is called Make Love. Margarita wants everyone to remember the lovely scent of falling in love or having a little crush. She believes that memories have their own fragrances.

Margarita mentions that it took countless attempts and many versions of rose, lychee, and vanilla to reach this point. The final sample took two years to perfect. Only after that did she allow her family and friends to take a sniff.

The goal is to make sure that Senthera is on store shelves and accessible on e-commerce sites all over India.

“We’re planning to introduce new lines and start shipping internationally soon”, she mentions.