Ananya Kapur, Chief Executive Officer, Type Beauty

Applying Science to Smart Makeup

When Ananya Kapur (MCS 2021) strolled through cosmetics stores, she saw the opportunity to produce more effective and more inclusive items than were currently available on the shelves.

With the technical knowledge provided by her bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and business administration, she’s doing just that and altering the beauty industry in India one product at a time.

Type Beauty, Ananya’s cosmetics company, came to life as part of experimentation she did around her Mellon College of Science class schedule.

“During the COVID-19 semester in spring 2020, I was at home in New Delhi, India, and I was taking classes online at night because of the time difference,” she says. “So I spent all day formulating cool creams, masks or whatever I could for fun in my kitchen.”

The innovation that sets Type apart from other cosmetics companies is a vegan formulation that also addresses specific needs, battling oily or sensitive skin or covering dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles.

By offering this formulation in a wide array of inclusive palettes, Type is both skincare and beauty in one product.

“Your entire morning skincare routine can be done with your makeup,” Ananya says. “While you're wearing your makeup throughout the day and covering up whatever makes you feel less confident, you also have it working on the inside to help heal your skin.”

Type’s line includes concealers, foundations, primers, lip products, eyeshadows and tools with more products in the works. The company has approximately 30 employees and is emerging as a go-to brand in the Indian market with buzz growing on social media.

Ananya hopes to expand internationally with a largely online presence and continued focus on what she calls “smart makeup powered by science.”

“There will be times when my head of R&D will talk about what goes into the formula,” Ananya says. “She’ll joke that I’m like a mad scientist, always finding some new ingredient. That’s not typical for a CEO, but I think it's really important to have that level of knowledge to have the respect of the people that are working with you.”

Story by Elizabeth Speed