Aste Wellness is a groundbreaking skincare brand that blends the wisdom of Ayurveda with cutting-edge science to offer hormone-friendly, holistic beauty solutions. Co-founded by Dr. Rhea Mehta, a molecular toxicologist, and Romana Kassam, a multi-disciplinary artist, Aste Wellness was inspired by their personal health journeys. The brand is dedicated to providing women with ethically sourced, hormone-safe skincare designed to nourish both the body and spirit. In this Q&A, we delve into how Aste Wellness is redefining beauty rituals for women at every stage of life. —Noa Nichol
Aste Wellness blends Ayurveda with modern science to create hormone-friendly skincare. What inspired you to combine these two approaches, and how does it set your brand apart from others in the skincare industry?
Our chronic health struggles independently led us to India, the land of our ancestors. There, we reconnected with the healing wisdom of Ayurveda, a 5000-year-old holistic healing system that emphasizes balancing the mind, body, and spirit as the key to long lasting well-being. We’ve since been on a mission to reclaim the healing rituals and traditions of our culture and share them with authenticity and care.
One of the aspects we cherish about Ayurveda is its inherent focus on hormone balance. Many Ayurvedic practices are designed to stimulate elimination pathways, promoting detoxification, while incorporating specific herbs, oils, and plant extracts to bring balance and harmony to the body, skin, and hormones. While Ayurvedic beauty and skincare are holistic and non-toxic by design, the reality is that today, with all the pollution and harsh chemicals we’re exposed to in our environment, our skin needs extra protection and support. That’s why we’ve gone the extra mile to formulate our products with scientifically proven ingredients that help skin age gracefully and stay resilient, all while keeping the spirit of Ayurveda alive in everything we create.
What sets us apart from others in the skincare industry is our belief that beauty and women’s health should coexist harmoniously. By infusing our formulations with the principles of Ayurveda, we offer women a unique approach to skincare that offers nourishment beyond the skin. We are also committed to preserving the spirit of Ayurveda in addition to the purely physical aspects, which is a vital component of Ayurvedic healing. We ensure that the creation of our products is not only rooted in principles and knowledge but also infused with ritual and spirit. For example, during production, each product is made with utmost care and intentionality in addition to quality control and safety, by harvesting and creating products on a lunar cycle, and incorporating the chanting of healing mantras during production. This unique blend of science and spirit enriches our formulations, allowing us to offer skincare that truly honours the holistic nature of Ayurveda while delivering effective results.
Your personal health journeys played a significant role in the creation of Aste Wellness. Can you share how your experiences shaped the products and mission of the brand?
Our Aste Wellness journey didn’t start with business, it started with life. We both faced significant health challenges that brought us together. I (Romana) struggled with Hashimoto’s disease, affecting my energy and overall well-being, while I (Rhea) dealt with early signs of perimenopause after pregnancy, impacting my sleep and mental health. Through our daily check-ins, we created a supportive sisterhood that allowed us to navigate our wellness journeys together and slowly make changes towards addressing the root causes of our hormonal imbalances.
As our conversations and support deepened, we learned that Ayurveda and the 5000 year old wisdom of our shared ancestry played a significant role in both of our healing journeys. I (Romana) was just in my 20s when I traveled to South India with my dad on a transformative Ayurvedic retreat. In 2019, I (Rhea) moved to the Himalayan foothills in Rishikesh, India, to study and immerse myself in Vedic wisdom and practice, which changed the course of my life.
This is how Aste was born. We were both entering our 40’s, living with hormone imbalances and realizing that we didn’t feel safe using any of the anti-aging skincare products on the market. So we created Aste Wellness—an Ayurvedic skincare brand that’s by design non-toxic, hormone-friendly, and rooted in time-tested holistic healing. Our mission is simple: to help women like us reconnect with our bodies and nurture our skin using the power of Ayurvedic plant botanicals, intentionality, and spirit.
Hormone health is at the core of Aste Wellness products. How do you ensure that each product is hormone-safe, and why is this focus so important for women at various stages of life?
We prioritize hormone safety by ensuring all of our products are free from inflammatory chemicals and hormone-disrupting ingredients that are often masked as preservatives, stabilizers, emollients, and fragrances, and we conduct third-party testing with an internationally recognized laboratory to validate this. But we don’t stop there. Our formulas are also intentionally crafted with time-tested Ayurvedic botanicals to help balance hormones for women at every stage of life, from periods to perimenopause to menopause. When navigating the vulnerable stages of womanhood, we shouldn’t have to stress about finding products that grow with us and our evolving needs.
What’s also really special about our products is that they’re formulated for all skin types. In Ayurvedic terms, that means they’re “tri-doshic”—they work to balance all doshas or energetic constitutions, so whether your skin is oily, dry, sensitive, or combination, our products are designed to support your skin period. We know how sensitive our bodies and skin can be during the phases of womanhood, and we’re committed to supporting women through all of it.
Ayurveda emphasizes holistic well-being. How do your products go beyond skincare to support both body and spirit in women’s daily rituals?
Our formulations are crafted to nurture the skin while also encouraging a deeper connection to oneself. Each product is infused with Ayurvedic principles that promote inner balance and harmony. For example, Nabhi Nectar, our feminine navel oil, not only hydrates the skin but also promotes self-love by helping women reconnect to their bellies and womb space.
We believe that skincare transcends beauty. It’s a sacred opportunity for ritual and reflection, allowing women to embrace their unique journeys with care and intention. Beyond our products, we’re also fostering a community of women supporting women. By sharing lifestyle tips, recipes, and insights rooted in Ayurvedic wisdom, we ensure that our brand is grounded in holistic healing and sisterhood.
Can you tell us more about your signature collection and the key ingredients that make these products unique in promoting hormone balance and overall wellness?
We are thrilled to introduce the heart of Aste Wellness—our signature Holistic Essentials Kit. This powerful trio is thoughtfully crafted to be a daily ritual for radiant skin and total renewal, drawing from the rich traditions of Ayurveda.
Our kit includes:
- Chandni Chic: A luxurious oil-based cleanser featuring neem to purify and balance, grapeseed oil to dissolve impurities and regulate oil, and mulethi to brighten and even your complexion.
- Kesar Kahani: An ultra-hydrating daily cream enriched with saffron, a potent antioxidant known for its anti-aging and brightening properties, aloe vera to soothe and nurture, and manjishta to promote skin healing and radiance.
- Nabhi Nectar: A soothing navel oil infused with shatavari to rejuvenate and balance, rosehip oil for skin regeneration, and castor oil to deeply hydrate and nourish from within.
Together, these essentials offer a full-body, nourishing experience that revitalizes your skin and fosters inner balance.
As women entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds, how have your scientific and artistic expertise influenced the creation and growth of Aste Wellness?
I (Rhea) bring a scientific perspective with my extensive knowledge in toxicology, nutrition and holistic health, which ensures that our formulations are grounded in research and efficacy. My understanding of how ingredients interact with the body and of Ayurveda allows us to create products that truly nourish and support women’s skin and well-being.
On the other hand, my (Romana) marketing and artistic backgrounds infuse strategy, creativity and intuition into our brand. This perspective helps us craft not just effective products but also a compelling narrative and aesthetic that resonates with our community.
Together, we emphasize a holistic experience that goes beyond skincare, inviting women to embrace healing rituals and experiences that honour their unique journeys. Our diverse expertise allows us to approach product development from multiple angles, ensuring that Aste Wellness stands out as a brand that truly understands and supports the complexities of women’s health and beauty.
How do you envision Aste Wellness evolving in the future? Are there any new products or innovations on the horizon that we can look forward to?
We have so much to look forward to! This fall and winter, we’ll be releasing our next three products: Sona Sona, our luxurious 24K gold face serum; Mystic Mane, our nourishing Himalayan hair oil; and Suhani Shine, a brightening aloe face gel. We’ll be unveiling Sona Sona and Mystic Mane at the Menopause Show later this month!
As we dedicate the next few months to building our online community, we’re excited to share that this spring, we’ll begin creating in-person experiences designed for women to empower one another. These gatherings will draw inspiration from the traditional women’s circles that have been a part of our lineage since partition, allowing us to connect, share, and grow together.
Win! A $208 Aste Wellness Kit!
One lucky Canadian winner will receive a $208 Aste Wellness Kit! To enter, head over to Instagram, follow @astewellness and @keepinitrhea and @romanakassam and @vitadailymedia and make sure to fulfil all the entry rules in the caption of the corresponding contest post. Contest opens October 18, 2024 and closes October 25, 2024. Complete contest rules and regulations here. Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadailymedia. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.
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