October 18, 2018, by Liz Goodwin

Nottingham entrepreneur launches a first in disability cosmetics design

Trishna Daswaney, Nottingham Ingenuity Lab entrepreneur and owner of the cosmetics company Kohl Kreatives, has launched a new collection of make-up brushes to add to her growing list of beauty lines.

Dedicated to beauty empowerment, Trishna’s company is a non-profit organisation, with all profits from the sale of her brushes invested into providing free make-up consultancy for cancer care patients and transitioning transgender people. Her products and workshops are catered towards helping everyone improve their self-esteem and to reintegrate into society.

Kohl Kreative’s latest range — the Flex Collection — is a set of make-up brushes tailored for anyone with a motor disability or disease. The first product of its kind in the cosmetic industry, the Flex Collection offers flexible, self-standing and easy grip brushes, to help with comfortable application and better overall control.

The University of Nottingham Business Management graduate, said:

“The Flex Collection just felt right, I think often about people and their relationship with makeup, why and how they use it. Additionally, I reflect on how it makes such a great impact to my day and self-confidence, I can’t imagine having that taken away from me − so I thought about those who often do, and tried to come up with a practical solution.”

Trishna founded the brand in 2015, establishing the business with the support of the University’s Ingenuity Lab, which currently works with alumni and student start-up businesses, offering a wide range of support, services and mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs.

After being bullied at school for how she looked, Trishna was inspired to design ethical beauty tools to help people feel better about themselves. She realised that by exploring make-up, she could enhance her features and improve her self-esteem.

“I love doing what I do, which doesn’t make it ever feel like work or a job, but being able to impact people and seeing them progress in ways unimaginable makes it even more inspiring. It helps me achieve bigger and better things, and keep things growing,” said Trishna.

Alongside the brushes, Kohl Kreatives runs make-up tutorials through its charity Kohl Kares. The workshops — which Trishna runs weekly in Nottinghamshire, London and overseas — provide free make-up consultancy and offer expert advice on the cosmetic creation of features. The brand’s #MyArmour campaign uses real people in its make-up workshops, and its mission is to spread positivity and diminish the idea of standard beauty ideals.

With recent features in the Guardian, the Evening Standard, Harpers Bazaar and the Huffington Post, Trishna saw her products – which were originally sold online – introduced last year into Boots stores across the country; and the PETA-endorsed (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), vegan-friendly and cruelty free products will soon be launching on QVC Germany, France and Italy.

Last year, Trishna won the Nottingham Post’s Women in Business Rising Star Award, and as an emerging player in the health and beauty market she is now focused on making Kohl Kreatives even bigger.

“I have too many aspirations, hopes and dreams for Kohl Kreatives and to be honest I didn’t expect to be here now, so let’s see what the future holds.”

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