Earth Rhythm is a Gurugram skincare brand that began with shampoo bars. Nykaa’s listed parent, FSN E-Commerce Ventures, bought 18.6% in 2022 and announced a majority stake on 27 November 2024. This audit reads who makes the range, what its product and sunscreen pages publish, and what it costs per millilitre, as at 1 September 2026.
Earth Rhythm has been majority-owned by Nykaa’s parent since November 2024. It runs its own factory in Gurugram, and a third-party maker is named on six of the ten product pages that name one. Serums sell at ₹19.93 a millilitre whatever the active, checked 1 September 2026.
Snapshot
- Legal name
- Earth Rhythm Private Limited, incorporated 13 October 2020, Gurugram
- Brand founded
- Soapworks India, 2017; renamed Earth Rhythm in 2018; the About page says 2019
- Current owner
- FSN E-Commerce Ventures Limited (Nykaa), a majority stake announced 27 November 2024
- Who makes it
- Earth Rhythm itself on 4 sampled packs; FormulaEdge India, Gurgaon, on 6; 18 pages name nobody
- Core line, selling price
- ₹299 for a 15 ml serum, ₹369 to ₹459 for a 50 ml sunscreen, checked 1 September 2026
How it started
The founder’s own account, on the brand’s blog, holds up against the record. In 2015 Harini Sivakumar began making soap at home. She took Formula Botanica courses in 2016 and opened Soapworks India in Gurugram in 2017. Co-founder Sivakumar Varadarajan joined in 2018; the two obtained a manufacturing licence that year and renamed the business Earth Rhythm.
The shampoo bar line arrived in 2019 and became the bestseller, and production moved from a kitchen to 100 kg mixing machines. The company was self-funded until the end of 2020, then raised $1.2 million from Anicut Capital in July 2021. Four founding dates are therefore in circulation, and none is wrong: 2015 for the hobby, 2017 for the first business, 2018 for the name, and 13 October 2020 for the private limited company. The About page picks 2019.
- Harini and Sivakumar VaradarajanSoapworks India 2017; Earth Rhythm Private Limited incorporated 13 October 2020
- Anicut Capital$1.2 million seed, July 2021; nominee director joins 4 May 2022
- Nykaa takes 18.6%2022, consideration not disclosed
- Nykaa takes a majorityAnnounced 27 November 2024; stake and price not disclosed
Since November 2024 the Gurugram brand has been majority-owned by a listed Indian retailer.
The exact stake and the price Nykaa paid were never disclosed, so this audit says “a majority” and stops. This audit did not read the company’s filed accounts and gives no revenue figure. Dot & Key, another Nykaa skincare brand, sits in the same house.
What they actually make
The founding story is about shampoo bars; the catalogue on 1 September 2026 ran to serums, sunscreens, sticks and makeup. The unusual fact is that Earth Rhythm owns a factory. Indian cosmetic packs must name the manufacturer, and on four of the 28 pages we read that name is Earth Rhythm Private Limited, at Plot 834, Udyog Vihar Phase V, Gurugram, its registered office. Most Indian direct-to-consumer skincare brands make nothing themselves; of the ten we have audited, only Minimalist and Earth Rhythm are makers of record on their own packs. Our Campus audit draws the same distinction in footwear.
The factory is not the only maker in our sample. FormulaEdge India Pvt Ltd, a third-party manufacturer at IDC Sector 16, Gurgaon, is named on six pages: four sunscreens, the Matcha Face Mask and the Murumuru Butter Shampoo Bar. That includes the shampoo bar, the product the brand’s story began with. The remaining 18 pages name no manufacturer. No licence number appears on any of the 28, though the carton in hand may carry one.
Now the ingredient lists. An INCI list runs in descending order of concentration down to 1%, so position is the only check a buyer has without a lab.
| Product, as named | What the list says | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 10% Azelaic Acid Serum, 15 ml | “Azelaic Acid”, no figure | 3rd of 22 |
| 2% Salicylic Acid Serum, 15 ml | “Salicylic Acid”, no figure | 6th of 22 |
| 2% Alpha Arbutin + HA, 30 ml | “Alpha-Arbutin”, no figure | 3rd of 12 |
| Snail Mucin Overnight Gel, “70%” | “Snail secretion filtrate”, no figure | 2nd of 10 |
| 10% Niacinamide Serum, 15 ml | No ingredient list on the page | — |
| 2% Alpha Arbutin Serum, 15 ml | No ingredient list on the page | — |
| Hair Growth Serum, 3% Redensyl | No ingredient list on the page | — |
On the pages read on 1 September 2026, eighteen of the 28 publish a full list. Ten publish none, or only a handful of named actives: the 10% Niacinamide serum, the 15 ml Alpha Arbutin, the Vitamin E serum, the Redensyl hair serum, the Retinol night cream and five sun products. Where a list exists, the active sits high enough to be consistent with the claim, though a list’s order cannot confirm a percentage. None of the lists prints a percentage.
Of the ten Indian direct-to-consumer skincare brands we have audited, only two are makers of record on their own packs. Earth Rhythm is one of them.
We read twelve sunscreen pages. On the pages read on 1 September 2026, the Ultra Defence Hybrid Sun Fluid publishes an in-vitro SPF of 75.36 by the COLIPA method against a labelled SPF 50, with a critical wavelength of 378 nm, and the other eleven, five of them marked “In-Vivo Tested”, cite no test method or value for their SPF or PA ratings. In-vitro means a measurement on a laboratory plate rather than on human skin. The Cosmetics Rules, 2020 require a state manufacturing licence and a pack declaration; they do not require a published SPF report.
Product pages on earthrhythm.com, read 1 September 2026.
Earth Rhythm does not use “chemical-free” or “toxin-free” on any page we read. It names PETA for its cruelty-free badge.
What Earth Rhythm costs in India
Every price below is from earthrhythm.com on 1 September 2026. The serum line is priced on a flat ladder, not by ingredient: niacinamide, salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid all cost ₹299 for 15 ml, or ₹19.93 a millilitre, whatever is inside. The bigger bottle barely helps. The 30 ml Niacinamide is ₹599, or ₹19.97 a millilitre, which is fractionally more than the small one.
| Product | Selling price | Per ml or g |
|---|---|---|
| 10% Niacinamide Serum, 15 ml | ₹299, at MRP | ₹19.93 |
| 10% Niacinamide Serum, 30 ml | ₹599, at MRP | ₹19.97 |
| 10% Azelaic Acid Serum, 15 ml | ₹209.30, MRP ₹299 | ₹13.95 |
| Phyto Niacin Face Moisturiser, 50 ml | ₹287, MRP ₹479 | ₹5.74 |
| Rosy Ritual Glow Sunspray SPF 50, 100 ml | ₹399, MRP ₹499 | ₹3.99 |
| Ultra Defence Sun Fluid SPF 50, 50 ml | ₹399, MRP ₹499 | ₹7.98 |
| Glow Surge Sunstick SPF 50, 20 g | ₹399, MRP ₹499 | ₹19.95 |
| Aqua Surge Sunstick SPF 60, 20 g | ₹429, MRP ₹549 | ₹21.45 |
The sunstick is the expensive way to buy the same claimed protection. The Glow Surge Sunstick and the Rosy Ritual Glow Sunspray are both SPF 50 PA++++ from the same brand. One costs five times the other per unit.
- Rosy Ritual Glow Sunspray, 100 ml
- ₹3.99 per ml
- Glow Surge Sunstick, 20 g
- ₹19.95 per g
- Gap
- +400%
- Checked on
- 1 September 2026
On MRP: of 31 price lines read on 1 September 2026, 18 carried a struck-through MRP and a lower price, with discounts of 15% to 40%, under a “PAYDAY” extra-20% banner. Treat the MRP as a reference price, not one anyone pays, the conclusion our Sparx and Liberty audits reached about footwear. We captured no Nykaa, Amazon or Flipkart price, so this audit cannot say where these products are cheapest.
Who Earth Rhythm is actually for
The honest buyer for Earth Rhythm is someone who wants an Indian-made serum at under ₹300 and is content to read the ingredient list rather than the number on the front. On the four pages where a percentage and a list both exist, the list is consistent with the claim. The Phyto Niacin Moisturiser at ₹5.74 a millilitre is the cheapest thing in the range per unit and is made in the brand’s own factory.
Buyers who choose on test results should check the pack and ask the brand for its test report. Nor is it for anyone buying the sunsticks on value; the spray is a fifth of the price per unit for the same claimed rating.
Reputation and controversies
Earth Rhythm’s reputation was built on packaging-light shampoo bars and a founder’s story that checks out against the record. Two points about it need context. It is an Indian-founded brand that has been majority-owned by Nykaa’s parent since November 2024. And it is not sold as plastic-free: the claim is “Certified Plastic Neutral”, an offsetting claim for which the site names no certifier, and the range comes in plastic tubes, pumps and sticks.
The FAQ carries a no-returns policy, citing “the nature of our all natural products”. Shelf life is stated on four of 28 pages, always as best-before from manufacture and never as a period after opening. The retinol serum and night cream state no shelf life and no storage instruction at all.
The advertising council’s record of complaint outcomes holds nothing against Earth Rhythm as at 2 September 2026, and no court order or penalty appears against it either.
Buying it in India
Earth Rhythm sells through its own site and through Nykaa, which now owns it, so the shop and the brand answer to one company. Our Bata audit raises the same question, where the brand a buyer knows and the company that controls it are different entities. Before you pay for a number on the front, do these five things.
Find the full ingredient list
If the product page lists only a few actives, ask for the full list before buying.
Find the active’s position
Lists run in descending order down to 1%. A “10%” active should sit in the first handful; a “2%” one can sit lower. Position is consistent with a claim, never proof of it.
Read the manufacturer’s name and licence number
The pack carries both, and product pages often do not, so check the carton itself.
Ask for the SPF test details
A test report names a method, a laboratory, a measured SPF and a date. If the page does not show one, ask the brand for it.
Divide the price by the millilitres
₹299 for 15 ml is ₹19.93 a millilitre; ₹399 for a 20 g stick is ₹19.95 a gram. Compare that figure, not the price tag or the struck-through MRP.
Common questions
Is Earth Rhythm an Indian brand?
Yes. It was founded in Gurugram by Harini Sivakumar and Sivakumar Varadarajan, and the company, Earth Rhythm Private Limited, was incorporated there on 13 October 2020. Since 27 November 2024 a majority has been held by FSN E-Commerce Ventures, the listed parent of Nykaa.
Who owns Earth Rhythm?
Nykaa’s parent, FSN E-Commerce Ventures Limited, bought 18.6% in 2022 and a majority stake announced 27 November 2024. The exact percentage and the price were not disclosed.
Does Earth Rhythm make its own products?
Partly. It is the named manufacturer on four of the 28 pages we read, at its own plant in Udyog Vihar, Gurugram. FormulaEdge India, a third-party maker in Gurgaon, is named on six, including the shampoo bar. Eighteen pages name no manufacturer.
How can I check the 10% in the 10% Niacinamide Serum?
Read the ingredient list on the pack. Ingredients above 1% run in descending order, so a 10% active should sit near the top. Where Earth Rhythm publishes a list online, the named active sits where the claim would predict.
Are Earth Rhythm sunscreens tested?
All twelve sunscreen pages we read carry an SPF rating, and five carry the words “In-Vivo Tested”. For the test details, check the pack and ask the brand for its test report.
Is Earth Rhythm plastic-free?
No. The claim is “Certified Plastic Neutral”, meaning an offsetting quantity of plastic is recovered elsewhere. The range is sold in plastic tubes, pumps and sticks.
How we research and verify brand audits: our methodology.
References
- Earth Rhythm, homepage, read 1 September 2026 — the PETA and plastic-neutral badges
- Earth Rhythm, About Us, read 1 September 2026 — “established in 2019” and the founders’ account
- Earth Rhythm, FAQ, read 1 September 2026 — the no-returns policy and the “all natural” wording
- Earth Rhythm, founder’s account of Soapworks India to Earth Rhythm — the 2015 to 2021 chronology, the 2018 manufacturing licence and the Anicut seed round
- ZaubaCorp, Earth Rhythm Private Limited — incorporation date, registered office, the nominee director appointed 4 May 2022
- Inc42, 27 November 2024 — the 18.6% stake from 2022 and the majority acquisition
- Entrackr, 27 November 2024 — the majority stake and the undisclosed consideration
- Earth Rhythm, 2% Salicylic Acid Serum, read 1 September 2026 — Earth Rhythm as manufacturer at Plot 834, Udyog Vihar; salicylic acid 6th of 22; ₹299 for 15 ml
- Earth Rhythm, Murumuru Butter Shampoo Bar, read 1 September 2026 — FormulaEdge India Pvt Ltd as manufacturer
- Earth Rhythm, 10% Niacinamide Serum, read 1 September 2026 — no ingredient list on the page; ₹299 for 15 ml and ₹599 for 30 ml
- Earth Rhythm, 10% Azelaic Acid Serum, read 1 September 2026 — azelaic acid 3rd of 22; ₹209.30 against ₹299
- Earth Rhythm, 2% Alpha Arbutin + HA 30 ml, read 1 September 2026 — alpha-arbutin 3rd of 12
- Earth Rhythm, 2% Alpha Arbutin Serum 15 ml, read 1 September 2026 — no ingredient list on the page
- Earth Rhythm, Hair Growth Serum, read 1 September 2026 — no ingredient list on the page
- Earth Rhythm, Snail Mucin Renew Overnight Gel, read 1 September 2026 — snail secretion filtrate 2nd of 10
- Earth Rhythm, Retinol Skin Renewal Serum, read 1 September 2026 — no percentage named, no shelf life or storage instruction
- Earth Rhythm, Phyto Niacin Face Moisturiser, read 1 September 2026 — Earth Rhythm as manufacturer; ₹287 against ₹479
- Earth Rhythm, Ultra Defence Hybrid Sun Fluid, read 1 September 2026 — in-vitro SPF 75.36 by the COLIPA method, critical wavelength 378 nm; ₹399 against ₹499
- Earth Rhythm, Rosy Ritual Glow Sunspray, read 1 September 2026 — the “In-Vivo Tested” label; FormulaEdge as manufacturer; ₹399 for 100 ml
- Earth Rhythm, Glow Surge Sunstick, read 1 September 2026 — ₹399 for 20 g
- Earth Rhythm, Aqua Surge Sunstick, read 1 September 2026 — ₹429 for 20 g
- Earth Rhythm, Invisible Sunstick SPF 60, read 1 September 2026 — the PAYDAY banner and the buy-one-get-one offer
- CDSCO, Cosmetics — state licensing of cosmetic manufacture and the labelling rules for cosmetics
- ASCI, complaint outcomes — the database consulted for decided rulings
The good part is real. Earth Rhythm owns a licensed factory in Gurugram and is the maker of record on its own moisturiser and salicylic serum, which few of the Indian direct-to-consumer skincare brands we have audited can say. Where it publishes a list, the active sits where the claim says it should. At ₹19.93 a millilitre for a 15 ml serum, it is priced squarely with the category, and the ₹287 moisturiser is honest value.
The serums sit on a flat ladder, ₹299 for 15 ml whatever the active, so the choice between them comes down to the active you want, not the price. For the sunscreens, check the pack and ask the brand for its test report.
Buy the salicylic serum or the moisturiser if the price suits you, skip the sunsticks at five times the spray’s cost, and ask for the full ingredient list before buying any Earth Rhythm product whose page does not show one.
