It takes real moxie to bootstrap your own beauty brand in 2025, and Gajen Chandra has the chops to take Chandra Skin, his namesake brand, all the way to the finish line. We say this because the present-day audience does not take kindly to influencers starting a cash-grab business. In fact, it’s practically a one-way ticket to total cancellation.
But that scenario is simply not in the cards for Gajen, because the genesis of Chandra Skin came from his personal need for a rich and deeply nourishing lip balm. “I’m very big on this category because my lips are very dry, and after years of trying out a ton of lip balms, I have a solid grasp of what I want for my brand,” said the founder. In our conversation, Gajen mirrored our love for an occlusive formula, noting that a smothering of the plush texture is the only thing that can curb moisture loss, and therefore, keep dry lips at bay.
Though launched in February 2025, the influencer has actually spent the year prior waist-deep in research and development, tirelessly scouting manufacturers and diligently working with formulators to get the perfect balance of hydration and moisture into the formula. For this public relations graduate, it’s the equivalent of jumping into the deep end, and he doesn’t deny the anxieties he had.
“I was very self-critical. I kept stalling and delaying the first product launch, because what if people won’t like the product?” Gajen ruminated. Of course, his fear proved to be misplaced. Come launch day, he saw an outpouring of positive reinforcements from not only his friends but also his followers and fellow local brand owners. He counts this as one of his blessings. “It showed me how supportive people are in the industry. Turns out I was just overthinking it.”
So, what’s in store for 2026? Well, this founder was only nine months in as of the interview, and he disclosed that he’s already working on his third drop. If you’ve been keeping a close eye on Chandra Skin, then you’ll notice that the brand does things very intentionally, releasing one colour at a time. “Honestly, I’m still learning with every new colour addition, and every new introduction informs the next one,” he shares. “I’m making products for me and people with my skin tone. Right now, I understand that it might not fit a lot of those with lighter skin tones, but to me, that’s an area I can expand into.”
This is completely understandable. Despite his massive social reach, we have to face the economic realities of running a brand. It takes a considerable amount of funding to fuel a typical production run. Gajen, surprisingly, is bankrolling this himself. “This has its pros and cons. While it’s difficult to bear all of the cost, I enjoy having the last say in everything,” said the 27-year-old perfectionist.
Gajen is very much at the start of the road and is buzzing with potential. Right now, he’s still toying with a multitude of ideas. “I would love to do lip plumpers—I’ve already got a concept in mind for this. In the future, I would eventually like to use custom packaging for Chandra Skin,” he mused. On top of those, he shares that the brand is open to collaborations. “I love ZUS Coffee, so if we could work together for maybe a coffee-flavoured lip balm…” he trailed off. And that’s plenty on this rookie’s vision board for 2026.
Photography: Sarah Hobbs
Styling & Creative Direction: Joseph Cheng
Art Direction: Nadia Aswardy
Hair: VV Chan, Zac Lee, Philex Chin, Cody Chua
Makeup: Eranthe Loo, Crystal Fong (Plika Makeup)
Styling Assistants: Sarah Chong, Lorraine Chai, Maryssa Helmi
Photography Assistants: Ayiesha Almas, Brandan Simon
READ MORE