A new lineup for the beard conscious 

Call it the pervading effect of Premam or Charlie, but men have espoused beards as a lifestyle. However, sprucing up the facial fuzz is no easy task and this is why Virile, a homegrown establishment offers solutions based on chemical-free ingredients for grooming. “The women’s cosmetic market is saturated, yet there are very few players with a product lineup for men,” says co-owner Ferraz Mohammed, speaking for the five-member team (including Harith Das, Althaf Shamsudheen, Shameej C P and Shafar Sulaiman) behind the project.
Besides everything else, the 25-year-old claims that it’s his own life that inspired him to develop something to tackle his mane. While the idea was conceived a couple of years ago, logistics came together in late 2016 when the collective delved into serious research involving aromatherapy to develop multiple concoctions. The final outcome is their recently released essential oil-based products—The Lumberjack and The Huntsman.

Herbal quality
Men can rest assured that Virile uses all-natural raw materials in their blends. “I am the first subject on whom each new combination is tested,” says Ferraz, turning the joke on companies testing products on animals. While petitgrain from citrus trees and American-origin jojoba oil forms the base of both the oils, The Huntsman carries uplifting notes from peppermint and sweet almond oil. As the name suggests, The Lumberjack combines deep earthy tones of patchouli paired with Moroccan argan oil for the adventurous folks.

Manly care
While taking care of gentlemen’s countenance, the team is concerned about the face of the Earth too. “Consumerism is what destroyed our planet, so we want to use the same tool to give it a little life,” says the 25-year-old, about using seed papers as pamphlets.Inspired by Bhutan’s carbon-negative policies, the team also hopes to make a small difference through the use of recycled paper and limiting the use of plastic.“We’re currently working on perfecting Admiral, our beard wax which will hit the market within
two months,” says Ferraz, adding that customers can request for personalised combinations for bespoke blends.

Oils from `350 onwards
Details: virilelab.com