Saloni Anand: From accidental entrepreneur to D2C trailblazer in hair health

Founded in 2019, Traya has emerged as India’s first-ever health-tech brand to address hair fall at its roots by combining the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, the precision of Dermatology, and the holistic approach of Nutrition. Co-founded by the dynamic duo, Saloni Anand and Altaf Saiyed, the brand was born out of a deeply personal journey to tackle hair loss—a struggle they experienced firsthand. Today, Traya is a leader in the $12 billion hair care market, transforming the lives of over 800,000 customers with its personalized and result-driven solutions.

Saloni Anand, Co-founder, Traya, is an inspiring engineer-turned-entrepreneur who transformed a personal challenge into a national movement for effective hair fall solutions. Equipped with a B-Tech and an MBA, Anand’s accidental journey into entrepreneurship began when she developed a treatment to combat her husband’s premature hair loss. Her innovative approach has not only revolutionized hair care but also earned her a place on Hurun India’s prestigious “Under 35 Entrepreneur List”.

Traya was born out of a personal experience with your husband’s hair loss. Could you walk us through that moment and how it led to the creation of Traya?

Traya was born from a personal journey when my husband, Altaf, experienced severe hair loss due to stress, poor diet, and lack of sleep during his startup venture. Despite trying various remedies, it wasn’t until we combined Ayurveda, allopathic treatments, and a healthier lifestyle that his hair fall reversed, and his overall health improved.

The remarkable transformation caught the attention of our friends, but we realized many struggled with consistency and long-term commitment. This insight led us to launch Traya with a digital ad, securing our first 50 customers. Focusing on personalized support, Altaf and I became hair coaches, working with experts to deliver results. Within five months, 36 customers saw visible improvements, laying the foundation for Traya’s success.

Traya combines Ayurveda, Nutrition, and Dermatology to treat hair loss. How do these three sciences work together to provide a holistic solution, and why do you believe this approach is more effective than traditional methods?

What sets Traya apart is our innovative and holistic approach to addressing hair loss. Rather than offering quick fixes, we focus on identifying and tackling the root causes of hair fall. Recognizing that hair loss is a highly individualized issue, we’ve developed a comprehensive approach by combining the expertise of Ayurveda, Dermatology, and Nutrition. By integrating these three sciences, we’ve built a holistic framework that addresses the problem from multiple aspects.

Ayurveda restores internal balance, Dermatology ensures evidence-based scalp and hair health, and Nutrition improves internal deficiencies for sustainable growth.

Our AI-powered hair test identifies personalized factors like stress or hormonal imbalances, enabling tailored solutions. Backed by a secure CRM and guided by hair coaches, our method ensures trust and consistency. With a 93% efficacy rate and over 800,000 success stories, Traya delivers transformative, long-term results that go beyond traditional methods.

With the rising concerns over misleading claims in the hair care industry, how important is scientific validation for Traya’s solutions? Could you elaborate on the results of Traya’s clinical trial, comparing your treatment to Minoxidil? What were the key findings, and how do they support Traya’s approach?

At Traya, we believe scientific validation is key, especially in an industry full of misleading claims and generic solutions. Hair loss is not just a surface problem; it’s deeply personal and needs proven methods to address its root causes.  To ensure efficacy, we conducted a six-month clinical trial comparing Traya’s Customized Hair Regimen to 5% Minoxidil, following strict CTRI guidelines with 135 participants. Using advanced tools like Trichoscan and CaseLite, the study measured improvements in hair regrowth, density, and scalp health.

The results showed Traya’s regimen, combining Ayurveda, Dermatology, and Nutrition, outperformed Minoxidil by reducing hair fall, improving density, and enhancing shine. Proven three times more effective in reducing Male Pattern Hair Loss, Traya’s approach addresses both symptoms and underlying causes for lasting solutions.

In your view, what are some of the most common misleading marketing claims in the hair care industry today? How do these claims impact consumer trust?

The hair care industry has long relied on misleading marketing claims, many of which fail to offer real solutions. A common tactic is promoting “one-product wonders” that claim to reverse hair loss in just 3-4 weeks. While these promises sound appealing, they don’t address the underlying causes of hair loss. In reality, achieving meaningful results takes time, typically 4-6 months, because hair regrowth involves solving internal issues, not just offering quick, surface-level fixes.

Another prevalent issue is the use of incomplete or misleading testing methods. For example, some brands highlight results based on reducing hair breakage instead of actual hair fall from the roots, which is a more significant indicator of hair health. Others compare their products to non-conditioning shampoos to inflate their effectiveness, creating claims like “reduce 99% hair breakage with every wash.” These statements confuse consumers into thinking they are addressing hair loss, when in fact, they’re not tackling the root causes.

These tactics can leave customers frustrated and distrustful of hair care brands. When products don’t work as promised, people become skeptical of future claims.

At Traya, we focus on offering real solutions. Our approach combines Ayurveda, nutrition, and dermatology to create personalized treatments that address the true causes of hair loss, helping us build trust through honesty and proven results.

Traya’s #QuestionTheClaim initiative encourages consumers to be more critical of marketing narratives. What inspired this movement, and how has it resonated with your customers?

Traya’s #QuestionTheClaim initiative was born out of the need to help consumers see through exaggerated marketing claims and make smarter choices. It’s about understanding marketing gimmicks, research loopholes, and reading labels to assess product quality. We’re not here to defame any brand, every brand works hard to deliver great products. Instead, this campaign empowers consumers to avoid falling for unrealistic promises, like a shampoo claiming 99% reduction in hair fall. It is not possible, and we are here to educate and create awareness for the consumers. By involving journalists, doctors, and influencers, we’re spreading awareness about these traps and encouraging people to question what they’re being sold. The response so far has been incredible. Customers appreciate the transparency and feel more confident now when choosing products that truly work for them.

The hair care industry, particularly in India, is often under-regulated. What challenges have you faced with regulatory oversight in marketing and promoting hair care products?

One of the biggest challenges is the prevalence of misleading claims that create unrealistic consumer expectations. Terms like “guaranteed results” or “100% hair regrowth” are often thrown around without evidence, making it difficult for honest and transparent brands to stand out. At Traya, we’ve chosen a different path. Rather than relying on exaggerated claims, we focus on educating consumers about hair health, the science behind hair loss, and what truly works. By addressing the root causes of hair loss and setting realistic expectations, we aim to counter misinformation and empower customers to make informed decisions.

Transparency has always been a top priority of Traya’s approach. We ensure our customers understand the role each ingredient plays in their treatment journey. We chose sticking to honesty and science, because we are confident that this approach not only sets us apart but also builds trust and loyalty over the long term.

How do you ensure that your marketing messages are not only compelling but also aligned with scientific integrity and ethical standards?

At Traya, we make sure our marketing is compelling while staying true to science and ethics. Every claim we make is backed by research, and our focus is on educating customers about hair health, setting realistic expectations, and steering clear of quick-fix promises. What sets us apart is our holistic approach. By combining Ayurveda, Nutrition, and Dermatology, we’ve achieved an efficacy rate of 93% with over 800,000 success stories. It’s proof that addressing hair loss comprehensively, strand by strand, delivers real, lasting results.

We also take customer trust seriously. Our in-house CRM system securely stores sensitive data, ensuring privacy and building confidence. Plus, our network of hair coaches is always there to guide and motivate customers throughout their journey, making the process personal and supportive. At Traya, it’s all about honesty, transparency, and creating solutions that genuinely work because that’s what our customers deserve.

You juggle the roles of a successful entrepreneur and a devoted mother. How do you manage to strike a balance between your professional and personal life?

It’s all about striking a balance and being time efficient, especially now that I've recently delivered my second child. However, I have an incredibly supportive husband and family and they have been instrumental in making this journey more manageable for me. The initial phases of becoming a mother can be quite overwhelming, it demands your time, attention, and energy, which makes it crucial to strike a delicate balance between nurturing my children and steering the ship of a start-up. It is all about striking a balance by prioritizing tasks, both personal and professional.

My husband has been a cornerstone of support, sharing parenting duties and ensuring that I have the necessary bandwidth to dedicate time to both our family and the business. His involvement allowed me to better handle the demands of motherhood while giving my entrepreneurial endeavors the focus they required.

Additionally, our team at Traya played a key role in maintaining a supportive work environment during this transition. Over time, I have learned to prioritize my tasks and set clear goals that I wish to achieve personally and professionally. This approach has consistently helped me maintain a balance between nurturing both my kids and my brainchild, Traya.

One piece of advice that I would like to give to new mothers pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams is that it is essential to voice your needs and seek support from your loved ones & team to attain balance. Additionally, it is crucial to embrace the concept that excelling in both motherhood and business is not only possible but also attainable. Lastly, amidst everything, it is essential to keep in mind the significance of prioritizing self-care and setting aside time for yourself as well.

What do you foresee for the future of the hair care industry in India, particularly in the context of scientifically validated treatments like Traya’s?

The future of the hair care industry in India lies in personalisation and embracing scientifically validated treatments. Clinical research will play a key role in transforming the segment, providing consumers with proof of claims and evidence-based results. This not only establishes credibility but also helps rebuild trust in an industry often clouded by misleading claims. As consumers become more aware, they’ll demand transparency and products backed by real science. Brands that invest in rigorous research and offer clear, honest communication will stand out from the clutter and build lasting trust.

At Traya, we’ve seen firsthand how a holistic approach, backed by clinical studies, delivers better results, proving to be significantly more effective than single-product solutions. By staying committed to transparency and education, we aim to lead the industry toward a future where credibility and science takes a center stage.