Why did Lord Alan Sugar invest in Karishma Vijay’s beauty business? Here, Priya Raj delve into the founder, the brand and its products.
If, like me, you’re partial to a spot of reality television on a weeknight, you’ll have likely been an avid watcher of the recent series of The Apprentice.
Over the years, the show has provided constant inspiration for internet memes — failed pitches, tasks gone wrong, embarrassing interviews, you name it.
For the first time, however (at least since I’ve been watching), it seemed there was a contestant that could do no wrong in this series.
Karishma Vijay is a 29-year-old British-Indian influencer and founder of skincare brand Kishkin.
Her skills as a seasoned content creator played a massive role in her becoming a viewer favourite on the show, as well as being regularly praised by Karren Brady, Lord Sugar’s aide on the show.
Since the final aired, Karishma reports that she’s sold over £250,000 worth of products, an incredible uptake that’s got me wondering: what’s the brand all about? And why would Lord Sugar invest in beauty?
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What is Kishkin?
Karishma founded Kishkin in 2024, after struggling to overcome her battle with acne.
“I searched every skincare shelf for a remedy,” Karishma says on her website. “I spent every last penny as a naive 19-year-old with acne on skincare that did nothing, but then, I finally found my skincare secret.”
According to the brand’s website, Kishkin is “defined by science, designed by nature”.
It focuses on products with varying active ingredients to target different skin concerns, such as dark circles, acne scars and pigmentation.
While there’s a multitude of similar products on the market, there’s no doubt that the marketing of Kishkin’s products has contributed to its success. Through Karishma’s social media content, she’s shown the progress of her own skin, which she says is down to the products.
Kishkin’s top products
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Rose Hip to the Rescue
Seen as the brand’s hero product, Rose Hip to the Rescue is a 100% cold-pressed rosehip-seed oil that targets uneven skin tone, scars and irritated skin.
Mandelic Acid Miracle Mask
This 10-minute mask is advertised as the ultimate skin reset. Mandelic acid is an exfoliant that’s said to remove dead skin cells and protect the skin from acne-causing bacteria.
Due to the AHAs in this product, it’s vital to use SPF during the day.
Matcha Miracle Mist
One of the brand’s newest launches, this skin mist follows the Korean milky toner trend, with a twist for the matcha girlies.
Matcha acts as an antioxidant, balancing sebum — making this ideal for oily skin — while triple hyaluronic complex plumps from within for a dewy finish.
Feature image: Kishkin
