Deepika Padukone's decision to launch the skincare brand 82 E surprised many, given the abundance of such firms in the market. However, since its inception in 2022, 82 E has managed to carve a niche in that space. As the firm celebrates its first anniversary, it is set to expand its research and development (R&D) capacity. In an interview with Forbes India, Deepika mentioned that consistency has been the most powerful arrow in the company's arsenal. She said, "We first identified a pain point, which was also my own. Why does skincare have to be so complex? Many brands discuss complex routines and ingredients. I was that person who wanted beautiful glowing skin, but I also wanted it to be simple yet effective. Another issue was always having to choose between brands or products based on Ayurveda versus those based on science. So, we brought all of this together, put it into one bottle, and that's how 82 EAST came about. In fact, we are now seeing other brands also discussing simplified skincare, and we're really happy about that." Mentioning that their first aim is to ensure that the product is effective while not compromising on the ingredients, Deepika Padukone asserted that she herself is the guinea pig whenever they make a new product. "Once we get a broad idea, we take it to our R&D team. They take a couple of months to formulate different products. We have our own R&D centre in Bengaluru. Once they come back to us, I am the first guinea pig. I'm the first one to try any product. Anything that is out there in the market today, rest assured, I have tried it first. I give my feedback. And then it goes into clinical trials," she noted. According to her fund manager and venture capitalist Jigar Shah, their products were shipped to over 50 countries in the past year. He added that they are on course to hit a Rs 100-crore annual revenue run rate. Dubbing the 82 E journey as 'extremely gratifying', Deepika mentioned that there has also been a lot of hard work. "Though we launched it just last year, we worked on this for almost two years or more prior to that to actually get everything up and running." Deepika mentioned that though they are channelling their entire energies and focus into 82 E, if she comes across an interesting and exciting opportunity, she will be ready to invest in more startups. "I think we're always open. We're always open to that," she mentioned. The two also emphasised "growth, growth, growth" as the two-year plan for the company. When the interviewer asked what Brand Deepika stands for, the actor said: "I think it's very difficult to articulate because Brand Deepika is more an emotion than a set of adjectives. I am someone who feels more than being able to say. So, I try and express, and then everything that I do is an extension but also my way of expressing. Whether it's 82 East, Live Love Laugh (LLL) Foundation, or my choice of films, all of these things are somewhere an extension of who I am, and I think that's what Brand Deepika is."
