Business / From Sephora To Space: Shalini Vadhera Makes History With The World’s First Space-Certified Skincare Brand

From Sephora To Space: Shalini Vadhera Makes History With The World’s First Space-Certified Skincare Brand

Business May 05, 2025

by Team ANOKHI LIFE

From Sephora shelves to space stations, beauty mogul Shalini Vadhera is making history with Ready Set Jet — the world’s first South Asian, female-founded skincare brand certified for orbit. Fueled by biotech, backed by women, and built on ancient rituals, this is not just a product launch — it’s a cosmic leap for beauty and empowerment.

When Shalini Vadhera launched her first beauty line into Sephora nearly two decades ago, she shattered glass ceilings as the first South Asian woman to break into mainstream retail. Now, she’s breaking through Earth’s atmosphere. On May 29, 2025, Vadhera’s global brand Ready Set Jet will become the first certified skincare and makeup line to launch into outer space, marking yet another pioneering achievement in a career defined by innovation, inclusion, and unstoppable ambition.

Beauty Is Going Orbital

Onboard the Axiom-4 Space Mission, riding a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Ready Set Jet’s star products — aptly named the Beauty Batons — will lift off alongside decorated astronaut Peggy Whitson and India’s own Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. The mission: to test how the products perform in the extreme environment of space, including microgravity and cosmic radiation. When the Batons return, they’ll earn the coveted title of Certified Space-Flown Items, making Ready Set Jet the first ever Space-Certified™ beauty brand in the world.

“This is more than a launch – it’s a legacy moment,” says Vadhera. “We’re fusing centuries of global skincare knowledge with futuristic innovation to create formulas that perform under the most extreme conditions imaginable. What we learn in space will inform how we take care of our skin and health here on Earth – especially for those navigating high-stress, high-performance lifestyles.”

The Trailblazer Who Put Global Beauty on the Map

Long before beauty went viral, Shalini Vadhera was rewriting the rules. In 2006, she shattered industry ceilings as the first South Asian woman to launch a beauty brand into mainstream retail, securing coveted shelf space at Sephora, QVC, Victoria’s Secret, Nordstrom, and beyond. Her rise was anything but typical, and that’s exactly what made it revolutionary.

A celebrity makeup artist turned bestselling author (Passport to Beauty), Vadhera became the industry’s go-to formulator for powerhouse brands, Hollywood studios, and digital disruptors alike. Her creations have lit up screens, including The Baywatch Movie, and landed in the hands of top-tier influencers and celebrities around the globe, racking up over $150 million in product sales along the way.

But it wasn’t just about glam — it was about global impact. Fusing ancient rituals from every corner of the world with cutting-edge science, Vadhera built her empire on three pillars: innovation, inclusivity, and empowerment. She wasn’t chasing trends — she was building a beauty future that looked like everyone.

And now? That future is heading to space.

From Ancient Rituals To Rocket Science

Ready Set Jet isn’t just another clean beauty brand. With a formulation philosophy rooted in 20 years of research into global beauty rituals ( think Ayurvedic botanicals, Korean fermentation, Moroccan oils), Vadhera has always believed in the power of blending ancient traditions with future-forward tech. Now, she’s pushing that philosophy to the stars, testing her products in an environment far harsher than any found on Earth.

In fact, Ready Set Jet’s entire line is infused with biotech and neuroscience-based formulations designed to adapt to stress, dehydration, and harsh climates – the very challenges women face every day here on Earth. Or as Vadhera puts it: “If it can survive space, imagine what it can do for your skin on a red-eye flight or during finals week.”

A Mission to Empower – On Earth & Beyond

But Shalini Vadhera’s story isn’t just one of product innovation. It’s one of purpose. After a lightning strike nearly ended her life, she made a radical shift from celebrity makeup artist to global advocate for women’s empowerment. She launched Power Beauty Living on the floor of the United Nations in 2016, and later founded the Pass The Baton Initiative, using beauty as a gateway to vocational training and economic opportunity for disenfranchised women around the world.

“I believe the sky is not the limit – it’s just the beginning,” Vadhera says. “Through our partnership with Space Angel and our global education initiatives, we’re showing girls in 108 countries that their dreams can reach orbit.”

Fueling The Future With Inclusive Capital

Ready Jet Set Co-Founders Tony Potts & Shalini Vadhera

Vadhera’s journey to orbit has been powered by an equally groundbreaking investment community. Ready Set Jet is 90% female- and BIPOC-funded, with South Asian trailblazers and international changemakers rallying behind her.

From finance to family offices, these powerhouse investors saw the future — and decided to help build it:

Aarti Gupta – MD, Gupta Family Office & Jagran Group
Rajul Kadakia – Chairwoman, Ayana Foundation
Sushma Kaushik – 108 Ventures
Pranjul Srivastava – MD, Edelweiss Capital
Ankita Vashistha – StrongHer / Arise Ventures
Disha Gandhi – Aavishkar Capital
Mohit Bathija – MD, Extraordinary Capital
Ranveer Allahbadia – India’s Top Influencer & Founder, BeerBiceps Ventures
Ritu David – Media futurist and cultural strategy expert
Dr. Hazleen Ahmad – Dubai-based Neuroscientist & Impact Investor
Robin Wood Sailer – Venture Partner, Helena Capital
Elisa Miller-Out – Managing Director, Chloe Capital
Dr. Harjinder Girn – Angel Investor, Founder & CEO, Home Of Dentistry
Randall and Ian Troutner – Founders, Lisbon Film Festival & Award-Winning Documentary Filmmakers
Raj Girn – South Asian Media Executive, Angel Investor & CEO of RG Media Enterprises, Founder & CEO of ANOKHI LIFE

“These incredible humans didn’t just write checks — they showed up, they believed and understood the power of innovation, and they’ve become part of something historic,” says Vadhera. “This is a global movement. And it’s being led by the kind of investors who don’t just wait for the future — they roll up their sleeves to help create it.”

Enter: The Space Box

Ready Jet Set Hydrate And Glow Beauty Baton - Space & Earth Certified — Ready Jet Set Hydrate And Glow Beauty Baton – Space & Earth Certified

To commemorate this cosmic milestone, Ready Set Jet has teamed up with aerospace disruptor BlackStar Orbital to launch a limited-edition Space Box. This sleek collector’s kit includes the very products flying into orbit — like the Cleanse & Prime, Hydrate & Glow, and Sculpt & Shine Batons — plus a capsule lip and cheek collection. Each box includes blockchain-based authentication and unlocks an immersive virtual space experience.

It’s a bold, beautiful blend of biotech, blockchain, and interstellar imagination — redefining what beauty can be in the space age.

Ready Jet Set Sculpt & Shine Beauty Baton - Space & Earth Certified — Ready Jet Set Sculpt & Shine Beauty Baton – Space & Earth Certified

A Star Who Just Keeps Rising

Shalini Vadhera has already been honoured with the Oprah Beauty O~ward, the Mahatma Gandhi Leadership Award at the UK House of Lords, and the Jewel of India Award from the Prime Minister’s Office. She’s been named #1 Person To Watch by The Economic Times of India. Now, as she prepares to watch her products leave Earth’s orbit, it’s clear her impact is anything but grounded.

From Hollywood soundstages to United Nations summits, from Sephora shelves to space stations — Shalini Vadhera is proving that beauty can be inclusive, innovative, and intergalactic.

And this? This is just liftoff.

Ready to Glow Beyond Gravity?

Follow the mission: https://www.axiomspace.com/missions/ax4
Shop the Space Box: www.readysetjetofficial.com
Follow: @ShaliniVadhera | @ReadySetJetBeauty

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