Actor Rashmika Mandanna has forayed into the beauty and personal care segment with the launch of her fragrance brand, Dear Diary. The venture marks her debut as a beauty entrepreneur and draws inspiration from her personal memories and life experiences.
The idea
The brand, which shares its name with Mandanna’s previously released digital video series, positions itself as an “olfactory diary” with each perfume inspired by a distinct chapter in the actor’s life. “For me, fragrance is memory. I don’t remember most things, or maybe it’s just selective memory, but perfumes bring back special moments that might otherwise be forgotten. It’s how I hold on to the people, places, and experiences that shaped who I am. With Dear Diary, I wanted to give everyone a way to carry their stories with them—to connect, to feel comforted, to feel a warm hug, and to express who they are, unapologetically,” Rashmika Mandanna, Founder, Dear Diary, said
The initial collection comprises three fragrances, National Crush, Irreplaceable, and Controversial, each claiming to draw from specific turning points in Mandanna’s public and personal life. According to the company, National Crush is a nod to the moniker given to her by fans early in her career, while Irreplaceable references the moment she got her first tattoo. Controversial, on the other hand, reflects her experiences with public scrutiny and the need to remain grounded.
The brand is being developed and scaled in partnership with The PCA Companies, a global brand acceleration firm that has previously worked with several beauty and wellness ventures. PCA is providing support across product development, global distribution and marketing.
Flavours and prices
Dear Diary’s formulations feature ingredients such as pink lotus, jasmine, sugarcane, lychee and passionfruit, many of which are locally sourced, blending Indian heritage with contemporary sensibilities.
While celebrity-led beauty and wellness brands are not new to the Indian market, Dear Diary enters a segment that is still relatively underpenetrated: personal fragrances. The brand joins a growing wave of celebrity-founded direct-to-consumer businesses, with actors increasingly taking on hands-on roles in brand building beyond endorsements.
The products are currently available exclusively through the brand’s website, with prices ranging from Rs 599 for a 10ml bottle to Rs 2,599 for a 100ml variant.