Baskets of hope, a bit of spirituality, and a lot of drive, Nikki Kapoor’s journey from the food business to essential oils has been a ride of navarasas, the nine emotions. And that’s why she probably named her aromatherapy range Navarasas. “The essential oils heal and harmonise the body, mind and spirit and the nine emotions are balanced through the right blends,” she elucidates. At her lovely residence in Delhi, she offers customised beauty and health solutions for humans as well as dogs and horses. And if you want to observe this first hand, she offers a bed and breakfast facility too.

 

The journey of Navarasas is about two years old, but her emotional journey goes back three decades. This cancer survivor has been living with chronic pain for over 20 years of Stage 4 Endometriosis and Fibromyalgia. She worked in her family’s restaurant business in the US and eventually returned home in 2009. “But essential oils and aromatherapy have changed this pain into fragrance to a large extent,” she smiles. Her skin had got spoiled with dark spots on her face and the usage of hot sand bags around her hips and abdomen had led to burns. Essential oils, the right blends and usage, has helped get that shine back. And it’s all been a self-study exercise. She worked with many oils before she got the right recipes and mixes.

 

Ironically, it was not her own pain which got her into the business but that of her pet Duchess. When she adopted a pet Duchess, she actually got herself a child as she could not have biological children. As a puppy Duchess had a surgery which weakened her immune system and health issues became pronounced with age. She suffered from arthritis and hip dysplasia. In May 2012 she lost the use of her hind legs. Not ready to accept euthanasia as a reliever from this pain, Nikki browsed and looked for healing herbs. She ended up discovering the power of aroma oils. Duchess was massaged and it helped. Then friends and family benefited with the different concoctions and blends.

 

And then she transited on what makes for a woman’s best friend—a weight loss oil.  Massage every day has worked wonders with her, friends and family. Ashna, who has been taught by Nikki is now using it and vouches for it.

 

Giving us our fragrance, Ashna blended some oils and we chose what we wanted to smell like. I fell in love with the violet and lavender but eventually went in for the exotic champagne and lavender spray. In five minutes I had my personalised fragrance! Nikki and Ashna are offering personalised beauty range for Diwali too.

 

In her home, dogs are children and for these children she has Bark on Barkery—where you can buy kibbles, cookies and cakes for dogs. The best part is that they can be eaten by the owners too. So you don’t need to go around buying anything different for yourself. There is a range of goodies from the veg to the non-veg.

 

And she has given us an offer to give her the empty bottle of our favourite perfume and we will get exactly what we are looking for. Or rather spread the fragrance.