Aiming to create a slow micro batch apothecary to produce handcrafted distillate: Makoii Apothecary, Deskit Angmo

A slow apothecary that handicrafts fresh earth-to-body plant formulations, botanical colours and plant distillate in micro batches. Her fascination with plants started in 2017 while on a trek and eventually found herself creating plant-based products focusing on self-care and wellbeing. In 2022, Deskit launched a few products from Makoii to share them with the world and to understand the market response. Makoii is an apothecary because it understands the medicinal benefits of plants and aspires to use them to create products for wholesome well-being.

Incubees: What inspired you to start “Apothecary”? Tell us about your journey as an Entrepreneur.

Deskit Angmo: My fascination with plants began in the summer of 2017 while on a trek through Sham Valley in Ladakh. I came back home after the trek with a journal full of pressed fragrant medicinal flowers and herbs that I had picked through the hike. I knew very little about these aromatic enigmas then and curiosity had me sinking into various books on flora from then on.

My journey into the world of ‘plants for wellbeing’ began with active cultivation and gardening at home along with studying plants in theory and this eventually grew and I found myself creating plant-based products for self-care and wellbeing. A few years of self-learning, various herbalism courses, cultivation and a multitude of trial and error have brought me to this pedestal where familiarity, knowledge and experience with plants allow me to comfortably practice the art of creating plant-based formulations.

Makoii was born in 2020, with the intention to create a slow micro batch apothecary to produce handcrafted distillate, skincare formulations, botanical colours, precious oils, fragrances and more from herbs that I personally forage or grow and harvest seasonally. In 2022, I soft-launched a few products from Makoii to share them with the world and to understand the market response. Makoii is an apothecary because it understands the medicinal benefits of plants and aspires to use them to create products for wholesome well-being.

Incubees: What inspires you to generate new ideas?

Deskit Angmo: Working with plants and creating Makoii has been an experience saturated with continuous learning, experimentation and creativity. Learning one thing has always very naturally led me to the next and the next and it goes on and the possibilities are endless, there is just so much to learn and create. Curiosity, willingness to learn, and being open to creating and making mistakes have always led me to a point where I end up with something interesting, and this is also where ideas come from. Of course, while creating without fear and with patience is vital, the knowledge to be able to do this is equally important and for this I’m constantly reading, taking courses, following docuseries and consuming every good resource that’s available.

Incubees: How was your first experience of building a product from scratch?

Deskit Angmo: I have been formulating products long before I started Makoii for myself and for my friends and family and creating has always been very peaceful, meditative and satisfying. Launching the products in the market was of course a whole different experience and the excitement was more for sharing with the world my love and passion for creating with plants. The practical experience was also exciting, my friend, a brilliant artist handled the packaging design for me and to see what you can make come to life is a whole different emotion.

Incubees: Tell us about your products. Where do you source the ingredients from?

Deskit Angmo: Makoii is a local Ladakhi brand that aspires to create a slow micro batch apothecary using plants and herbs that grow in Ladakh to produce handcrafted plant distillate, skincare formulations, botanical colours, precious oils, fragrances and more. Everything created at Makoii is made with slow traditional methods using 100% pure and fresh ingredients grown in the region. I either grow most of the plants I use myself or forage them from the wild.

At present, I have introduced four kinds of products that include lip balms, hydrosols, mineral salts- bath salts and mineral salts foot soak. Every product is formulated primarily with plants and herbs. The lip balms are created using a concoction of oils including locally produced oils of apricot kernel and sea buckthorn along with plants grown in the regions such as wild rose, wild dandelion, lilac and calendula. The Hydrosols are 100% pure plant extracts that embody the plant itself in its hydro form; it contains all the goodness of the plants and their properties such as their phytonutrients, essential oils and scent. I make the Hydrosols using different plants that grow in the region using traditional methods. The Mineral Salts Soak are made using ancient mineral salts such as Himalayan Pink Rock Salt and Epsom Salt combined with a range of wild herbs found in Ladakh such as Tanacetum, Russian sage, chamomile, peppermint, lilac blossoms, calendula, lavender and wild rose.

Incubees: Tell us about your team. What is their source of motivation?

Deskit Angmo: At present, it’s just me. Hopefully, as I grow, I’ll need to have a team too.

Incubees: What are the challenges you faced?

Deskit Angmo: Makoii is a passion project and since I do not have any formal education in business and my knowledge is only limited to my experience of being in a business family, sometimes I find myself struggling with the strategic part of operating a business. Having said that, I truly believe that experience is the best teacher and then it’s only about being patient and persistent with what you love to do.

Incubees: What would you like to address budding Entrepreneurs?

Deskit Angmo: Honestly, I’ve just started too. But I guess patience, perseverance and consistency. At least this is what I remind myself every day. Nothing is built overnight. Slow, and organic is healthy and feeding your curiosity has always helped me.

To know more, visit: https://instagram.com/makoiiapothecary?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=