From Skin Struggles to Skincare Startup: How Jilna Shah Built Throda with Purpose
Jilna Shah — Founder & CEO, Throda Skincare
After nearly a decade in tech sales, Jilna Shah made a bold leap—turning her personal skin struggles into a purpose-driven brand. She shares how she launched Throda Skincare from scratch and why she flew to Paris to secure the perfect packaging.
Can you share a brief note about yourself?
My name is Jilna Shah, and I'm the Founder and CEO of Throda Skincare. I was born and raised in England, and moved to Dubai a year ago. My background is in technology sales, where I've spent the last nine years building a career I'm extremely proud of. But skincare has always been a huge passion of mine, and after struggling with my own skin for years, I became obsessed with understanding how it truly works. That journey led me to create Throda Skincare.
Why did you choose to start a business?
It came down to my own struggle with reactive, sensitive skin. I spent years feeling lost and frustrated, constantly switching between products and chasing quick fixes that never lasted. More often than not, these lengthy routines and harsh products only ended up irritating my skin further. I found the skincare industry confusing, full of polarising advice and information, and my skin was stuck in a cycle of damage. I realised that the way we were taught to care for our skin was reactive by nature - we're told to pick up products to 'fix' issues as they appear, rather than support our skin to be resilient enough to prevent them in the first place.
I wanted to change that by truly understanding how our skin functions. It's a highly intelligent and powerful organ, and when you prioritise true skin health, it becomes strong enough to withstand issues like irritation, dryness, and premature ageing. It's also better able to combat the environmental stressors it faces on a daily basis, like UV, pollution, and temperature changes. Starting Throda wasn't just about launching a brand; it was about creating a movement to honour our skin and change the way we care for it.