Wellness Visionaries; Shalin Balasuriya

Spa Ceylon is one of the most visually exciting brands to emerge from Sri Lanka in the last decade or so; presenting an ancient culture to a contemporary world. Our contributing editor Mamduh MW spoke to Co-Founder & Group Director at Spa Ceylon Ayurveda Wellness Shalin Balasuriya on how the idea for Spa Ceylon emerged and the groups’ growth trajectory over the years.

Shalin Balasuriya: The idea for Spa Ceylon first emerged when we were looking to create a brand that could perform at a global level. When creating that brand from the ground up in the early 2000s, we recognized the potential that Ayurveda had in a world that was ‘going green’. We also wanted to give the brand a sense of origin and found that inspiration in Sri Lanka.

We created our brand identity in various ways… firstly, by incorporating the word ‘Ceylon’ to the brand name. Since Ayurveda has a strong connection to our country, we made it the focus of our products and services. We sourced all the natural ingredients used in Spa Ceylon products, from our island. We also included colours and designs from our traditional arts and crafts, to take our culture and heritage to the world, along with our brand.

By doing all this, we created something very vibrant and unique. Many premium cosmetic brands use beige, silver, and gold, while our products are an explosion of colour. This continues to make us stand apart no matter which market we approach.

Spa Ceylon is a multi-sensory experience. Yes, the visual element is a strong part of it. Still, we bring this experience to life for all five senses through our fragrances, the music we have developed for Spa Ceylon, the blend of tastes in our herbal infusions, and the textures in our Ayurvedic products.

Spa Ceylon Co-Founders at the Pure Beauty Global Awards 2024. Spa Ceylon won 2 awards for the Best Natural & Organic Icon, and the Best Natural Beauty Product

Mamduh MW: Did you see the present trajectory of international expansion when you started, and were you prepared for it?

SB: Yes, because Spa Ceylon was very purposefully designed to be an international brand. Of course, in terms of trajectory, our path has taken various twists and turns, determined by many factors such as market access, expanding our presence to strategic overseas locations, and finding the right partners to work within these locations. However, in terms of creating an international brand, it was always our plan and core intention, and we were prepared for that.

Customers enjoying a multi-sensory shopping experience at the Spa Ceylon flagship store walkthrough in Malé, Maldives

MMW: How do you see the wellness industry emerging in Asia in the context of a globally connected world with travel and tourism growing at a rapid pace?

SB: I think the wellness industry is showing tremendous potential worldwide than ever before, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in people looking back to the old sciences and cultivating a deeper understanding of what nature has to offer.

Whether it is people waking up to natural resources, following ‘clean eating’ by including fruits, flowers, and herbs into their diet, or people using these elements in their skincare routines, or daily living with yoga and mindfulness, all point towards the old sciences which come from Asia, which is our part of the world.

This trend is something that works well for us, as it is ingrained and woven into our culture. In fact, in today’s wellness industry, modern science and research are proving the efficacy and benefits of age-old sciences like Ayurveda, and giving it more substance by bringing it to the forefront.

Spa Ceylon CO-Founder and Group Director Shalin Balasuriya with invitees at the Spa Ceylon store opening in Malé, Maldives

MMW: Do you have customers from or in the Maldives? Do you plan to expand here?

SB: We have had customers from the Maldives for quite a while. We have been supplying to several Maldivian resorts, and Maldivians shop at Spa Ceylon in Sri Lanka and purchase online. Given the close ties between the two countries and the region, there was a significant amount of brand knowledge and brand following amongst the Maldivians, even before our established presence in Male.

For quite some time, we wanted to have a flagship store in the Maldives to offer residents the complete Spa Ceylon experience, which is the multi-sensory experience I spoke about earlier. From store decor to fragrances, and other aesthetic elements, when combined make it much more than simply walking into a store and buying a product. This year, we were able to make that plan a reality, by opening our own-branded store in the Maldives.

Spa Ceylon hosted special invitees at the Kurumba Resort in Malé, Maldives for its signature ‘Blue MInd Ocean Wellness Ritual’ as part of the brand’s ongoing Global Wellness Tour

MMW: What are the most exciting new developments to come from Spa Ceylon this year? In the coming years?

SB:Well, from the product extension aspect, we recently launched the Spa Ceylon Palaceware collection, which is a range of homeware that is proving to be quite successful, with people buying it for their homes and living spaces, and hotels buying it for their restaurants and suites.

We have also witnessed Spa Ceylon products and services achieve global recognition by winning multiple awards. We are only at the beginning of the global awards season, and we have already won 19 international awards.

Meanwhile, our global expansion continues to happen at a rapid pace, including multiple locations in Europe, Asia, and the Americas during the next two years. Complementing this, we are conducting the Spa Ceylon Global Wellness Tour to take the message of wellness and good living across all continents. The tour was recently in the Maldives where we conducted our signature wellness events ‘Sunrise Serenity’, and ‘Ocean Ritual’, along with the grand opening and walk-through of our flagship store.