In recent years, the Indian skincare market, which is the fifth largest in the world, has exploded. According to experts, it’s fueled by a huge, young audience ready to spend money to appear beautiful, as well as start-ups that have stepped in to capitalize on the trend.
“All of these sunscreens have been tested on my sensitive, greasy, acne-prone skin. Please feel free to ask me anything “r/IndianSkincareAddicts, a Reddit community founded in 2018, now has approximately 45,000 members, reads a popular post.
18 various sunscreen bottles from Indian, Western, and Korean companies are seen in the accompanying photo.
A thorough examination of each product’s consistency, texture, perspiration and water resistance follows. A far cry from ten years ago, when, despite the country’s sweltering summers, sunscreens scarcely registered in the minds of Indian consumers.
For decades, legacy brands such as Hindustan Unilever, Himalaya Wellness, Emami, and Nivea have dominated the Indian skincare industry.
After the Indian economy opened up to international companies in the 1990s, western brands such as L’Oréal came.
However, other from pricing, packaging, and Ayurvedic heritage, the creams and cleansers on sale didn’t have much in common (or lack thereof).
The market has been rocked by the recent success of beauty start-ups producing local skincare brands.
According to Statista, a market research firm, the Indian skincare industry is expected to expand to $7.65 billion (£6 billion) this year and $2 billion (£1.59 billion) by 2026, up from $5.8 billion (£4.6 billion) in 2013.
Varun Alagh, co-founder and CEO of Honasa, which houses multiple skincare brands, says, “The key reason for this unexpected rise is ease of accessibility of brands and goods through channels like direct-to-consumer and internet, combined with quick delivery.”
A niacinamide serum, a watermelon-based moisturiser, and caffeine skin drops, as detailed in Bollywood star Alia Bhatt’s 2021 video on her beauty routine, would not have been available in India five years ago.
They’re now only a mouse click away.