Is India poised to be the world’s next big beauty and wellness hub?

The recent opening of Biologique Recherche’s signature Ambassade stores in Bengaluru paves the way for state-of-the-art beauty and wellness offerings in the country  

A decade or so ago, the concept of wellness was anything but mainstream in India. It’s safe to say that it continued to be a more or less alien term for most until the COVID-19 pandemic struck. The epidemic’s widespread damage encouraged us to push the boundaries of our so-called understanding of health and make room for holistic wellness in the dialogue too. Today, the Indian beauty and wellness market amounts to US$ 6.5 billion, which is projected to witness major expansion and reach US$ 20 billion by 2025, at a whopping compound annual growth rate of 20.6 per cent, according to KPMG’s analysis. 

From the rise in the consumption of multivitamin supplements to in-salon and in-office beauty and wellness treatments, there’s so much that users are consciously signing up for with an intention to refine their overall well-being, which is a disparate concept from beauty and health—though they’re intertwined in many ways. The wellness-first approach has taken precedence to a great extent, so much so that it has emerged as the prime focus of travel plans initiated by Indians just as much as global vacationists. Holistic self-care makes for the premise of wellness—nutrition, mental health’s many facets, your skin, hair and body, energy levels, mood and well-being being the driving forces of the industry. Wellness tourism, wellness centres, and head-to-toe spas therefore emerge as the leading players in the industry. Dior, La Mer and 111 Skin aren’t the only ones betting on them—agencies of various wellness offerings are proliferating in India too. 

Recently, Biologique Recherche, a science-backed French skincare brand, recognised for its big-on-potency and dermatologist-approved formulations, inaugurated its first ever flagship store in India—or Ambassade as they call it—in Bengaluru, which not only unlocks direct access to explore and shop otherwise sporadically-available products conveniently, but also offers the brand’s luxurious—yet target-based—facial spa treatments that are monthly rituals for celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez. It has been launched in partnership with The Glow Clinic, owned by Hyderabad-based celebrity dermatologist Dr Varshini Reddy. We speak to the core members of the team at Biologique Recherche to understand the merit they identified in the Indian market today and ask Reddy to throw light on the fast-paced nature of the cosmetic industry and how she plans to leverage this further through her association with the skincare brand.

The Indian consumer is changing

Whiter, lighter, and brighter skin were perhaps the only skincare goals until the 1980s, ’90s and even early 2000s. As a result, the conformist Indian beauty consumer was satisfied with basic skincare products that made tall claims on the packaging but seldom lived up to any of them. A significant reason behind this was the sparing budget for beauty products in most households since women weren’t as financially independent, plus the cumulative disposable income wasn’t as much as it is today.

“On a per capita basis, the spend on beauty and personal care stands at US$14 in the country compared to US$313 in the United States and US$38 in China,” shares a report in Mint. Besides beauty, an average Indian millennial now spends at least ₹4,000 per month on fitness and wellness. That India has one of the largest digital-savvy youth populations also helps bolster this growth in more ways than one.

Raphaelle Faure, who has been heading the business for Biologique Recherche in the APAC markets for over a decade, shares her observations around the evolution she has noticed in the past few years. “Our consumers are more science-savvy, they know more; ten years ago, the presence of social media was not as developed as it is right now. Plus, the COVID-19 pandemic really changed things drastically,” she begins. “We realised that consumers wanted to know more. They are familiar with active ingredients and are researching and asking precise questions. This required all of the cosmetic industry, in general, to step up the game.” Along the same lines, Reddy explains the key differences between the Indian consumer’s behaviour today and a decade ago. “Beauty, skincare, and wellness was never a priority for people—it was always fashion and jewellery. People are more aware nowadays that they can’t ignore their skin anymore; it’s as important as working out or eating healthy.” She furthers, “In today’s fast-paced world, we need a moment of peace, and I feel beauty and skincare and wellness rituals can help you achieve that. People might choose to do this for vanity or for relaxation. We have seen clients at wellness centres and clinics choosing treatments and products for their needs now so much more than a few years ago.”

Wellness—more than just a buzzword

Reddy has always been a skincare enthusiast, which allows her to think from the consumers’ point of view. She realised the definite gap in the market for a space that combined beauty, skin, and wellness holistically. “When we started off a few years ago, there were clinics resembling glass offices or medical centres, offering only professional dermatology treatments. There was no concept of a ‘wellness centre’ to get facials done professionally, especially the European kind of facials that focus on manual techniques. Thus, I came up with the concept of a clinic that looks like a cosy, relaxing apartment and offers everything under one roof—the best of products from around the world, a place for your wellness rituals and facials and, of course, professional consultations with a dermatologist.” 

Reddy’s endeavour is just one of the many wellness-championing institutions that have been set up in India in the recent past. Spas and centres offering beauty IV drips, lymphatic drainage massages, face yoga, invasive and non-invasive beauty therapies, skin rejuvenating facials and even gut health-boosting workshops have surfaced of late, proving wellness isn’t just a passing fad, but a way of living that people are more than willing to embrace. And that is why Reddy and Biologique Recherche make for a great pairing. “Wellness is a very wide concept; it implies a holistic approach—it has to do with nutrition, physical exercise, sleep and other facets. However, the skin is also a very important part of a wellness routine, in the sense that one’s appearance is directly linked to one’s self-esteem,” shares Dr Philippe Allouche, co-founder of Biologique Recherche. Talking about how the brand has always put wellness at the forefront, he says “My father Ivan and mother Josette combined their knowledge and expertise through  their biology skills and experience  as a physiotherapist and beautician respectively. He was obsessed with skin health through a wellness approach, and she was thriving for the beauty of her clients.”

Is holism the new normal?

The lines between beauty, health and wellness, and well-being are blurring by the day. People recognise the significance of the mind-body-gut-soul connection, creating a shift in the traditional mindset of most consumers. Reddy identifies this, which is why she has consciously refined the kind of technology employed at The Glow Clinic. “In India, it’s mostly acne and pigmentation that have been the major concerns and we try to treat them as holistically as possible by combining various modalities. Also, I see a lot of barrier compromise lately due to pollution, travel, dehydration and stress—again, barrier repair requires a holistic approach.” She furthers, “Microcurrent, radio frequency and light therapy, muscle stimulation, cryotherapy, and laser technology are some innovations that help make beauty treatments more effective and sophisticated while minimising downtime.”

Biologique Recherche has its modus operandi to promote ‘holism’. The brand is not very accessible; the products are not sold over the counter. “Our medical approach to skincare has brought us naturally to partner with doctors and clinics, as we share the same values and mission,” says Allouche. “The way we like our consumers to be introduced to the brand is by experiencing a customised facial treatment after an in-depth skin analysis with a medical professional, who will then chalk out an at-home care routine with our brand’s products to retain the results of the treatment. This is why you find our products at select skin clinics—we don’t build retail associations, we build relationships with proficient experts, not just in India, but all over the world,” shares Faure. 

Collaboration and expansion 

Upon asking Allouche why now was the chosen time to launch an Ambassade, he says, “We have been present in India for a few years already. We are developing our Ambassade network worldwide—in the United States, in Europe and in Asia. India felt like a natural partner, given the relationship we nurture with Dr Varshini; we share the same passion and respectful approach to skincare. Opening an Ambassade felt like the natural next step.” To make the highest quality wellness offerings available to a diverse Indian population demands a wide-ranging expertise, and collaborations like these seem like a step in the right direction. “We need more spaces focusing on wellness where top-of-the-line, result-oriented products are used. The Ambassade reflects the highest standards for a centre with all protocols defined globally in a similar manner, be it for treatments or products,” agrees Reddy. “Earlier, people used to travel to various countries to get a treatment of this nature. Now you have it at your doorstep, and that’s why it’s an exciting time for beauty and wellness in India,” she concludes.

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