The democratisation of beauty in India promises access—but the cracks are showing

A decade ago, the Indian beauty market was split between budget buys at local stores, and luxury products at department stores. The choice was limited but the demarcations were clear. 

Now, the lines have begun to blur. A ₹250 serum sits next to a ₹25,000 face cream, often on the same shelf, at Tira, Nykaa or Sephora. For consumers, who once either splurged on luxury or avoided skincare entirely, such abundance feels liberating.

The Indian beauty industry’s new rulebook is headlined by democratisation—but it’s not that simple. By 2031, India is expected to have a ₹4.26 billion consumption economy, and as access replaces aspiration, beauty overconsumption in India becomes a risk, forcing harder questions about beauty sustainability concerns and the value of prestige beauty in the country today. 

From dupes to democracy: How the democratisation of beauty in India is reshaping the industry 

The Indian market is now crowded with viral beauty tools, from high-performing budget devices to mid-market serums. The Ordinary versus Minimalist; Dyson versus Alan Truman; Rhode versus indē wild—such dupes are no longer seen as  knock-offs but as deliberate attempts to close the gap between aspiration and access. 

Today, 64 per cent of Gen Z and 67 per cent of millennials usedupes to save money, and one-third of beauty shoppers buy what trends dictate, a pattern powered by viral beauty tools in India and social proof.  

“These products are delivering comparable, sometimes superior, formulations at accessible price points,” says Tanya Rajani, Associate Director, Beauty & Personal Care, Mintel India. “With rising ingredient literacy among Indian consumers and transparency-driven marketing, consumers today are rewarding brands that prove performance with or without the premium tag.”

Inside the shifting psychology of the Indian beauty market

Indian consumers are no longer stretched between cheap local buys and out-of-reach aspirations. On the one hand, premium-to-luxury international beauty brands have entered India, expanding Indian beauty retail across Nykaa, Tira, and Sephora. On the other hand, beauty aspiration in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities is rising as homegrown brands like Minimalist, Lakmē, FAE Beauty, Fix My Curls, and SUGAR Cosmetics offer premium-quality products at entry points as low as ₹500.

But accessibility is not the only driver. The disposable income of the average Indian has trended upward since 2020. Per capita disposable income rose to $2.54 thousand in 2023, and is projected to touch $4.34 thousand by 2029. India is at the peak of its spending power, with 62.82 per cent of salaried expenses going to lifestyle purchases, including beauty and personal care. The shift extends to the inner corners of the country, too. “According to Mintel Reports India, Premiumisation Opportunities in BPC, 2025 [to be published later this year], Indians in Tier-3 cities are emerging as surprising beauty spenders, even outpacing metro consumers in their investment in premium skincare,” adds Rajani. As per data, the monthly difference in lifestyle spend between a Tier-3 and a metro consumer is merely ₹140.

India is also growing in terms of awareness and intent. Social media has collapsed the distance, and a beauty consumer in a Tier-3 city is now as aware as one in a metro. Ahmedabad-based beauty creator Priyanka Panchal shares, “Now, thanks to democratisation, e-commerce, and social media, people have access to many brands, and so much more information.” 

Rajani agrees, “Products, information, and trends are far more accessible, driven by increasing internet penetration, even in lower-tier cities. Consumers are now more informed, willing to experiment, and open to global influences. Beauty shoppers also value convenience, variety, and the ability to compare products and prices.” Research shows that 88 per cent of consumers read reviews online before buying offline, while 79 per cent try in-store before buying online.

Emotion, status and the new face of prestige beauty in India

Hype cuts both ways. Indian beauty market psychology shows premium and luxury wishlists swayed by influence and identity. “Luxury can move towards social signalling, but also be a personal testament to your growth,” says actor and content creator Nauheed Cyrusi. “I do purchase lip balms from Bobbi Brown and Chanel worth ₹4,000, knowing that Laneige has equally moisturising—if not more—options at one-third of the price. Perhaps, it’s a sense of indulgence, or it is the packaging that influences me.” 

A McKinsey study corroborates the sentiment: While 40 per cent of Indian consumers are worried about rising prices, 31 per cent intend to splurge regardless. According to Netijyata Mahendru, founder of Broadcast Beauty Consulting, it’s gratification over function. “Buying a Dyson hair tool, priced at ₹50,000, is a milestone. Very few Indians can actually afford it, but those who do, see it as a little luxury that signals achievement,” she says. “Alan Truman at ₹2,000-₹3,000, on the other hand, is a purchase you don’t overthink. I’m not buying Dyson because it sets my hair better, but because it validates me. It’s consumer psychology.” Here, science versus storytelling in skincare becomes a quiet contrast, and prestige beauty in India often leans as much on ritual and design as much as formula.

A Kansas State University report notes: “Emotions frequently factor into purchases and product choice, especially with items that make us feel positive about ourselves, such as beauty care products. Because of this, companies devote a great deal of resources to understanding how consumers feel about their products and what emotions are driving or stopping these purchases.” Cleansers from Aesop, lipsticks from Hermès, or hair sprays from OUAI thrive on emotion despite affordable alternatives aplenty. 

Are dilution and disillusionment hiding beneath the democratisation of beauty in India?

On the surface, a dupe looks like a dupe. It is more complex in practice. Factors such as pan-India availability through local chemists and kirana shops, compatibility with Indian skin, and Indian beauty research quality set accessible products apart from counterfeit ones, allowing for local versus global beauty brands in India to play out in formulation choices and availability.

“A consumer shouldn’t feel pressured to pay for quality if an affordable alternative is readily available,”says Cyrusi. Many so-called dupes offer high-performance and efficiency, she notes. If a product establishes itself on efficacy and creates its own loyal consumer base, reducing it to a “dupe” is unfair, adds Rajani. “These products often solve for gaps left by luxury players. They’re democratising innovation, not just copying it. Mintel research shows that fewer than two in 10 Indians reported buying a ‘dupe’ of their favourite premium or luxury product in the past six months, suggesting that many consumers don’t even perceive such alternatives as dupes at all,” she says.

New Delhi-based dermatologist Dr Kiran Sethi believes so-called dupes can sometimes outshine their counterparts. “As a dermatologist, I am focused less on hype and marketing, and more on science and data. When I see a product, I inspect the ingredient complex and pH levels; I even seek feedback from my patients.” The only thing that could give a luxuriously crafted product an upper hand is the cosmetic elegance it features. “For example, a chemist-bought glycolic acid tube can be unbuffered—causing a burning sensation, trigger irritation, and suit lesser people as opposed to a serum brand that is premium, potent, and dermatologist-approved.” This is where science-backed Indian beauty brands stand out, supported by evidence rather than aesthetics.

 “WITH RISING INGREDIENT LITERACY AMONG INDIAN CONSUMERS AND TRANSPARENCY-DRIVEN MARKETING, CONSUMERS ARE REWARDING BRANDS THAT PROVE PERFORMANCE WITH OR WITHOUT THE PREMIUM TAG” — Tanya Rajani

Prachi Bhandari, a licensed cosmetologist, formulator, and founder of Aminu, notes there is no single Indian skin type. “There’s oily to dry, sensitive to resilient, and climates that swing from Himalayan cold to desert heat to sticky monsoons. Our skin is battling sweat, dust, UV rays, and pollution in doses that most Western or Korean markets don’t even account for.” 

She further states, “Heavy silicones, waxy textures, overly rich formulas—they just melt and clog in our climate. This is why barrier biology is always shaped more by climate than trends. So while Europe is worried about redness and Korea is chasing ‘glass skin,’ we’re still googling how to ‘lighten acne marks’ or ‘reduce tan.’” The same logic extends to make-up too. “Most products are built for cooler or pink bases, great for Western or Korean skin—but are instantly ashy on us.” The science and ingredients are global, but performance is hyper-local, which makes made-in-India formulations compatible with Indian skins. 

Distribution, trust, and the future of Indian beauty retail 

Getting the formula right is not enough. A tailored product needs a smart route to the right shopper. While India is the fastest-growing market for online beauty shopping, Mahendru points out that physically experiencing products remains crucial. “The only problem brands are facing—and it’s becoming a bigger issue—is how to provide testing: to feel the texture, to check the shade, to see suitability,” she shares. 

Bhandari agrees, “It’s about credibility. In India, lived proof is what builds trust.” This is why not just a local brand like Minimalist, but even CeraVe scaled quickly. They partnered with local chemist chains like Noble and Wellness Forever and showed up at Indian beauty retail touchpoints such as Nykaa, Tira, and Sephora for visibility and trust. Indians are also increasingly prioritising local business.

 “IT’S ABOUT CREDIBILITY. IN INDIA, LIVED PROOF IS WHAT BUILDS TRUST” — Prachi Bhandari

Lastly, India remains a highly price-sensitive market. “Consumers still look at price points and purchase accordingly. It’s not just socioeconomic—it’s also cultural,” notes beauty editor and content creator Komal Basith. “We are still a very value-driven audience, and people seem to be more than happy to spend far less on a beauty product that looks expensive.” 

Mahendru adds, “A brand priced somewhere between ₹1,000 to ₹2,200 makes for good business.” The democratisation of beauty in India sits squarely in the sweet spot, both financially and psychologically.

The democratisation of beauty in India—and its hidden caveats 

The industry celebrates democratised beauty, but the growth story brings its own set of caveats. India is the fourth largest beauty market in the world and is projected to grow at 40 per cent in the next year. Add rising disposable incomes and a willingness to spend, and you have a  recipe for beauty overconsumption in India.

“Easier access and social media hype fuel impulse buying and overconsumption, as consumers want to try both hyped luxury and trending affordable products,” says Mumbai-based celebrity dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad. Basith adds, “Someone who buys a viral lip balm because they saw it on Instagram isn’t as likely to also buy the Dior Lip Oil, for example, but it may be true the other way around.” It is one reason democratisation and beauty sustainability concerns in India rarely align. 

Bhandari calls it a double-edged sword. “It gave more people access, but it also created a flood—with a pressure to launch faster, cheaper, and in higher volume,” which can shorten stability and wear-testing and recycle the same actives, pleasing everyone but serving none.

Ultimately, dupes, reliable or otherwise, are now a mainstay in the Indian beauty industry. While Sethi thinks there will always be room for originality, for Sharad, in the Indian context, it is not just about dupes—it’s about making quality accessible, empowering individual choice, and lifting formulation standards industry-wide. “It enables more people to participate in the beauty space, whether as first-timers or luxury collectors,” says Sharad. 

“Democratisation has blurred the old binary of aspirational luxury versus mass market. Today’s Indian beauty shopper is multi-dimensional—aspirational yet practical, indulgent yet value-driven, experimental yet discerning,” says Rajani.

Whether democratisation of beauty in India is a boon or a bane depends on the lens you view it from. It empowers but can fuel beauty overconsumption in India. It expands access yet can overwhelm too. While it is consumer-forward at large, at times, it is distinctly capitalist.