Western markets are facing inflation, supply chain tensions, and tighter regulations. In its latest report, the forecasting firm The Future Laboratory highlights India’s rise as a new force in global beauty.
The Future Laboratory has identified several key trends.
Frictionless Futures
India is becoming a leading laboratory for connected beauty, combining artificial intelligence with fast, experiential commerce. Brands are investing in digital tools that can analyze skin or offer personalized diagnostics, such as Skin-Pal, which provides recommendations based on high-resolution images.
Points of sale are also evolving into “experience points”, where expert consultation and immersive technologies come together.
Climate-Adapted Beauty
Faced with an increasingly unstable climate (humidity, UV radiation, monsoons), local brands are reinventing their formulas to protect as well as beautify. The rise of sun care products illustrates this shift.
According to The Future Laboratory, SPF product launches grew by more than 20% between 2019 and 2024.
Cultural Continuums
Far from folklore, modern Indian beauty is based on a reinterpretation of its traditions. Ayurvedic rituals and heritage scents are regaining their central place, revisited in the light of science and new sensory expectations.
“Indians are proud of their traditions, but they don’t follow them blindly,” observes Avani Thakkar, Beauty and Wellness Analyst for The Future Laboratory.
Local perfumery also illustrates this renaissance. Houses such as Bombay Perfumery and NASO celebrate the country’s iconic ingredients (sandalwood, rose, …
