NielsenIQ has released its report, “India’s Beauty Moment”, which examines the growth and evolution of the Indian beauty market through 2026. The key finding is that the cosmetics sector is growing rapidly.
The study is based on data from the NielsenIQ Retail Measurement Service covering the entire Indian market for the year 2025.
The beauty sector is projected to grow by 11.6% in value in India over the period, compared to 10% globally.
In volume terms, sales are expected to rise by 8.1%, and the average price per unit is projected to increase by 3.2%.
The e-commerce boom
In major Indian cities, e-commerce is growing ten times faster than brick-and-mortar retail. Its share of the metropolitan beauty market rose from 10% in December 2023 to 23% in December 2025. 52% of Indian consumers are ordering more online for home delivery than they did a year ago. “Brick-and-mortar retail remains a key driver, however. 42% of consumers are buying more in supermarkets and hypermarkets,” notes Nielsen IQ.
The shift toward higher-end products is holding up against price pressure
The premium segment accounts for approximately 43% of beauty product sales and has grown by 12% compared to the previous year.
Online, the share of luxury products rose from 43% to 47% between December 2023 and December 2025. Indian consumers are less price-sensitive when it comes to beauty than in …
