8 hours ago
The new Indian beauty standard: What you should know
For years, professional makeup products carried the baggage of being inaccessible—either too complicated, too expensive, or too foreign. But that myth is now being dismantled. According to Bonish Jain, the focus has shifted to developing products that combine high performance with they're a college student, a working professional, or a beginner, users today want tools that are easy to use, effective, and trustworthy, without needing a beauty degree to figure them out. India Today spoke with Bonish Jain, Director and Founder, and Vaishnavi Jain, Head of Product Development at PAC Cosmetics, to understand how makeup that was once seen as 'too pro' is now becoming intuitive, inclusive, and proudly shift toward accessibility is reflective of a broader beauty movement in India: one that values ease, familiarity, and high-impact results at 'MADE FOR INDIA' REALLY LOOKS LIKEThe phrase "Made for India" is often used in branding, but truly applying it requires an understanding of nuance. For a makeup brand, that means taking into account not just undertones and skin shades, but also how the product wears in heat, humidity, or long workdays.
Every aspect—from pigment payoff to texture to longevity—is informed by how Indians live and look. It also means challenging Eurocentric beauty standards and creating solutions grounded in local realities and consumers are incredibly value-conscious. But that doesn't necessarily mean they only shop by price. As Bonish points out, performance builds loyalty. Customers returned not because something was cheaper, but because it worked mindset has helped homegrown brands build genuine credibility. With rising competition in the beauty space, trust—earned through honest formulation and results—has become the most valuable INCLUSIVITY, NOT JUST CLAIMING ITInclusivity in Indian beauty is not a buzzword anymore—it's an expectation. And that means rigorous testing. Vaishnavi Jain shares that their approach involves multiple rounds of trials with both professional artists and real users from across idea is to ensure that a product doesn't just 'look good in theory,' but performs on a wide variety of skin tones and textures in daily life. It's this kind of feedback-driven development that allows products to feel authentic, relatable, and usable across geographies and RISE OF INGREDIENT-CONSCIOUS CONSUMERSToday's buyers want more than just a flawless finish—they want to know how that finish is achieved. What's in the formula? Is it safe? Does it offer skincare benefits too?This growing ingredient-consciousness signals a deeper shift in consumer behaviour: from trend-driven buying to science-backed decisions. Vaishnavi highlights that Indian consumers are now asking informed questions and seeking transparency around formulation, testing, and efficacy, especially in the makeup space, where skincare integration is becoming more FROM NICHE TO NECESSITYWhile sustainable packaging is still emerging in the Indian beauty market, it is no longer a distant goal—it's on the radar. As Vaishnavi notes, there's a steady rise in awareness about waste, material usage, and environmental footprint. Even if not mainstream yet, sustainability is expected to become an integral part of brand strategies going shift also mirrors changes in global beauty ecosystems, where brands are now judged as much on their values as on their is not a monolith—it's a mosaic of skin tones, traditions, and beauty practices. To build a brand that resonates nationally, understanding these regional nuances is Bonish puts it, beauty in India is diverse in its expression. From dewy minimalist looks in the metros to vibrant bridal palettes in smaller towns, cultural relevance drives emotional connection. And this is what allows a product to feel personal, not Indian beauty consumer is evolving—curious, confident, and clear about what they want. And the most successful brands are the ones listening closely. Whether it's inclusivity in shades, transparency in formulation, or relevance in design, what's emerging is a makeup movement that feels intuitive, inclusive, and unapologetically more Indian-led innovations enter the mainstream, the message is clear: professional makeup no longer belongs only to backstage artists or influencers. It belongs to everyone—one brushstroke at a time.
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