Amazon India is doubling down on the premium beauty segment as demand for Korean skincare, French pharmacy products and Middle Eastern fragrances surges, particularly in tier-2 and tier-3 markets, says Siddharth Bhagat, Director – Beauty, Amazon India. In an interaction with Ayanti Bera, Bhagat spoke about the changing beauty consumption patterns, the role of social media-led discovery, and why Amazon is positioning itself as a gateway for international beauty brands entering India. Excerpts:
What is driving the growth in consumption of Korean beauty, French pharmacy and other international beauty products in India?
There are essentially three things driving this shift. First is accessibility. Because of e-commerce, consumers across 100% of pin codes now have access to the same products that someone in Mumbai or Delhi would have. Second is the rise of content creators and social media-led discovery. Consumers today are far more aware about ingredients, routines and skin concerns. They are not just searching for brands anymore, they are searching for solutions to specific skin concerns. Third is technology. Tools like Rufus, our AI-powered shopping assistant, are helping customers ask personalised questions such as what ingredients would work for oily skin or for a certain weather condition.
On top of this, there is the larger influence of Korean culture globally. Concepts like “glass skin” have become mainstream and consumers are actively seeking these products. That is why we are aggressively expanding our premium portfolio this year.
Amazon announced plans to launch 100 more premium beauty brands. Which categories are seeing the strongest traction?
K-beauty and French pharmacy brands have nearly doubled year-on-year, while Middle Eastern fragrances have emerged as the fastest-growing segment with nearly 3x growth. D2C haircare brands and premium men’s grooming products have both grown over 2.5x year-on-year, reflecting a broader shift towards routine-led consumption. Japanese beauty is picking up rapidly as well, and we are now seeing early interest in Australian beauty brands too.
Some of the brands launching this year include Dolce & Gabbana, Laura Mercier, Elemis, Urban Decay, Aveda, La Roche Posay, Biodance, Eucerin, Paula’s Choice, Riifs, and Anessa.
The category is also seeing healthy customer stickiness, with new customer acquisition in premium beauty growing 22% year-on-year.
How fast is the premium beauty category growing on Amazon India?
The premium beauty segment on Amazon India has grown 50% year-on-year, and more than half of this demand is now coming from tier-2 and tier-3 cities such as Thrissur, Dehradun, Patiala, Guwahati and Kolhapur. Professional haircare is emerging as a key entry point for premium adoption outside metros. We believe beauty will become an important category for recruiting customers in smaller towns.
Premium international beauty products are often expensive. Is pricing a concern for Indian consumers?
What marketplaces do well is create transparency. If brands are not pricing products appropriately for Indian consumers, they will see that feedback immediately through traction and customer behaviour. We also share insights with brands about what products, ingredients and price ranges are resonating with consumers.
What differentiates Amazon Beauty from dedicated beauty platforms like Nykaa or Tira?
There are three big differentiators for us. First is selection. We already have over 200 premium beauty brands and are adding 100 more this year. Second is infrastructure and technology. We deliver beauty products across all pin codes in the country. Features like Rufus, skincare analyser and virtual try-on are helping customers discover products more intuitively. Third is trust. Authenticity is especially important in premium beauty, so we work directly with brands and authorised distributors.
Counterfeit products have historically been a concern for beauty shoppers on marketplaces. How is Amazon addressing this?
Authenticity is one of the biggest concerns among premium beauty shoppers, and we’ve set up multiple mechanisms to make sure that consumers can buy these products with confidence. For instance, we have introduced authorised seller badges that are prominently visible on product pages. These badges are only given to sellers and distributors we directly work with and verify.
Are freebies becoming a larger strategy for beauty brands on Amazon?
Definitely. Brands see freebies as an effective way to recruit customers and drive trials. We provide the infrastructure and logistics support while brands decide the offers. We are also improving the frontend experience so customers can clearly see what freebies are available on product pages or within their carts.