Katrina Kaif’s makeup brand Kay Beauty has achieved a rare feat with an impressive 46% jump in gross sales within a year. According to a recent report submitted to the National Stock Exchange by its retail partner, the brand’s Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) has seen a massive surge from Rs 240 crores in Financial Year 2025 to Rs 350 crore by FY 2026, which makes it among Nykaa’s top five performing beauty brands.
What Kay Beauty has achieved is no mean task, as not many celebrity-led beauty brands in India can boast of the same growth. Deepika Padukone‘s skincare label 82°E reported a net loss of Rs 12.3 crore in FY25, while designer-entrepreneur Masaba Gupta’s LoveChild Masaba delivered revenues of Rs 115 crore. Meanwhile, Kriti Sanon’s skincare brand Hyphen has already secured a valuation of Rs 207.5 crore. Anusha Dandekar’s BrownSkin, reduced losses from nearly Rs 46 lakh in fiscal 2023 to Rs 2.8 lakh in fiscal 2024, as its revenue grew 88% to Rs 75.3 lakh.
The pandemic boost that accelerated Kay Beauty’s rise
Katrina partnered with Nykaa to launch Kay Beauty in 2019 at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, adopting a purely online-first model. What could have been a setback turned into a strategic advantage as the brand was built for online shopping from the start. As physical retail came to a standstill, Kay Beauty reached to a wide range of customers through e-commerce.
What inspired Katrina to launch the brand
While Katrina didn’t show how things will pan out for her just right, six years back, she spotted a gap in India’s beauty market that had scope for high-quality and affordable brand. “I’ve often done my own makeup for films that demanded both versatility and authenticity,” the Bollywood actress told Vogue. “That gave me a deep understanding of what high-performance makeup really needs: long wear, comfort and care.”
I test everything myself, says Katrina
Katrina takes keen interest in the brand and personally tests every product herself to make sure her brand matches her vision. “I test everything myself. I’ll wear samples for 12-hour shoot days, in the heat and under lights, to see how it sits on the skin, how it feels after hours, and whether it still looks fresh. Having sensitive skin, I’m very conscious about what ingredients we use and how gentle but effective they are,” she told Outlook magazine.
Not every celebrity beauty label is a brand – some are just very expensive merchandise. Kay Beauty succeeds because Katrina Kaif is actively involved as a co-creator, bringing a clear vision for product performance. Brands that fade away are often those built solely on celebrity status,” Neha Chopra, Head of Strategy at Enormous Brands, told StoryBoard 18.
