Indian creams – who are they? – Style

Kommersant Style talks about a new direction in the cosmetics business in Russia – Indian brands and finds out how they can be useful to us.

There is a new leader in the world of beauty – following the Korean and Chinese cosmetic brands, Indian ones have joined the game. India is becoming one of the world’s centers of beauty, where not only global giants such as Este Lauder, Puig and L`Oral have launched active activities, but also grow their own, local brands based on the naturalness of ingredients and the use of Ayurvedic practices. Analysts predict that the Indian economy in the next half century will overtake not only Japan and Germany, but also the United States, taking second place in the world by 2075, second only to China (Goldman Sachs). India currently ranks fifth in terms of GDP.

The country has all areas of “beautiful” business: celebrity brands, niche perfumes, skin care products – from very simple to expensive and exclusive. All of the above come to Russia, but, however, so far without the most important star Indian brand – Anomaly, created by actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, which has overtaken Kylie Jenner`s Kylie Cosmetics in America, yielding in terms of sales turnover only to Rihanna’s brand, Fenty Beauty.

inner circle

Ayurveda is the main beauty currency of India, an integral part of its authenticity. The brands Kama Ayurveda, Urban Veda, Ranavat, Forest Essentials and Fable & Mane are inspired by the Ayurvedic philosophy and at the heart of their offering is the desire to make Indian traditions more accessible to all. Many experts are skeptical about the introduction of this practice in Russia – it is believed that Ayurveda is incomprehensible and too complicated for our layman.

Edgar Shabanov, president of Rive Gauche, says that we still have such brands. How is the selection? “It is important for us to be confident in the quality of the product, so we cooperate with companies that have their own production facilities, and they must have a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) sample certificate. We prefer brands that have European-style quality certificates, such as Ecocert, which guarantees compliance with strict production rules, environmentally friendly products and the natural origin of ingredients.”

Decorative cosmetics from India are perceived as one of the symbols of Bollywood, something noisy and bright in the style of Zita and Gita, a film that was once played in cinemas in the USSR. However, today those Indian brands that decide to enter international markets offer a product, albeit Indian, but adapted for the Western buyer; invested in both formulations and packaging. Vinita Sin, co-founder and CEO of Sugar Cosmetics, says they are building a global brand with a particular focus on product and formulation development. “We partner with the best manufacturers in Italy, Germany, Taiwan, Korea, the United States and India to create beauty products that rival those of the world’s most respected and premium beauty brands,” she says.

Among the brand’s bestsellers, which are sold in Russia, are lipsticks that leave no residue, eyebrow correctors with a triangular tip, foundation sticks with built-in brushes, and super-pigmented eyeshadows that, as the manufacturer promises, last from morning to evening.

Unusual approaches to the categories of self-care that are familiar to us are also part of Indian beauty storytelling: solid shampoos came from here, thick and odorous oils are used for literally everything, boldly experimenting with herbs, tastes and smells. And the word “shampoo” is nothing more than a derivative of the Hindi language, from the word shampna, meaning “rubbing, massaging.” And where else can you find such magical ingredients that are used not only for prosaic purposes like cleaning or washing, but also to cure. Harini Sivakumar, founder and CEO of Earth Rhythm, confirms this when she says their products are designed with health in mind, not beauty. “We don’t promise quick miracles or make a cult of perfection, but we promote the idea that overall health is the result of accepting your skin and hair type and caring for them accordingly,” she says. The company’s credo is a fresh look at traditional formulas.

For example, they offer liquid shampoo in a solid format without sulfates, parabens and plastic packaging; cream-soap, which can not only be washed, but also used as a body shaving cream; tint tint-balm – it not only moisturizes the lips, gives them color, but also protects them from exposure to ultraviolet rays of the spectrum A and B, that is, it contains SPF 30.

Indian fragrances can be devoted to a separate story – where else can you find such a diverse world of rare ingredients and luxurious packaging? However, not all manufacturers play traditional: someone, like Bombay Perfumery, tries to present fragrances in a European way – in concise bottles and with clean, understandable blends; someone is trying to find a middle ground, that is, not to go in the direction of an exaggeratedly traditional presentation, but not to deprive the brand of authenticity. Ajmal Brand Director Shapour Bhathela says that the history of the company began in India with a family business growing and producing spices, sandalwood, oud and oils; to this day, Ajmal remains one of the leading suppliers of raw materials and ingredients to many well-known perfume brands and sells perfumes in more than 50 countries with a portfolio of about 200 fragrances.

To Russia – with love

The desire to work on the Russian market is one of the facets of long-standing good relations between our countries. When asked by Kommersant Style about the expectations of cooperation in the field of such a competitive cosmetic business, everyone unanimously answers that they see many prospects, and these expectations are not unfounded, but are based on careful preparation and study of our realities. Shapur Bhathela says that even before the company started working in Russia, key employees came here to understand the country, culture, people and customs. “That is why, as soon as we decided to enter the international market, Russia became the first place where we came. We are very impressed with Russian culture, its peculiarities, traditions and, of course, Russian cuisine,” he says. Moreover, especially for us, the company creates new perfumes in order to get into the preferences of Russians as accurately as possible.

Vinita Sin sees Russia as a key region – a growing market with high levels of disposable income and consumers who are willing and able to spend money on beauty and personal care. “The mature and conscious Russian consumer of cosmetics is not afraid to spend money on high-quality products from reliable brands,” she says. And looks forward to working closely with key opinion leaders and influencers in Russia to increase brand awareness and build closer engagement with the consumer.

For Indian businessmen, Russian consumers are those who are well versed in matters of personal care and are not afraid of the new. “Russia is one of the largest markets for cosmetics and personal care products in the world,” says Harini Sivakumar. “The Russian market is also characterized by a wide age range, which creates a need for anti-aging and restorative products: young girls want to get ahead of aging and therefore start using anti-aging care programs from an early age. Although today most of the Russian personal care industry is aimed at the needs and requirements of the younger generation, other age groups play an equally important role in the development of the market.”

There was a question about the symbol-hero – it is always interesting how they see us from the outside. The answers turned out to be diametrically opposite: Shapur Bhathela called Santa Claus one of the symbols of Russia (“we have nothing similar in India”), Vinita Sin called the female cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova inspiring as “the embodiment of courage and passion”, and for Harini Sivakumar Russia is associated with the image of the painting “Girl with Peaches” by Valentin Serov.

Of course, all this is very inspiring and makes us take a closer look at Indian cosmetics – if we are known and understood like that, then, perhaps, indeed, success is inevitable: we will have new opportunities for personal care, unusual aromas and products that bring variety to established cosmetic patterns.

Irina Kirienko