Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, unveiled its inaugural Glam Up Annual Beauty Trends Report at the flagship Glam Up Fest 2025, offering exclusive insights into the fast-evolving beauty preferences of Indian consumers. Launched in partnership with Nielsen IQ, the report showcases how Flipkart is pioneering India’s Next Billion-Dollar beauty boom. The report explores how evolving consumer preferences, rising affluence, and growing demand across new regions are fueling India’s beauty boom, with trends like skinimalism and SPF rituals making beauty more personal, science-led, and socially influenced.
The report highlights the growing preference for premium quality products, with over 5 beauty essentials sold every second on the platform across haircare, makeup, and skincare. Over 148 million beauty products were sold on Flipkart in 2024, spotlighting Flipkart’s role in strengthening the online beauty revolution in India and continuing to cater to the shifting consumer attitudes towards beauty.
Gen Z is leading the beauty revolution, reshaping their routines with a clear focus on active ingredients, simplified steps, and inspiration that starts with social media and creators. Their presence in the online beauty and personal care space is expected to increase from 40% in 2024 to 47% by 2030. Searches for niacinamide, ceramides, and other science-led activities continue to rise. Viral trends like glazed donut skin, and slugging reflect a move towards hydration-first, result-driven routines. Beauty in 2025 is no longer just about products, it is about intentional choices shaped by conscious consumers and creator-led influence.
Commenting on the launch, Manjari Singhal, Head of Business, Cleartrip, FMCG, and General Merchandise, Flipkart, said, “The beauty landscape in India is in the midst of a vibrant transformation, and no one is driving it more than GenZs. Their evolving preferences, digital fluency, and expressive approach to beauty are reshaping the industry as we know it. At Flipkart, we’ve always believed in staying close to the consumer. The Glam Up Trends Report is a reflection of that belief, an effort to listen, understand, and anticipate what beauty means to the next generation. This report is the result of a deep, collaborative effort between Flipkart and NielsenIQ teams.”
Priyanka Bhargav, Senior Director, Research & Insights, Flipkart, said, “Beauty today is bold, expressive, and constantly evolving and no one captures that spirit quite like Gen Z. Whether it’s their focus on skin health, passion for active ingredients, love for nostalgic aesthetics, or embrace of hybrid formats, they’re redefining the beauty playbook. The Glam Up Trends Report helps decode this dynamic shift. With rich data, real consumer voices, and cultural context, it highlights what’s truly resonating. Trends like Hydration Daze, Scientific Obsession, kiSKIN, and Cherry Cherry Lady go beyond surface appeal, they reflect how young India is engaging with beauty in deeper, more expressive ways. This report is the result of a thoughtful collaboration between the Flipkart Insights Team, the beauty and personal Care team, and our intelligence partner, NielsenIQ. We hope it sparks fresh thinking, challenges conventions, and inspires the next wave of beauty innovation.”
Key Trends:
Skin-First Beauty Becomes the Default: The foundation of beauty is now skincare. Minimalist routines with hydration and barrier repair are dominating both shopping carts and social feeds. Flipkart recorded a 120% spike in gel moisturisers and over 80% growth in face serums, while face wash sales rose 123% year-on-year. Shoppers are prioritising lean formulations with active ingredients such as salicylic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin C, choosing to treat rather than cover. K-beauty products continue to surge in popularity, with sheet masks, snail mucin serums, and hydrating essences seeing over 90% growth year-on-year, reflecting a growing appetite for globally trending skincare routines.
Scientific Obsession & Hydration Daze: Beauty routines are increasingly rooted in science. Consumers seek efficacy and transparency, gravitating toward ingredient-first formulations like powder cleansers, dew boosters, and barrier-repair creams. 62% of Gen Z search for beauty by ingredients, not brands. Face creams and gels rose 1.4x YoY, and niacinamide searches surged ~70%, underscoring the rising preference for hydration-focused, evidence-backed skincare.
Hair Game Strong: Hair rituals on Flipkart are redefined, with shoppers moving from traditional oils to performance-driven solutions rooted in science. The demand for peptide-powered serums, K-gloss treatments, rice water-infused rinses, and scalp-balancing treatments has accelerated, reflecting a clear shift toward targeted, ingredient-led care. Flipkart witnessed a 2x growth in sales of hair serum, and searches for scalp-related concerns, like dandruff serums and itch-relief treatments, have grown by over 85%. This signals a new consumer mindset of haircare should be as intentional and effective as skincare, lightweight, functional, and focused on long-term scalp and strand health.
Scent-sational: Fragrance as a Daily Ritual of Self-Expression: Fragrance on Flipkart has transformed from an occasional indulgence to a daily ritual of identity and mood-setting. Consumers are embracing “smellmaxxing”, layering mists, roll-ons, and perfumes to create personalised scent profiles that reflect their personality and routine. Flipkart recorded a 2.2x growth in overall fragrance sales in Q1’25 vs Q1’24, with searches for attars alone increasing by 2.5x, signalling renewed interest in culturally rooted, artisanal scents. Gourmand notes inspired by desserts like marshmallow, pistachio, and brown sugar are trending across social channels, especially among younger shoppers. Fragrance today is about more than just smelling good; it’s about self-expression, emotional connection, and everyday wearability.
Cherry Cherry Lady – Makeup That Does More: Makeup on Flipkart is getting smarter, with functional beauty leading the way. Consumers are choosing hybrid formats that deliver both colour and care. Lip oils, SPF-infused tints, and barrier-friendly blush sticks are replacing traditional, single-purpose products. Shoppers are looking for fewer steps and more benefits, favouring products that adapt to their fast-paced, skin-conscious routines. Gloss-forward lip products continue to gain momentum, while searches for Surma-inspired eye looks have surged 33x in Q1’25 vs Q1’24, reflecting a blend of modern utility and cultural revival. Today’s makeup is not just about aesthetics, it’s about ease, efficacy, and everyday relevance
Sun–In & Stunning: SPF is no longer optional. Daily protection has become a routine essential, with portable sunscreen sticks and gels supporting reapplication habits. Sunscreen sales doubled, and searches for SPF-related products rose by 76% YoY, indicating that sun protection is now seen as both a health and aesthetic necessity
Korean Street: The K-Beauty Effect: Korean beauty continues to shape Indian skincare. Products like skin blur serums, serum-infused glow boosters, and mini “skintellectual snacking” formats are seeing rapid adoption. Searches for Korean beauty grew ~81% YoY, making it one of the fastest-rising segments on Flipkart.
From Plains to Peaks, Beauty Speaks: Regional beauty needs are becoming increasingly important. Variations in air quality, water hardness, humidity, and diet are influencing skin and hair concerns across India. Flipkart is addressing these micro-needs with tailored assortments, especially in Tier 2+ cities, to serve a broader spectrum of Indian consumers
The Indian beauty landscape is undergoing a transformation, and Gen Z is at the center of it. With their digital fluency and trend-first mindset, this generation is redefining how beauty is discovered, chosen, and celebrated. Flipkart, through its annual flagship events like Glam Up Fest 2025, is bringing together deep consumer insights, wide reach, and strong partnerships to lead this shift, bridging the gap between global innovation and local access, to help redefine beauty for the next generation of Indian consumers.