Just a few years ago, terms like ‘curly hair range,’ ‘Korean glass skin,’ ‘Vitamin C serum,’ ‘hyaluronic acid,’ ‘niacinamide,’ ‘retinol,’ and ‘LED masks’ were eerily absent from the beauty and personal care discourse, which is no longer the case today, a shift that closely mirrors the evolving discourse online.
Take curly hair care, for instance. Despite wavy and curly being the dominant hair types in India, the market had little to offer until about four to five years ago. But today, one is spoilt for choice, not only with the number of brands that have entered the category, but the multitude of products out there. A cleansing shampoo, a moisturising one, a conditioner, mask, leave-in conditioner, curl cream, mousse, gel, diffuser, serum – you name it, with even traditional brands such as Unilever’s Dove coming out with its curly hair range. This boom, interestingly, aligns with the growing popularity of the Curly Girl Method (CGM) online, with social media pages like fuzzycurls_, run by creators Megha and Vibha, amassing over 200,000 followers on Instagram by focusing on curly hair care education and product recommendations.
Hence, while social media has long influenced consumer behaviour, shaping what people buy and why,its impact is now extending to product development itself. Virality doesn’t just drive sales; it also informs what brands create and bring to market.
A viral moment
“Initially, our focus was solely on the product itself, and now we have found a balance between our brand and current trends,” says Niharika Jhunjhunwala, Founder and CEO of ClayCo, a homegrown beauty brand that focuses on Japanese beauty rituals, or J-beauty, with products containing ingredients like matcha and rice, which have recently garnered considerable traction online.
It also offers products such as Glass Skin Ritual Set and Double Cleansing Ritual Set, routines that are popular online. Jhunjhunwala, however, highlights that “While it’s possible to launch a product that becomes ‘viral’, if the product lacks quality, it won’t sustain. The reverse is also true. For example, we launched our Matcha Clay Mask two years ago, and it remains one of our best sellers to this day, even though the Matcha trend gained traction only recently.”
Delara Lalwani, founder and creative director of Boofootel, a brand that offers “Skincare designed for Indian skin,” says: “The Indian beauty market today is very exciting, but also very noisy. Social media has completely changed the way people discover and buy skincare. Consumers are more informed, more curious, and way more experimental than they used to be, which, according to me, is great. But it also means there’s a lot of pressure on brands to constantly chase what’s trending. One ingredient goes viral, and suddenly every brand is launching a version of it, whether or not it makes sense for their product or their consumer.”
She gives the example of Korean glass skin, which “might be all over the internet, but it’s not always achievable or even healthy for Indian skin. Let’s be honest, Korean and Indian skin are fundamentally different. Korean skin is generally thinner, drier, and has much less melanin. Indian skin, on the other hand, is naturally thicker, oilier, and more prone to pigmentation and inflammation. Plus, we’re dealing with a completely different climate. One that is hot, humid, and polluted. So the same 10-step routine or layering of actives just doesn’t translate. In fact, it can sometimes do more harm than good.”
According to the Nykaa Beauty Summit Report 2024, by Nykaa and Redseer Strategy Consultants, India’s beauty industry is expanding rapidly, with “ projections showing it will reach $34 billion by 2028. This growth is fueled by rising disposable incomes, increased consumer aspirations, and the influence of social media and e-commerce.” Interestingly, among the factors at play is microtrends, which are short-lived but powerful, typically lasting 3-6 months, and which gain popularity through social media and pop culture. “ The report notes the rise of microtrends such as graphic eyeliners, lip stains, and tinted moisturizers, all of which have become must-have products thanks to their visibility on platforms like Instagram and TikTok,” it said.
Chasing the trend
According to Rohan Agarwal, partner at Redseer Strategy Consultants, brands keep an eye out for the trends and figure out which are catching early attention. “As a brand, you would want to ride the wave, as the trends are also becoming sharper and shorter in duration, which means the brands have to be really agile,” he says.
At the same time, with the Indian beauty market still in its nascent stage, global beauty trends continue to play a role. “For example, the Korean glass skin, which started with South Korea before blowing up globally, very promptly, some of the brands that are more proactive with respect to bringing in trends that may work in India started creating such kind of engagement in the market. And what happens is, if you initiate, say, 100 trends, maybe 10 of them work. And as soon as some of these trends catch on, is when the rest of the brands follow, which we’re also seeing with some of the conglomerates like Unilever launching specialised products in India, which might not exist in their global portfolio,” he says. “What has happened is that more D2C brands and online marketplaces are taking charge of identifying some of these trends,” Agarwal adds.
A trending concern
According to Dr Chiranjiv Chhabra, founder & chief dermatologist at Alive Wellness Clinics, while ingredients like niacinamide or peptides were “once only discussed in clinical or dermatology circles,” that’s no longer the case, thanks to social media. These are “now repackaged into trendy serums and toners with social-first branding.” However, “While it’s great that more people are taking an interest in skincare, the pace and pressure of social media virality often push brands to prioritise trends over science,” Dr Chhabra says.
In fact, it’s a “growing concern,” she says, as “skincare should be rooted in science and not just what’s trending. When brands chase virality, there’s a risk that products are formulated more for quick appeal than long-term results or safety. The influence of social media, particularly influencers and content creators, plays a huge role here. Many of them share routines or promote products that might have worked for their skin, but those recommendations aren’t always safe or suitable for everyone. For example, high-strength actives like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or retinol are often promoted as “must-haves”, but when used without guidance, they can cause irritation, sensitivity, or even worsen skin conditions.”
According to the expert, “A common trend followed a lot by youth is the overuse of strong actives like exfoliating acids and retinoids without proper understanding. Many people layer multiple actives because they have seen them recommended in viral routines, but this can damage the skin barrier and lead to inflammation. Even in haircare, we see trends like scalp detoxes or miracle oils being marketed aggressively without real evidence.”
The rat race factor
However, for brands, “it’s quite challenging” these days to attract digital-first customers, if you are not following trends, says ClayCo’s Jhunjhunwala. “However, I feel that a good product always surpasses trends - and any new-age brand needs a mix of both,” she adds.
While the virality factor is increasingly at play, it’s equally challenging for brands to keep pace as trends are fleeting, lasting a few months if not weeks, while products require much longer to be created.
“It is definitely a challenge because digital-first consumers move fast. They’re exposed to new brands, new ingredients, and new routines every single day,” says Boofootel’s Lalwani.
According to Agarwal, it’s “very difficult” to turn trends into opportunities. “There are several steps to be undertaken. But if you take too much time, you’re just out of the race.” And to turn trends into opportunities, “you need to have a very strong listening and analysis mechanism to identify the right trends from the rest, and a strong R&D team to convert some of those ideas into reality. And then a very strong supply chain,” he highlights.
According to the Nykaa Beauty Summit Report 2024, too, “Brands that are agile enough to capitalise on these microtrends can see significant gains,” and “The ability to quickly respond to these trends through agile manufacturing and marketing strategies will be crucial for brands looking to stay ahead of the curve.”