K-Beauty targets India as SWANA volatility reshapes expansion strategy

K-beauty brands are moving into India to diversify their markets in the wake of record overseas sales and rising geopolitical uncertainty in the Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. Some brands are entering these markets through partnerships with major retail platforms or regional distribution strategies.

In India, K-beauty tech company APR has launched the Medicube brand through a partnership with Nykaa, the country’s largest lifestyle and beauty platform. The move introduces dozens of skin care products to local consumers through Nykaa’s online marketplace, and APR aims to expand Medicube’s physical stores in the coming years.

Meanwhile, Amorepacific announced that it will deepen its long-term cooperation with Nykaa by introducing dermocosmetic brand “Iliyun” to Indian consumers.

India’s beauty industry is expected to grow from USD 28 billion in 2024 to USD 34 billion by 2028, according to the India Brand Equity Foundation.

Multiple major international companies estee lauder and lorealhas devised a strategy to ride the boom and gain a foothold locally. APR and Amorepacific’s latest move signals that it is K-Beauty’s turn to tap into India’s rapidly growing beauty market.

“India has high growth potential for K-beauty expansion. Although it is not yet penetrated, it has strong capacity for online expansion through e-commerce and quick commerce channels,” said Project Leader, Beauty Personal Care & Home Sector, Innova Market Insights. Personal care insights.

India is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy by the end of 2025, according to Nykaa’s 2025 investor presentation. The report notes that the country’s e-commerce market has expanded from US$25 billion in FY20 to US$60 billion in FY25.

“Given the relatively limited income scale of Gen Z compared to Gen

tension operation

SWANA has emerged as a beauty market that offers untapped potential to many cosmetic companies. The region has seen multiple strategies including investments, expansions, and IPO debuts.

Korean beauty brands are making inroads into India through local retail partnerships.“The Middle East [SWANA] offers a range of important benefits, including a strong export route to premium skin care, which has a significant high-income following,” says Innova’s project leader.

However, rising geopolitical tensions in SWANA are impacting the operations of beauty companies and impacting which regional markets can be considered for stable growth.

Several cosmetics companies have announced price adjustments due to problems with supply chain logistics. For K-beauty, instability is affecting export strategies.

“With the changing scenario, K-beauty brands are exploring more regionally viable options,” says Innova project leader.

The K-beauty brand has doubled down on its European expansion strategy over the past year, but Innova’s project director said the caveat is that the continent has stricter quality and sales regulations under EU mandates.

This increased scrutiny is slowly eliminating opportunities for more premium and science-backed brands to expand, rather than mass-market options, she says. India comes here as a strategic alternative market for K-beauty brands seeking new growth.

“Given India’s wide audience of Gen Z and Millennials, who have rapidly embraced the boom in Korean dramas and movies in the past few years alone, there is ample interest in experimenting with K-beauty identifying brands.”

high consumer confidence

The beauty and personal care market in India is primarily growing due to the young consumer base. “India’s primary K-beauty consumer base is youth-driven and concentrated in tier-1 cities and metropolitan areas,” explains Innova’s project leader.

Gen Z consumers in India are increasingly interested in K-beauty trends.She explains that the pandemic has increased media consumption on streaming services such as Netflix, and that Korean television has gained more visibility during this time.

“More content is now being streamed and marketed through social media channels like Facebook and Instagram. Having influencers help market K-beauty skincare and makeup products will only further inspire their target audience to aspire to K-beauty brands.”

e-commerce buoy

Local online beauty shopping platforms have helped international brands enter the Indian beauty market. “Local platforms are essential in marketing to increase brand awareness and awareness among the Indian audience,” says the head of Innova.

For K-beauty, she explains, these partnerships provide scale. “While there is still great value in brick-and-mortar retail, local platforms can reach audiences already motivated to explore K-beauty faster and more broadly, not only in tier 1 cities but also in tier 2 cities.”

Ease of access to Nykaa, Purplle and Amazon India will power faster delivery schedules to future young audiences who demand quick convenience.

However, beyond your reach, partnering with an e-commerce platform can help establish your brand’s market position.

“In India, e-commerce offers a pre-established pyramid structure…where K-beauty brands can conveniently position themselves in line with their identity, whether it’s mass market or premium prestige,” she explains.

India’s growing beauty market attracts global brands.Quick commerce platforms like BlinkIt, Zepto and Swiggy offer 10-15 minute deliveries, making brands appear budget-friendly and convenient, according to project leaders. On the other hand, she explains that platforms such as Tira, Myntra and Ajio are more viable for more premium brands and products as regular viewers can get higher income and spending potential.

What are the chances of success?

The Innova project leader explains that there are multiple factors that determine how successful a Korean brand can be in India. “Pricing strategy will be the difference between winning and losing” in attracting Indian consumers, who value quality but remain cost-sensitive amid global inflationary pressures.

This lead also shows that the beauty market in India is crowded, so brands that want to succeed locally need to develop strong storytelling and unique positioning to connect with local audiences.

“Since the pandemic, Indian audiences, especially the youth, have opened up to up-and-coming local brands beyond the big domestic brands like Sugar, Dot & Key, Chemist at Play and Bare Anatomy. These are convenient brands that market to a youth audience, especially young employees and college students, offering a wide range of products that align with their identity,” Leader says.

But beyond local competition, international players are also gaining a stable foothold in the country.

“When it comes to quality trust in Western brands such as L’Oréal, India has a huge market for science-backed international premium brands. This is especially true for high-income groups. Consumer loyalty skews towards US and European companies,” she says.

“As for the potential expansion of K-beauty into the Indian market, all signs point to yes, but the process itself is quite tricky and needs to be strategic.”