Brands
Nykaa beauty rewind 2025: What India tried, trusted and took home
MUMBAI: If beauty had a personality in 2025, it would be curious, confident and refreshingly honest. According to Nykaa’s beauty rewind 2025, Indian consumers flirted freely with trends, tested them fast and stayed only with what truly worked.
This was not the year of blind brand loyalty. It was the year of smart swiping. Products went viral, routines evolved in real time and reviews became the final judge. Ingredients were checked like exam answers, reels shaped shopping carts and repeat buys were reserved for formulas that delivered results, not promises.
Backed by insights from over 45 million shoppers across 19,000 plus pincodes, Nykaa’s year-end rewind captures more than sales data. It offers a snapshot of how India actually lived in beauty in 2025.
Big numbers, bigger obsessions
Some categories did not just trend, they dominated. Lipsticks flew off shelves at the rate of 1,750 an hour, proving that a good pout never goes out of style. Kajals sold in such volume that, stacked end to end, they could build hundreds of Burj Khalifas, confirming that sharp eyes are no passing phase.
Foundation sales could have covered 250 football fields, with everything from high-coverage favourites to skin-first tints finding takers. Blush had its own moment too, with enough sold to keep Jaipur pink for decades.
Quiet classics had their day as well. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser became Nykaa’s most-reviewed product of all time with over 1.3 lakh ratings, showing that consistency still wins applause. Dot and Key emerged as the most searched brand, with its face moisturiser clocking a 63 percent surge in searches, driven by a growing love for barrier-focused skincare.
And then there was commitment. One shopper from Nagpur placed the highest-value order of the year at four lakh rupees, buying 91 products in one confident checkout. No browsing. No hesitation.
Skin first, always
If there was one defining theme of 2025, it was barrier health. Glow was welcome, but only as a by-product of strong skin. Cleansers found new homes at the rate of 19 a minute, while moisturisers sold even faster, making hydration the most reliable step in Indian routines.
Serums stepped into the spotlight as the power players. Vitamin C, niacinamide and peptides became household terms, with shoppers reading labels like instruction manuals and choosing formulas with intention.
K-beauty grows up
K-beauty completed its shift from novelty to necessity this year. Products like Beauty of Joseon sunscreen and Cosrx Snail Mucin were not just tried, they were trusted and repurchased. Lips followed suit, with nourishing balms and glosses replacing heavy mattes, turning lip care into a daily act of self-care.
Scents, showers and smart makeup
Fragrance lovers stopped searching for a single signature scent and started building wardrobes instead. Five perfumes sold every minute, from luxury icons to cosy vanilla blends.
Makeup itself grew quieter and cleverer. Skin tints, tinted serums and multitasking formulas ruled, while liquid lipsticks proved that long wear and comfort can coexist. Cult classics such as Maybelline Instant Age Rewind reminded everyone that legacy still matters.
Bath, body and haircare became rituals rather than routines. Body care kits surged, rosemary-based hair products crossed the one crore mark and scalp care officially entered the spotlight.
Delivered at the speed of now
Nykaa Now turned urgency into its own category. From six-minute deliveries across cities to last-minute travel saves, instant beauty became a reality rather than a promise. Whether it was one serum or an entire vanity overhaul, speed met scale throughout the year.
The bigger picture
Beauty in 2025 was softer, smarter and more intentional. Indian consumers explored freely, switched without guilt and built routines that evolved with them. Trends mattered, but trust mattered more.
In a year where curiosity met credibility and discovery moved fast, Nykaa remained at the centre of it all, turning everyday choices into a clear picture of how India really does beauty now.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
