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L’Oréal India inaugurates largest skilling centre, highlights economic impact
New Mumbai facility aims to train 3,000 annually as beauty giant backs Skill India
MUMBAI: Beauty met business with a purpose on Friday as L’Oréal India unveiled its largest-ever Beauty Skilling Centre and released its first socio-economic impact report, highlighting the company’s growing footprint in India’s economy, workforce and beauty ecosystem.
The announcement was made in the presence of Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, marking another milestone in L’Oréal India’s three-decade journey of promoting skills development, women’s empowerment and sustainable livelihoods.
Developed in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the new facility at CII’s North Mumbai Skill Centre spans 4,267 sq. ft. and is expected to train around 3,000 individuals every year in professional hairdressing, makeup artistry and beauty services.
The centre operates under L’Oréal’s flagship Beauty for a Better Life programme, which focuses on equipping women from underserved communities with industry-relevant skills, career guidance and job placement opportunities. The initiative also works closely with non-governmental organisations and salon partners to strengthen employability and entrepreneurship within the beauty sector.
Alongside the inauguration, L’Oréal India released its first socio-economic impact study, conducted by Paris-based research consultancy Asterès. The findings paint a picture of a company deeply woven into India’s manufacturing and employment landscape.
According to the report, every direct job created by L’Oréal India generates an additional 39.5 jobs across its value chain, supporting approximately 90,500 jobs nationwide. These roles span logistics, packaging, raw material sourcing, manufacturing and retail operations.
The study also underlined the company’s strong local manufacturing base. Nearly 95 per cent of products sold by L’Oréal India are produced domestically at its facilities in Chakan and Baddi, aligning with the government’s Make in India initiative.
India’s manufacturing operations have also emerged as an export engine for the company, with products from its Indian plants shipped to 25 international markets. Within the professional beauty segment, L’Oréal works with more than 54,000 salons across the country and has played a significant role in the growth of India’s professional hairdressing industry, valued at over Rs 2,000 crore.
The company also highlighted the impact of its long-running skilling efforts. Over the past decade, L’Oréal has trained 3.3 million hairdressers and supported more than 42,000 women through its Beauty for a Better Life programme.
An independent impact assessment conducted by PwC in 2025 found that the company’s skilling initiatives generate a 25-times social return on investment. Beneficiaries reported an average 44 per cent increase in monthly household income, demonstrating the programme’s role in driving financial independence and social mobility.
Beyond vocational training, L’Oréal says its wider social initiatives have reached more than 1.3 million people across India through programmes focused on education, inclusion and community development.
Commenting on the launch, L’Oréal India non-executive chairman Aseem Kaushik said, “Upskilling has always been central to L’Oréal India’s vision of creating inclusive and sustainable impact. As India’s beauty industry continues to evolve and expand, the demand for professionally trained talent is growing across services, retail and entrepreneurship.”
He added that the new centre would help equip women with future-ready skills while supporting the continued growth of India’s beauty economy.
L’Oréal India managing director Jacques Lebel said, “India stands at the forefront of the future of beauty, powered by immense talent, creativity and aspiration. Through this skilling centre, we hope to expand access to high-quality professional education, equip underserved women with industry-relevant skills, and help nurture the next generation of beauty professionals and entrepreneurs.”
As India’s beauty and personal care market continues to expand rapidly, L’Oréal’s latest investment reflects a broader shift in the industry. Increasingly, beauty companies are not just selling products but investing in skills, careers and entrepreneurship. For L’Oréal India, the new Mumbai centre is as much about creating livelihoods as it is about creating looks.
