Cosmetics & Personal Care Products

What is in the Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Directory?

The beauty market in India is large even more than what most of the people outside the industry would think. The industry is valued at around 20 billion or so, and it has been steadily growing over the years with no indication of a slowdown to come. That is in part urbanisation, it is in part increased incomes and that large proportion of it is simply the fact that India has always been all about personal care Ayurvedic traditions, elaborate haircare rituals, centuries-old skincare practices. The heritage is now co-located with a highly commercialised, industrial base.

The Cosmetics and Personal Care Products directory on ExportersIndia links buyers, local and global, directly to manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers and distributors of this entire ecosystem. Doesn't matter whether you're buying for a salon in Chandigarh, a pharmacy chain in Karnataka, or importing into a European retail network. The directory is constructed on the entirety of it.

It is sorted into big product groups. Both of them possess a substantial base of suppliers, and they are listed with adequate information, certifications, specifications of products, contact details and reviews.

Types of Cosmetics & Personal Care Products

Skincare

This category is the largest on the site. Full stop. And it continues to expand - with increased awareness, education about ingredients (customers are now actually reading labels and questioning about niacinamide) and an influx of new D2C brands in need of manufacturing partners.

What you will find here: face washes, cleansers, micellar waters, toners, moisturisers of all kinds and types of skin, sunscreens (SPF 30, 50, even PA++++ rated products), serums and ampoules to tackle particular skin issues such as pigmentation or aging, under-eye treatments, exfoliators, sheet masks, facial oils - and a whole world of Ayurvedic and herbal formulations that use ingredients such as turmeric, neem, sandalwood, and saffron. Herbal products are quite advanced some of them. They are not merely the traditional ones, but have been re-engineered with current textures and stability profiles that can be used in a modern skincare routine.

Suppliers are large pharmaceutical-grade cosmetic producers (that have ISO 22716 and GMP certifications and appropriate R&D labs) to small boutique producers doing organic, small-batch formulations. Whichever you need, they both belong.

Haircare

India may even be the manufacturer of the most diverse variety of hair oils in the world. Not a big deal - coconut, amla, bhringraj, onion, argan, castor, sesame - the list is endless, and some of them can now be supported by real clinical evidence, so there has been steady growth in the demand of Indian hair oils among the export market.

In addition to oils, the haircare segment includes shampoos and conditioners in all types (anti-dandruff, colour-treated, volumising, herbal, medicated formulations to scalp conditions), hair masks and intensive treatment packs, scalp serums, hair colour and bleach products, dry shampoos, styling gels and waxes, leave-in treatments, and professional salon-grade ranges that remain invisible to most retail customers but that salon chains order frequently.

Another point to consider - the business of haircare is commonly underrepresented by generic directories. This one is, in fact, well represented by manufacturers of salon chains.

Colour Cosmetics & Makeup

The Indian makeup market has actually made a revolution in the past six to seven years. A lot of that was done by social media, with beauty content creators developing large followings, and brands following suit by creating shade ranges that actually suit the skin tone of Indian people, and now, there is actual demand at various price levels. Performing at a low price. Mid-range. Premium. and all the in-between.

Concealers, foundations, BB and CC creams. Hundreds of shades of lipsticks, such as those especially created to suit the darker skin tones that were previously overlooked. Kajal and kohl (not leaving any time soon and massive sellers). Eyeshadows pallets, eyeliners, mascaras, eyebrows. Blush, bronzer, highlighter. Application powders, primers, finishing sprays. Nail polish. Complete kits and professional brush sets.

Most of the manufacturers in this area provide contract production and custom shade development and own label brands. In case you are creating a brand of makeup and want to collaborate with a manufacturer that can assist with shade development, but not merely fill the bottles - there are solid options in the listings.

Fragrances & Perfumes

The Indian tradition of fragrances is unique. Attar traditional Indian perfume, alcohol-free and typically prepared with botanicals, has been in production in such places as Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh since ancient times. Some of the world's most popular natural fragrance concentrates are produced there, such as oud-based formula and the legendary mitti attar (the smell of earth after rain). You'll find those producers here.

But the category transcends the traditional attar. All are Eau de parfum, eau de toilette, body mists, deodorants and roll-ons, room and car fragrance, bulk fragrance oil used by manufacturers, and bespoke-label fragrance production. The perfume vendors in this site cater to both the personal retail stores, salon chains, hospitality brands, and multi-billion aroma chemical sourcing companies.

Bath, Body & Hygiene

High volume. Consistent demand. The type of category that is not out of fashion since the products in question are literally non-negotiable in everyday life.

Bar soaps, liquid soaps, glycerin soaps, herbal types. Body washes and shower gels. Body lotions - basic moisturising formulas, up to the luxurious shea or mango seed body butter. Talcum powders. Hand washes and sanitizers (a huge supply chain build up after 2020 and now has a well established manufacturing capacity). Feminine hygiene products. Baby bath ranges. Smart scrubs and bath salts to the spa-and-wellness market.

This category is a source of supermarkets, pharmacies, hotels, hospitals, and e-commerce platforms. Competitive prices will be offered to volume buyers, particularly those who are manufacturers in Gujarat and Maharashtra, specialising in such a segment.

Oral Care

It may appear that toothpaste is a sourcing nightmare, that is, until you consider the amount of product innovation that has occurred in this area over the past few years. Charcoal-based whitening formulas. Herbal pastes that are based on solid clinical evidence, such as neem and clove. Sensitivity formulations. Kid-friendly flavours. Premium whitening kits. Generations of rural and semi-urban markets on salt-based tooth powders.

Outside paste: toothbrushes (manual and electric), mouthwashes, tongue cleaners, dental floss, teeth whitening systems. The oral care segment of the children has experienced huge product development. And Ayurvedic dental products - oil pulling products, herbal tooth powder have been experiencing good export markets within health conscious consumer groups in UK, US and Germany.

Men's Grooming

This was a small section in any cosmetics directory ten years ago. Not anymore. The grooming of men in India has become an acceptable, self-contained category that can command its own retail shelf space, its own D2C brands, and its own consumer demands. Guys are looking at the lists of ingredients. They are concerned whether something contains sulphates. That's new.

The category consists of shaving gels, foams and creams; post-shave balms and aftershaves; beard oils and grooming kits; face washes and moisturisers (formulated with various skin types in mind, not necessarily a generic category such as men face wash); hair styling gels, pomades, clays, waxes; deodorants and body sprays; men fragrances; and complete grooming gift sets, which sell well at festivals and the holiday season.

Baby Care

Parents are especially strict regarding what is put on the skin of their baby-and they should be. There is very minimal compromise that can be made in this segment in terms of quality. Dermatologically tested, paediatrician approved formulas, fragrance or hypoallergenic - none of these are options, these are minimum requirements in a serious buyer in this category.

The products include baby lotions, oils, and creams; baby shampoos and body washes (tear-free, of course); nappy rash creams; baby powders; baby wipes; and protective balms. A number of manufacturers also manufacture organic or naturally-derived lines of baby care which have been experiencing increasing demand in the domestic as well as the export markets.

Professional Salon & Spa Products

It is a type that B2B platforms in general do not do well with. What retail buyers need is quite different than what salon owners and spa managers need: professional grade hair colour systems, treatment chemicals, waxing products, massage oils, nail extension systems, and equipment capable of withstanding the day to day commercial workload. Consumer grade goods just do not scale to this level.

The directory is actually represented in the following: professional hair colour and bleach brands, salon facial kits and treatment lines, body wraps and spa treatment products, nail gel systems, professional sets of brushes and a variety of equipment including waxing heaters to UV nail lamps.

Natural, Organic & Ayurvedic Beauty

This is likely where Indian manufacturers stand the best chances in the world at the current moment. The Ayurvedic tradition provides Indian formulation chemists with a library of botanicals and functional ingredients - neem, tulsi, ashwagandha, brahmi, turmeric, rose, sandalwood, hibiscus - that competitors in other countries do not really know well.

There is a steady increase in international demand of genuine Ayurvedic beauty products especially in North America, Europe and Australia where consumers are becoming more and more suspicious of synthetic products. The Indian manufacturers that are able to synthesize the traditional knowledge of ingredients with modern formulation science and the appropriate certifications (COSMOS Organic, ECOCERT, AYUSH certification) are in a good position to provide that demand.

It is an organic skincare and haircare directory, vegan, cruelty-free product lines, zero chemical personal care, natural deodorants, suppliers of eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging, and full-service zero-chemical personal-label providers to brands interested in establishing in this area.

Top Categories Every Cosmetics Buyer Should Actually Have on Their Radar

The supply chain is all when it comes to running a business in the beauty industry, whether that business is a brand, or a retail chain, a salon, or an import operation. When a product is out of stock or declines in quality on a batch, then it is not always easy to fix it. That is why it is more important to have your supplier relationships in the right shape in the following categories than most buyers might initially realise

The foundation is skincare and haircare. They are moving in bulk, they are a repurchase and the mark up on good products is a fact, but only when you have a good manufacturer at your back. Consistency of batches is critical in this case.

Brands differentiate in colour cosmetics and fragrances. They are the ones, in which you can talk about what you pick to stock and what it says about you as a brand. Compromising on the supplier in this case is likely to be reflected in the product experience early on.

The engine of volume is in bath and hygiene products. These are not glamorous, but they are on the move - pharmacies, hotels, institutional buyers, online sellers. Price rivalry is also an issue here and Indian manufacturers are really good in this aspect.

Natural and Ayurvedic products, in case you are exporting this is the section that you will have to consider. Herbal and organic beauty products of Indian origin have a genuine authenticity among the international customers and the supply base of this segment is deep and highly priced as compared to the western counterparts.

Baby care and men grooming are both increasing at a higher rate compared to the general market. They've moved past 'niche' status. Buyers, who developed supplier relationships within these categories several years ago, are now well positioned.

Salon and professional products must be sourced with care - quality is more stringent and there are more immediate impacts of a bad batch. However the margins are high and the relationships with the clients in the professional beauty channel are more sticky than retail.

What is really happening in India in regards to the Cosmetics and Personal Care Industry

The Bigger Picture

The beauty and personal care market of India is expanding between 10 to 12 percent per year - making it one of the fastest growing beauty markets in the world. Much of that is structural: young population, disposable incomes are on the rise, increasing internet penetration which is accelerating consumer awareness of ingredients and trends, an urbanisation wave which continues to draw more consumers into organised retail. But something more particular is going on in India, a real culture change. The consumers of India (and the companies that cater to them) are becoming more and more demanding, and it is driving the manufacturing foundation to a higher level of quality.

What is the Market Driving

D2C beauty brands have been on the increase in India. The digital-native brands currently have the ability to contact consumers without the shelf space and distribution infrastructure that previously favoured large FMCG companies. That has produced huge demand on contract manufacturers, private-label offerings, and ingredient suppliers - which has in turn invested in quality and capability. The end up is a manufacturing ecosystem that is truly world-best in a few segments.

EV-adjacent investment? That's automotive. The investment flows in the beauty sector have been into Ayurvedic wellness, sustainable/clean beauty, prestige skincare, and companies that do personalised formulations. The next has been followed by private equity.