Small-town India is 'beautiful' for Amazon's luxury play: Siddharth Bhagat

Amazon India plans to add over 100 premium beauty brands in 2026 as demand from tier-2 and tier-3 cities accelerates across categories

When Dolce & Gabbana launches on Amazon India later this year, some of its most eager customers may not be in Mumbai or Delhi but in cities such as Thrissur and Guwahati — markets that until recently had limited access to premium beauty brands. Seeing rising demand beyond the metros, Amazon is making smaller Indian cities central to its beauty strategy.

 

The e-commerce giant announced the expansion of its premium beauty selection, with over 100 new brands set to go live on Amazon India in 2026. These include Dolce & Gabbana, Laura Mercier, Elemis, Urban Decay, Aveda, La Roche-Posay, Biodance, Eucerin, Paula’s Choice, Riiffs and Anessa.

 

 

“On Amazon, premium beauty is growing 50 per cent year on year, with demand for K-beauty and French pharmacy nearly doubling year on year,” said Siddharth Bhagat, director, beauty, Amazon India. “We’re seeing more than 50 per cent of this demand come from tier-2 and tier-3 cities such as Thrissur, Dehradun, Patiala, Guwahati and Kolhapur — a strong signal that premium beauty aspiration is penetrating deep across Bharat.”

 

As demand for international beauty brands accelerates across India, new launches this year will also extend to Japanese, Australian, French beauty and Middle Eastern fragrance brands such as Anessa, Kokebana, Mystiqare, Goat Soaps, KANS and One Leaf. This Prime Day in July, customers can look forward to new launches, offers and deals across beauty products from both global and homegrown premium brands on the platform.

 

India’s beauty and personal care (BPC) market is valued at $23 billion in FY25 and growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12 per cent, according to Redseer. By 2030, the market is projected to reach $40 billion, making India the fourth-largest BPC market globally, trailing only the US, China and Japan.

 

Over time, Bhagat said, India’s beauty penetration could move closer to markets such as Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand.

 

Amazon competes with players such as Nykaa, Myntra, Blinkit and Zepto, which are expanding quick commerce services for their premium beauty selection.

 

Bhagat said Amazon’s differentiation in premium beauty rests on four areas. It is bringing more international brands into India and expanding selection. It has invested in delivery and shopping tools to improve access and discovery. It is using a network of about 1.2 lakh influencers and content creators across more than 500 non-metro pin codes to drive awareness beyond metros. And it is strengthening trust through authorised seller badges and backend checks to help consumers shop with confidence.

 

“While we’ve invested in widening selection for diverse needs, we’re equally focused on speed — nearly half of all beauty orders across India’s top 100 cities now arrive the same or next day, bringing beauty closer to customers across Bharat,” said Bhagat.

 

Artificial intelligence is also playing a key role in the growth of the category. Beauty purchases are shaped by skin type, ingredients, concerns and personal preference — and Amazon continues to make that discovery more intuitive. Rufus, Amazon’s generative AI-powered shopping assistant, helps customers compare ingredients and discover personalised product recommendations. Amazon Lens AI enables visual discovery, allowing customers to find products by uploading images. Features such as Virtual Try-On and SkinCare Advisor help customers make more informed beauty choices based on their individual preferences and concerns.

 

“We are seeing conversion jump among customers who use it. So that is what is telling us that it is working,” said Bhagat. “This entire technology is not about eliminating the search or browse experience — it’s complementary.”

 

Today, Amazon said customers in India are embracing global beauty across categories. K-beauty, with Korean skincare staples such as glass skin routines and barrier-repair formulations, and French pharmacy brands including CeraVe, Avène, Ducray, Embryolisse and Uriage have grown nearly 2X YoY on Amazon. This reflects rising demand for clinically credible skincare. Middle Eastern fragrances including Rasasi, Ahmed Al Maghribi, Arabiyat and Lattafa have grown nearly 3X YoY, driven by growing preference for long-lasting oud and attar profiles, alongside social-led discovery. Emerging segments are scaling even faster, with D2C haircare brands growing over 2.5X, signalling a clear shift towards premium, routine-led consumption.

 

“These brands are keen to get into India and have seen great success with whatever launches have already happened — and many more are to come,” said Bhagat.

 

Premium men’s grooming is also seeing strong momentum on Amazon, with customers increasingly adopting more comprehensive grooming regimens. Multi-groomers, all-in-one grooming kits and body groomers are all seeing strong growth, with the premium segment growing over 2.5X YoY. Amazon’s dedicated Men’s Grooming Store, combined with moments such as No Shave November and influencer partnerships, continues to bring new customers to the category. “It’s going to be a very large category for us,” said Bhagat.