Ayurvedic skin care poised for growth in India as green trend continues

29-Nov-2012 - Last updated on 28-Nov-2012 at 15:58 GMT

As the world goes green, the demand for ayurvedic cosmetics is set for an increase in demand and is a perfect growth frontier for beauty manufacturers according to market research firm Kuick.

Ayurvedic cosmetics are products that must contain ingredients obtained naturally from vegetable sources like plants, fruits and herbs.

With the overall skin care market in India expected to grow at more than 10 percent in the next five years, Kuick states the market for Ayurveda products looks promising and is poised for growth.

This is because existing and newer players are constantly working on new and better products to offer to the Indian consumers; who are fuelling the demand.

Lifestyle and awareness

“Increasing disposable incomes, changing lifestyles, and an increased pressure to look good have been driving the demand for cosmetics, especially the skin care segment,” says Kuick.

This has seen Indian consumers become more obsessed with beauty products, and the rise in awareness has seen the focus shift from merely looking good from the outside to overall well-being.

“Consumers are gravitating toward ayurvedic skin care products that assure wellbeing inside as well as outside,” continues the market researcher.

“Indian women are now using targeted creams for blemishes, wrinkles, under-eye issues, glow, and skin-brightening. The demand has evolved from generic creams to more specialized skin care products such as sun screens, toners, cleansers, astringents, dark circle removing creams, anti-wrinkle creams, and separate day and night creams.”

Fairness creams, face packs, and face cleansers and scrubs are the most popular categories in the segment.

Teen opportunity

The teen market is also a skin care segment that is expected to witness major growth in the coming years.

However, this is a segment dominated by mass market range of products and ayurvedic products that are considered to be high-end tend to lose out on this consumer base.

“Some brands that have targeted this segment include Himalaya and ayurvedic extensions of large retail companies,” says Kuick.

“Demand in this segment is for basic skin care products such as face washes, anti-blemish creams, and spot-reduction solutions. Innovative marketing and packaging in smaller sizes are the way forward for ayurvedic skin care companies looking to target this Indian segment that is only expected to grow in the coming decades.”