Lotus Herbals aims to ‘dominate’ India’s sun care market on the back of range expansion

Lotus Herbals chairman and managing director, Nitin Passi, said its Sun Safe range was among the top market leaders in the category.

“We’ll expand our sun care dominance through advanced R&D, diverse offerings, and strategic partnerships, aiming to surpass expectations with unparalleled innovation and quality,”​ he said.

“Our strategic approach encompasses capitalising on trends and technology to fortify our market share and propel the sun care category to unprecedented levels of success.”​

In April, the firm launched a new sunscreen, UltraRx Sunscreen Serum SPF60++++.

“Responding to evolving market dynamics, our new sunscreen serum meets consumers' needs for multifunctional skin care, driven by market research highlighting the demand for superior UV protection with skin benefits and a water-based highly efficacious formula,” ​said Passi.

The product was developed in line with current sun care trends in the Indian market, such as the demand for soothing ingredients.

At the same time, the company has observed a “growing affinity for multifunctional, natural, and organic products”.​

“This aligns with our innovation in offering advanced protection and a lightweight, fast-absorbing user experience with intense hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and cica,” ​said Passi.

He added that the popularity of lightweight formats like gels, gel-crèmes, serums, and mists were growing to cater to the demand for “more versatile and comfortable application experiences”.​

“These insights guide our innovation, ensuring we meet and anticipate consumer needs, and securing our leadership in sun care advancements,” ​said Passi.

Passi teased that that beauty consumers can expect new formats from the brand “very soon”.​

According to Passi, the sun protection category in India grew by over 20% last year. It is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1% from 2024 to 2028.

“This upward trajectory is fuelled by heightened consumer consciousness regarding skin health, increased disposable incomes, a tendency towards outdoor lifestyles, and a marked preference for efficacious sun protection solutions among skin care aficionados.These factors collectively present a robust future for the sun care industry in India, presenting extensive opportunities for innovation in the market.”​

The company has identified several challenges, such as the issue of questionable firms that were rising up to capitalise on the sun care opportunity.

“Challenges involve educating customers on high-quality sun protection formulations, including mitigating the impact of fly-by-night operators, to ensure our leadership position,”​ he said.

He elaborated that Lotus Herbals Sun Safe range, which launched in 1996, can leverage its brand equity as a pioneer in the space.

“The opportunities for our brand in the sun care market include leveraging our advanced R&D and manufacturing capabilities for innovation, addressing niche consumer needs, and engaging in strategic influencer collaborations and sustainability practices.”​

As part of its education push, the latest product launched with a digital campaign across India as well as Nepal, Bangladesh, and Dubai. The campaign is aimed at a younger consumer base.

“Through the new digital campaign, the brand aims to target a younger consumer base who are very demanding,”​ said Passi.