Global beauty has been a huge driver behind buying trends for 2025, with Western markets recognising the innovation and education behind beauty in the East.
While your mind may immediately travel to Korea, there is another region rising through the ranks, now ready to rewrite western beauty: South Asia.
The past few years have seen the region’s beauty products and practices slowly securing their spot in retailers as wider cosmetic audiences recognise the efficacy behind these brands, and the rituals and holistic or ayurvedic aspects that often come with them.
This rise has spanned across product categories – from colour cosmetics from Kay Beauty and Kulfi; skin care by Ranavat and body from Spa Ceylon; to hair care from Indē Wild and Fable & Mane; and fragrance and beyond from Byredo.
“Over the last year, there has been a real shift,” says Aarti Pal, make-up artist and founder of the South Asian Beauty Collective (SABC) – an organisation spotlighting and celebrating South Asian representation within beauty.
“Western consumers and retailers are finally beginning to understand that South Asian beauty is not ‘niche’, and it is a global powerhouse with deep heritage, science-backed rituals and an enormous, loyal consumer base.”
This growth has been a long time coming for Fable & Mane co-founder Akash Mehta, who shares: “When my sister and I launched Fable & Mane five years ago, we were one of the first South Asian beauty brands entering Western markets at leading retailers like Sephora, Selfridges, Boots and Douglas.
“What surprised us was how many people felt it was about time – there was already a quiet yearning for this representation.”
This moment is not just about products – it is about representation and reclaiming narrative
For Pal, the category’s growth has stemmed from consumer interest, as she explains: “I have seen far more curiosity, respect, and genuine interest in our stories and our formulations.
“In the UK, the presence of South Asian brands has grown through better retail visibility, more representation in mainstream beauty conversations, and stronger advocacy from our community.”
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