After Korean serums, sheet masks and elaborate multi-step regimens dominated Indian skincare routines for years, Japanese products are emerging as the next big trend as consumers increasingly switch to lighter textures, natural ingredients and “maximum efficacy with minimal effort.”
Online retailers Myntra, Amazon India, Nykaa and Tira said demand for Japanese beauty, or J-beauty, products is rising, especially among younger consumers seeking minimalist skincare, scalp-health products and long-term skin wellness.
Korean beauty has been wildly successful in India, prompting a sea of local copycats including Quench, owned by VC-backed firm Sugar Cosmetics and the use of Korean beauty form factors like sheet masks and ingredients like rice water and others. Japanese products use local ingredients like camellia oil, green tea, hyaluronic acid, lightweight UV filters, along with formulations.
Myntra said searches for J-beauty products are increasing on its platform, driven by Gen Z shoppers and consumers in tier-two and tier-three cities. Beauty now contributes one in every five orders on Myntra, making it among the company’s fastest-growing categories.
“J-beauty has now emerged as the next big wave,” said Ritesh Mishra, senior vice-president and head of revenue and category at Myntra. “Searches for this category of products are growing, reflecting an inclination to explore and experiment with these products for their proven efficacy and clinical precision.”
Haircare and sun care have emerged as key growth segments within J-beauty, led by products centred on scalp health, hydration and lightweight formulations. Myntra hosts sunscreen, scalp-care and cleansing oil products and premium haircare treatments like Shiseido, Biore, DHC, Tsubaki, Fino and &honey. While K-beauty popularized trend-led, multi-step skincare routines, J-beauty is more closely associated with minimalist, efficacy-led products focused on long-term skin health.
Global beauty portfolio
Over the past few years, the popularity of Korean skincare products prompted retailers Nykaa and to expand their international beauty portfolios. Ashish Kakwani, partner at EY-Parthenon India, said the global beauty industry’s innovation hub has steadily shifted from Western markets towards Japan and Korea, with the two countries driving advances in natural ingredients, bioactives and multifunctional products.
“Korea popularized trend-led, multi-step skincare routines, while Japanese beauty has been associated more with minimalist routines, efficacy and long-term skin wellness,” Kakwani said.
Both categories, he added, are increasingly perceived as gentler and more effective than traditional mass-market products.
Amazon India has what it calls a “chase-list” of 40 Japanese brands it plans to bring to the country this year. Sales of Japanese sunscreens and products such as hair masks have almost tripled over the past year, the e-commerce company said.
“Users today are increasingly shifting toward efficacy-led, high-performance products with simplified routines,” said Siddharth Bhagat, director, Amazon Beauty, Personal Care and Fashion Accessories. He added that Japanese beauty is increasingly associated with “maximum efficacy with minimal effort.”
The platform carries Japanese beauty brands including DHC, Hada Labo, Melano CC, BIORÉ, &honey, Kanpeki, ILEM Japan, Spawake, Kokebana, Gatsby and Mystiqare.
Kakwani of EY-Parthenon said Japanese beauty is gaining traction in India as rising disposable incomes and greater experimentation among consumers push online beauty platforms to look beyond mainstream products and introduce differentiated premium brands. According to EY-Parthenon estimates, India’s beauty and personal care market is projected to almost double to ₹3.26 trillion by FY31 from ₹1.8 trillion in FY25. Japanese and Korean beauty products together could account for ₹2,000-5,000 crore within that premium market, he added.
Nykaa said it has the country’s largest assortment. Its Korean beauty gross merchandise value grew more than 60% year-on-year. The company also operates a dedicated in-app K-beauty store. Industry executives said consumers are increasingly seeking fewer but more effective products.
Simplicity, efficacy
“We are beginning to see a growing interest in J-beauty among Indian consumers,” a spokesperson for Tira said. “Japanese beauty philosophies are rooted in simplicity, efficacy and long-term skin health, resonating strongly with consumers.”
Luxury skincare brands are also stepping up their India presence. Last month, SK-II hosted a launch event in Mumbai as part of its India expansion. The Japanese brand has partnered with Luxasia, Procter & Gamble and Nykaa for retail and online distribution.
Satyaki Banerjee, chief executive officer of Luxasia Group, said SK-II is among the world’s leading prestige skincare brands and that as skincare emerges as the fastest-growing category within luxury beauty locally, the company is looking to lead that growth.
“Together with and Galeries Lafayette, we are taking this exceptional brand to consumers across the country through both retail and digital formats, elevating the in-market luxury skincare experience,” he said.
Anchit Nayar, executive director and CEO of Nykaa Beauty, had said that Indian consumers are becoming more discerning and increasingly focused on long-term skin health, creating demand for premium skincare brands.
The shift is also beginning to influence Indian labels. Brands such as ClayCo have gained traction with minimalist branding and ingredient-led positioning, inspired by East Asian skincare trends. Myntra said it carries more than 4,000 beauty brands and 175,000 stock-keeping units on its platform, while faster-delivery service M-Now contributes a meaningful share of beauty orders in active markets.