What’s Fueling India’s Beauty Boom? Amazon's Siddharth Bhagat Breaks Down Trends, Routines & the New Consumer Mindset

India’s beauty scene is exploding right now. New brands, viral finds, and international trends are everywhere. And sitting right at the centre of this shift is Amazon Beauty, which has quietly built one of the most dynamic beauty ecosystems in the country. We caught up with Siddharth Bhagat, Director at Amazon Fashion and Beauty, to understand how the e-commerce marketplace is shaping the future of beauty discovery in India.

ELLE: There are so many places to shop beauty online. What makes Amazon Beauty stand out?

Siddharth Bhagat: What really sets Amazon Beauty apart is the combination of scale, careful selection and convenience. Customers can explore everything from cult global brands to derma-led essentials, seasonal edits and the latest drops, all in one place. With thematically curated storefronts, we make the discovery process even easier.

The Global Beauty Store, for instance, features more than 75 international brands and 5,000 products, including favourites like NUDESTIX, Beauty of Joseon and Anastasia Beverly Hills. The Derma Store caters to ingredient-focused shoppers with leaders like CeraVe, Cetaphil and BIODERMA. And during key shopping events like The Beauty Sale, customers get the widest selection paired with great deals, making it easy for them to try out new products with confidence.

ELLE: AI is having a huge moment across beauty. How is it changing the way people shop?

Siddharth Bhagat: Generative AI is going to transform how people shop and perceive beauty, over the next year. Tools like Skincare Analyser help our shoppers understand their personalised needs and help them with products suited to them. Rufus, our new AI beauty assistant, can compare products, break down ingredients and guide customers to the right options based on their goals. The idea is to make the journey intuitive, personalised and stress-free.

ELLE: The Beauty Sale is back in its seventh edition. What feels different this year?

Siddharth Bhagat: Every year, Amazon’s The Beauty Sale  is evolving, becoming not just a shopping event but a curated celebration of premium, derma, and international beauty. 

This edition brings together thoughtfully selected brands and products, paired with meaningful savings — including offers that go up to 70% off — making luxury beauty more accessible to shoppers across India. Gen Z plays a big role in this shift. They want high-performance ingredients, global trends and smart spending. This year’s edition, presented with Maybelline and in association with Vaseline, reflects that mindset. And yes, Korean beauty fans will be happy to know essentials are up to 35 per cent off.

ELLE: A lot of people still find global routines intimidating. How do you make the journey less confusing?

Siddharth Bhagat: There can be a steep learning curve, and to remove that friction, Amazon integrates education directly into the journey through ingredient spotlights, creator content and step-by-step routines. By combining verified product information with practical usage guidance, shoppers can make informed choices and seamlessly integrate international products into their daily skincare or beauty rituals with trust. The goal is to ensure global beauty feels accessible rather than overwhelming.

ELLE: And finally, premium beauty is growing fast in India. How is Amazon making it feel more approachable?

Siddharth Bhagat: We are seeing huge growth, especially from tier two and three cities. The premium segment is among the fastest-growing, with Amazon Beauty India achieving over 50% year-to-date growth in 2025. Brands like CeraVe and L’Oréal Professional are flourishing, highlighting a clear shift toward dermatology-backed skincare and salon-grade products.

Customers are curious, but sometimes hesitant with higher-ticket products. With curated edits, trusted reviews, personalisation tools and meaningful savings, we're making premium beauty easier to explore and adopt. The excitement lies in giving customers the confidence to experiment and find what truly works for them.

So where does this all lead? To a world where beauty buying feels less overwhelming and far more intuitive.  Amazon Beauty is building an experience shaped by people, powered by technology and redefined by what shoppers actually need. Whether you are a minimalist, a skincare maximalist or someone still figuring out the difference between hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, Amazon is helping redefine how Indians discover and adopt beauty.

And honestly,if the future includes a shopping assistant that understands your skin better than you do, we are absolutely here for it.