Today is an exciting day for beauty lovers across India—Milk Makeup has officially arrived! In an exclusive chat with ELLE, Mazdack Rassi, Co-Founder of Milk Makeup, shared all the juicy details about the brand’s highly anticipated launch in partnership with Sephora India. Known for their clean, innovative, and super cool products, Milk Makeup has developed a cult following globally. Now, with its arrival in India, it’s set to shake up the beauty scene in the most exciting way possible.
ELLE: What excites you the most about bringing Milk Makeup to India?
Mazdack Rassi: The most exciting part of launching in India is expanding our Milk community into such a rich and vibrant culture. At Milk Makeup, we’ve always been about building connections, and India represents a whole new opportunity for us to grow that community. It blows my mind to think about it!
ELLE: How do you see the Indian beauty market influencing Milk Makeup’s future?
MR: We’ve always thought of Milk Makeup as a tool for creativity, and we really listen to what our community wants. Especially globally. We’re curious to see what the Indian beauty community will ask of us next. Coming from New York, one of the most diverse cities in the world, we’ve always drawn inspiration from different cultures. I think we’re going to be excited to see how India influences our future launches.
ELLE: If Milk Makeup were a song, what genre would it be?
If you asked the whole Milk team, they’d all probably have different answers. But for me, it’d be OG New York hip-hop—probably Wu-Tang Clan. I’m a big fan of that classic late ‘80s, early ‘90s vibe.
ELLE: What was the moment when you knew Milk Makeup would disrupt the beauty industry?
MR: Honestly, day one. We always knew we were going to shake things up.
ELLE: What’s a dream product that doesn’t exist yet but perfectly fits Milk Makeup’s ethos?
MR: I think our own version of scents and fragrances would be incredible. Imagine capturing Milk’s spirit of creativity and self-expression in a bottle. That’s something we’d love to explore one day.
ELLE: How would you describe Milk Makeup without using traditional beauty terms?
MR: I’d say relevant and creative. We don’t tell you how to wear your makeup; we create tools that let people express themselves. It’s about living your look—making it your own.
ELLE: What’s one product Indian beauty lovers should grab first to experience Milk Makeup?
MR: Without a doubt, our Hydro Grip Primer! It’s the number one primer at Sephora globally, and we’re super excited for our friends in India to try it. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
ELLE: Has there ever been a product idea so wild your team wasn’t sure how to pull it off?
MR: All the time! A perfect example is our Jelly Tints. When we saw the first prototypes, we weren’t sure how to explain them to the world. Dianna, my co-founder, is always thinking outside the box. She doesn’t just aim to make products better—she aims to make them different. That’s where Milk stands out. It’s not about improving what’s already out there but creating something entirely new.
ELLE: What futuristic beauty trend do you see makeup diving into next?
MR: I think there’s a big focus on inside-out beauty—products that not only look good on the outside but actually benefit you from within.
ELLE: What’s the wildest design meeting you’ve ever had?
MR: Dianna once designed blotting papers that doubled as rolling papers. We called them Roll & Blot. It was a hilarious meeting because everyone kept asking if they could really roll and smoke them—turns out, you could!
ELLE: Looking back at 2016, did you ever imagine Milk Makeup would become this global beauty force?
MR: Honestly, yes. From day one, our goal was to take our creativity and share it with the world. We always intended to be a global brand, not just for the creative community in New York but for everyone. Now that we’re in 25 countries, I’m humbled—but I always believed Milk Makeup had the potential to grow into something this big.
ELLE: Anything exciting coming to India next?
MR: We cannot wait to bring Jelly Tints to India! They’re sold out everywhere right now, but we’re hoping to launch them early next year. There’s been so much demand for them, and we’re thrilled to introduce them to our Indian community soon.
Milk Makeup is ready to make waves in India, and from what Mazdack shared, we’re in for some serious beauty innovation.
