10 things we learnt about Gen Z beauty from Myntra's newest report
For Gen Z, beauty is no longer about covering up imperfections. It is about preventing them. This generation is building everyday routines around skincare, reaching for sunscreen all year round and checking ingredient lists before they buy. That shift is changing what young shoppers expect from beauty products and the brands that sell them. Beauty in the Age of Gen Z, a new report released by Myntra, looks at how these more preventive, ingredient-conscious consumers are reshaping India's beauty market. Here's what stood out.
1. Gen Z's beauty story is not just a metro story
Half of Gen Z's beauty buyers on Myntra live in Tier 2 and 3 cities, and these cities account for half of the platform's international beauty demand. Ludhiana, Patna, Bhopal, Indore, Guwahati, Surat, Varanasi and Imphal are among those driving growth. Their baskets include serums, toners, sunscreens and hair masks alongside everyday staples.
2. They give beauty a bigger share of their wallet
Gen Z gives beauty and personal care a 75% higher share of wallet, and spend per customer is up 1.2X year on year, alongside a fast-growing customer base.
3. Prevention is the new correction
Sun protection is now a year-round habit. SPF purchases among Gen Z shoppers are up 60% YoY. Searches are up 80% for spray sunscreens, 70% for ingredient-led sunscreens and 60% for tinted ones.
4. They read the ingredient list before they buy
Gen Z is seeking out Centella asiatica, copper peptides, azelaic acid and panthenol, and wants gel-based, fragrance-free, non-sticky textures. Efficacy and ingredients count as much as the brand name.
5. Minis are the gateway to luxury
53% of luxe makeup orders on Myntra now include a mini, and minis make up 14% of luxe units sold, led by lipstick, perfume and face primer. M.A.C, Kayali, Smashbox and Salvatore Ferragamo get more than half of their new customers through minis.
6. K-Beauty is still commanding the Gen Z beauty buyer’s attention
K-Beauty demand is up 200% YoY, with searches up more than 300%. Myntra now offers 1,000+ SKUs from 90+ K-Beauty brands, 30+ of them added in the last year.
7. Men’s skincare is no longer a niche
Men’s skincare orders on Myntra grew 78% YoY, and Gen Z is leading the charge. Skincare is increasingly something young men shop for as seriously as anyone else, and it is one of the fastest-moving parts of the category.
8. Video and creators drive discovery
Myntra has ~82,000 active beauty creators, and UGC beauty content is up 40% YoY. Nearly 2 in 3 new beauty creator registrations over the last four months are Gen Z.
9. Gen Z is loyal, and backing Indian brands
Repeat Gen Z orders are up ~70% this year. D2C beauty has grown consistently this year, with Gen Z shoppers being 25% more likely to try a homegrown, D2C brand Plum, Minimalist, Foxtale, The Derma Co. and Chemist at Play are among those driving growth.
10. The wishlist shows what's next, and the market has room to grow
Gen Z's wishlist already points to lactic acid, tranexamic acid and foundation-SPF hybrids. The wider market is expected to grow from ~$23bn to ~$40bn*, yet India spends only ~$15 per head on beauty, against $38 in China and $383 in the US*.
Sharon Pais, Head of Myntra, said: "Beauty and personal care is one of Myntra's strongest growth engines. For Gen Z, beauty is self-expression. It's how they show up, plan their looks and live their social lives. They try premium and international brands through minis, find new ones through creators and K-Beauty, and choose on ingredients and efficacy, in cities across the country. The brands that win will meet this shopper early, make discovery easy and earn trust through the product and its ingredients."
The bigger picture on Myntra
Beauty is roughly 1 in 5 units ordered on Myntra. Myntra offers over 2 lakh styles from 4,500+ brands, including 360+ international brands. Tech is helping shoppers choose with confidence: Virtual Try-On makes shoppers 2X more likely to buy, and Skin Analyzer lifts conversion by ~58%. For those who want it fast, Beauty on M-Now spans ~600 brands, with delivery as quick as little as 30 minutes.
The report was unveiled at the Myntra Beauty IRL event in Mumbai, alongside a panel discussion on The New Indian Beauty Consumer. It is based on Myntra platform data, buying behaviour and search trends from August 2025 to August 2026, covering Gen Z shoppers, and is read alongside trend-spotting by Myntra's creative and curation teams.
*Market estimates are from Redseer.
Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of Myntra by Times Internet's Spotlight team.
1. Gen Z's beauty story is not just a metro story
Half of Gen Z's beauty buyers on Myntra live in Tier 2 and 3 cities, and these cities account for half of the platform's international beauty demand. Ludhiana, Patna, Bhopal, Indore, Guwahati, Surat, Varanasi and Imphal are among those driving growth. Their baskets include serums, toners, sunscreens and hair masks alongside everyday staples.
2. They give beauty a bigger share of their wallet
Gen Z gives beauty and personal care a 75% higher share of wallet, and spend per customer is up 1.2X year on year, alongside a fast-growing customer base.
3. Prevention is the new correction
Sun protection is now a year-round habit. SPF purchases among Gen Z shoppers are up 60% YoY. Searches are up 80% for spray sunscreens, 70% for ingredient-led sunscreens and 60% for tinted ones.
4. They read the ingredient list before they buy
Gen Z is seeking out Centella asiatica, copper peptides, azelaic acid and panthenol, and wants gel-based, fragrance-free, non-sticky textures. Efficacy and ingredients count as much as the brand name.
5. Minis are the gateway to luxury
53% of luxe makeup orders on Myntra now include a mini, and minis make up 14% of luxe units sold, led by lipstick, perfume and face primer. M.A.C, Kayali, Smashbox and Salvatore Ferragamo get more than half of their new customers through minis.
6. K-Beauty is still commanding the Gen Z beauty buyer’s attention
K-Beauty demand is up 200% YoY, with searches up more than 300%. Myntra now offers 1,000+ SKUs from 90+ K-Beauty brands, 30+ of them added in the last year.
7. Men’s skincare is no longer a niche
Men’s skincare orders on Myntra grew 78% YoY, and Gen Z is leading the charge. Skincare is increasingly something young men shop for as seriously as anyone else, and it is one of the fastest-moving parts of the category.
8. Video and creators drive discovery
Myntra has ~82,000 active beauty creators, and UGC beauty content is up 40% YoY. Nearly 2 in 3 new beauty creator registrations over the last four months are Gen Z.
9. Gen Z is loyal, and backing Indian brands
Repeat Gen Z orders are up ~70% this year. D2C beauty has grown consistently this year, with Gen Z shoppers being 25% more likely to try a homegrown, D2C brand Plum, Minimalist, Foxtale, The Derma Co. and Chemist at Play are among those driving growth.
10. The wishlist shows what's next, and the market has room to grow
Gen Z's wishlist already points to lactic acid, tranexamic acid and foundation-SPF hybrids. The wider market is expected to grow from ~$23bn to ~$40bn*, yet India spends only ~$15 per head on beauty, against $38 in China and $383 in the US*.
Sharon Pais, Head of Myntra, said: "Beauty and personal care is one of Myntra's strongest growth engines. For Gen Z, beauty is self-expression. It's how they show up, plan their looks and live their social lives. They try premium and international brands through minis, find new ones through creators and K-Beauty, and choose on ingredients and efficacy, in cities across the country. The brands that win will meet this shopper early, make discovery easy and earn trust through the product and its ingredients."
The bigger picture on Myntra
Beauty is roughly 1 in 5 units ordered on Myntra. Myntra offers over 2 lakh styles from 4,500+ brands, including 360+ international brands. Tech is helping shoppers choose with confidence: Virtual Try-On makes shoppers 2X more likely to buy, and Skin Analyzer lifts conversion by ~58%. For those who want it fast, Beauty on M-Now spans ~600 brands, with delivery as quick as little as 30 minutes.
The report was unveiled at the Myntra Beauty IRL event in Mumbai, alongside a panel discussion on The New Indian Beauty Consumer. It is based on Myntra platform data, buying behaviour and search trends from August 2025 to August 2026, covering Gen Z shoppers, and is read alongside trend-spotting by Myntra's creative and curation teams.
*Market estimates are from Redseer.
Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of Myntra by Times Internet's Spotlight team.
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