The twelve finalists represented a cross-section of the Indian beauty industry’s most promising new talent

October 9th, 2024: The Estée Lauder Companies (“ELC”) New Incubation Ventures (“NIV”), and NYKAA are pleased to announce the finalists for BEAUTY&YOU India 2024. Created by NIV and launched in partnership with India’s leading beauty and lifestyle retailer, NYKAA, BEAUTY&YOU India continues its mission to discover, spotlight, and propel the next generation of India-focused beauty brands. The 2024 program builds on the success of previous years with the theme of Supercharged Futures.

This year, the program saw over 660 applicants double the amount from when the program launched in 2022. Applicants are from over 50 cities representing all beauty categories. From these applicants, NIV and NYKAA executives selected 12 finalists in the three categories of GROW (in-market), IMAGINE (pre-launch), and CREATE (storytellers). This year’s applicants were highly focused on breakthrough innovation via product technology and platforms, patented systems as well as identifying new market segments and consumer segments.

“BEAUTY&YOU India continues to reflect our deep commitment to nurturing and empowering India’s most promising beauty entrepreneurs,” said Shana Randhava, Senior Vice President, of New Incubation Ventures, The Estée Lauder Companies. “As one of the world’s most dynamic and rapidly expanding beauty markets, India holds a vital position in the global landscape. India’s potential is immense, and this program underscores our belief in the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit driving its beauty sector. Each edition of BEAUTY&YOU India has demonstrated remarkable progress, and the 2024 program builds on this momentum. We are excited to further elevate the India beauty story and support the next generation of beauty innovators who will shape the future of this industry.”

GROW (In-Market Companies)

iluvia
Nishant Gupta and Palash Pandey Co-Founders

Iluvia’s scientifically backed products target Indian consumers living in metropolitan areas looking for an effective solution for hard water-induced hair issues, including hair loss, flaky scalp, and premature graying.
Instagram: @iluviapro

Gunam Beauty Elizabeth Issac Founder
Translating to “goodness” in founder Elizabeth Isaac’s native Malayali language, Gunam’s skin care and supplements merge Indian ingredients with French formulating expertise.
Instagram: @gunambeauty

SkinInspired Piyush Jain Founder & CEO
Dr Prashant Agrawal Founder and CPO
Skin Inspired is a science-backed skin care company that uses multi-active ingredients that deliver results and innovative packaging that makes for a seamless user experience.
Instagram: @skininspired.in

SEREKO
Malvika Jain Founder
Sereko breaks the loop of recurring skin issues with its patent-pending psychodermatology formulas that early clinical results suggest reverse the signs of stress in skin.
Instagram: @sereko.official

Suganda Skincare Bindu Amrutham Founder
Suganda was born from founder Bindu Amrutham’s personal quest for safe and effective solutions for the skin that holistically balance scientific innovation with gentle care.
Instagram: @suganda.co

IMAGINE (Pre-Market Concepts)

NOT Just VANILLA
Akshay Bawa Founder and CEO Kritika Rathi Founder and CMO
Not Just Vanilla redefines body care with targeted, results-driven solutions for overlooked areas, empowering consumers to feel confident and embrace self-love every day.
Instagram: @notjustvanilla.co

GOOD PEOPLE
Zahra Khan Founder
With a goal to do more with less, Good People’s clinically vetted skin care simplifies routines and delivers strong results.
Instagram: @goodpeoplestudio.co

Amright Vaishnavi Maganti Founder
Vijay Sivaraju Co-Founder
Amright combines clinically proven Swiss ingredients with genetic research on hair to promote female hair regrowth, offering custom solutions to fullness.
Instagram: @amrightindia

Aierloom Ashi Bhat Founder
Aierloom introduces world-first, patent-pending waterless shampoo and conditioner gels that blend Ayurvedic wisdom with Australian innovation. Zero-waste beauty essentials, with zero compromises to efficacy or experience.
Instagram: @aierloom.in

L’ORIENT
Dr. Prasanthi Purosothaman Founder/CEO
Revolutionary holistic hyperpigmentation care merging heritage with innovation, L’Orient’s biotech- derived Ayurvedic botanicals combine with cosmeceuticals within novel delivery and microbiome enhancing formulas to help address the skin exposome.
Instagram: @lorientofficial

CREATE (Creative Storytellers)

Journey of Objects Alia Allana
Founder & Journalist
Seamlessly blending reportage and retail, Journey of Objects is an e-commerce marketplace that helps embrace sustainability and preserve the cultural diversity of India through industry research and thoughtful product curation.
Instagram: @journeyofobjects

Bottu
Shreshta Jaisingh Founder

Bottu is a modern face applique brand that is reimagining the bindi for the digital age. Instagram: @bottubeauty

On October 17th, finalists will pitch their start-ups to the esteemed jury, which includes Tarun Tahiliani, Founder and Director, Tarun Tahiliani; Anaita Shroff Adajania, Stylist, Creative Director & Founder, Style Cell; Shruti Chandra, Vice President, Invest India; and Samrath Bedi, Executive Director, Forest Essentials. Winners will be announced at a special event the same evening at The Leela Palace, New Delhi.

An exciting addition to this year’s program is that winners have access to the BEAUTY&YOU India Bootcamp, featuring one-on-one mentorship sessions with industry leaders Falguni Nayar, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, NYKAA; Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Founder, Sabyasachi; and Rohan Vaziralli, General Manager, ELCA Cosmetics Private Limited. This unique opportunity is designed to provide the winners with invaluable insights and mentorship from these experts and affirms the program’s commitment to fostering the growth and development of the next generation of Indian-focused beauty entrepreneurs. BEAUTY&YOU India 2024 will provide award recipients with financial support via a prize pool of up to 4 Crore, or $500k, distribution channel access, mentorship, and access to research and innovation resources.

“Our partnership with BEAUTY&YOU India continues to play a vital role in identifying and empowering the next generation of India-focused beauty brands. With India’s beauty industry growing at an unprecedented pace, now is the perfect time to support the innovators and creators shaping its future. At Nykaa, we believe in the potential of homegrown talent, and through BEAUTY&YOU, we are committed to providing the platform, mentorship, and resources needed to thrive. As we celebrate the success of the 2024 program, we are committed to sustaining this momentum and further supporting India’s dynamic beauty ecosystem, with a vision of fostering a future where Indian brands take the lead on the global stage,” said Anchit Nayar, Executive Director & CEO, NYKAA Beauty.