Core Findings

Myntra released the "Beauty in the Age of Gen Z" report, covering platform data and search trends from August 2025 to August 2026. The study finds that sun‑protection (SPF) products are up 60 % YoY among Gen Z shoppers, and 53 % of luxury‑makeup orders now include a mini size. K‑Beauty demand exploded 200 % YoY, with related searches rising more than 300 %, and the platform now lists over 1,000 SKUs from 90+ K‑Beauty brands, adding 30+ new brands in the last year. Hair‑mask orders grew 110 % YoY (versus 59 % for conditioners) and men’s‑skincare orders rose 78 % YoY, driven primarily by Gen Z.

Spending and Wallet Share

Gen Z’s per‑customer spend on beauty and personal care is 1.2 × higher YoY, giving the category a 75 % higher share of its wallet compared with millennials. Repeat Gen Z beauty orders are up ~70 % this year, and the repeat beauty shopper often overlaps with the repeat apparel shopper.

Geographic Distribution

Half of Gen Z beauty buyers on Myntra live in Tier‑2 and Tier‑3 cities such as Ludhiana, Patna, Bhopal, Indore, Guwahati, Surat, Varanasi and Imphal. These cities account for 50 % of the platform’s international beauty demand, extending the growth beyond metros.

Product Mix and Miniatures

Miniature formats constitute 14 % of luxury‑beauty units sold, led by lipstick, perfume and face primer. Brands including M.A.C., Kayali, Smashbox and Salvatore Ferragamo obtain more than half of their new customers through minis.

Creator Ecosystem and Content

Myntra hosts roughly 82,000 active beauty creators; user‑generated content is up 40 % YoY, and nearly two‑thirds of new creator registrations in the past four months are Gen Z. Video is the primary discovery channel for this cohort.

Ingredient and Texture Preferences

Gen Z searches for spray sunscreens are up 80 %, ingredient‑led sunscreens 70 %, and tinted sunscreens 60 %. Preferred ingredients include Centella asiatica, copper peptides, azelaic acid and panthenol. The wishlist already highlights lactic acid, tranexamic acid and foundation‑SPF hybrids.

Platform Capabilities and Conversion Drivers

Myntra offers about 2.5 lakh styles from 4,500+ brands, including 360+ international labels. Virtual Try‑On makes shoppers 2 × more likely to purchase, while the Skin Analyzer lifts conversion by roughly 58 %. The M‑Now beauty stream spans ~600 brands with delivery times as fast as nine minutes.

D2C Growth

The marketplace hosts 700 pure‑play D2C beauty brands and 3,000 emerging D2C names; D2C beauty grew 68 % in FY26. Brands such as Plum, Minimalist, Foxtale, The Derma Co. and Chemist at Play are key contributors. Gen Z is 25 % more likely to try an indigenous or D2C brand.

Market Size Context

Industry estimates (Redseer) project India’s beauty market to expand from roughly USD 23 bn to USD 40 bn. Current per‑capita spend is about USD 15, compared with USD 38 in China and USD 383 in the United States.

Executive Commentary

Deepak Joshi, Senior Director – Beauty and Personal Care, described Gen Z as a “skin‑first” generation that values ingredient transparency and year‑round sun protection. Sharon Pais, Head of Myntra, emphasized beauty as a growth engine and highlighted the importance of minis, creators and K‑Beauty in meeting Gen Z expectations. Deepash Jain, VP – Marketing, noted that Gen Z “scrolls to discover” rather than searches to shop, shaping platform experience and brand curation.

Outlook and Next Steps

Myntra plans to scale its pre‑ and post‑purchase experience, strengthen the creator ecosystem through Myntra GlamStream, and continue momentum in D2C, luxury, international beauty, non‑metro penetration and first‑time online beauty shoppers. The report was unveiled at the Myntra Beauty IRL event in Mumbai alongside a panel on “The New Indian Beauty Consumer.”