💄 Top 20 Makeup & Beauty News Stories
Friday, October 9, 2026
Here are 20 notable India and global makeup, skincare, haircare, fragrance and beauty-industry stories making headlines today.
🇮🇳 India Beauty News
1. Estée Lauder, Nykaa and Startup India Announce BEAUTY&YOU India Finalists
Fourteen Indian beauty founders and innovators have been selected as finalists for the 2026 BEAUTY&YOU India programme. The finalists span established beauty brands, early-stage concepts, design and fragrance innovation, with winners eligible for a prize pool of up to $500,000 plus mentorship and distribution support.
2. Indian Beauty Innovation Focuses on Products Designed for Local Needs
This year’s BEAUTY&YOU finalists include innovations specifically addressing Indian hair, heat, humidity, pigmentation, acne and hormonal skin changes. The development highlights a growing shift toward formulations designed around Indian consumers rather than simply adapting Western products.
3. Kay Beauty Reaches ₹300-Crore Annualised Sales Run Rate
Katrina Kaif’s Kay Beauty has reached an annualised sales run rate of around ₹300 crore, reflecting the growing scale of celebrity-founded beauty brands in India. The brand was launched with Nykaa in 2019.
4. Kiko Milano Plans to Double Its India Retail Presence
Italian cosmetics brand Kiko Milano is targeting a doubling of its Indian retail footprint by the end of 2026. The company currently operates through standalone stores and Reliance’s Tira platform and sees India as a potentially important long-term global market.
5. Foundation Nails Become a Major 2026 Beauty Trend
Barely-there “foundation nails” are gaining attention as consumers move toward understated manicures. The trend focuses on sheer, natural-looking finishes rather than highly decorated or heavily coloured nail designs.
6. Beauty B2B Market Gains Importance in India
The Indian beauty industry is increasingly looking beyond direct-to-consumer sales, with B2B distribution, professional salons and retail partnerships becoming important growth channels. Industry coverage says this shift is helping brands expand beyond online-first audiences.
7. NARS Expands Its India Retail Footprint
NARS is expanding its presence in India, including a new Gurugram boutique, as international prestige-beauty companies compete for India’s rapidly growing cosmetics market.
8. Birkenstock Enters India’s Personal-Care Market
Birkenstock is expanding beyond footwear into personal care in India, reflecting the broader convergence between lifestyle, wellness and beauty. The move comes as international brands seek new opportunities in India’s growing premium consumer market.
9. Affordable Makeup Kits Gain Festive-Season Attention
With India’s festive season underway, affordable makeup collections are attracting consumers looking to build complete beauty kits without spending heavily. Current recommendations are focusing on practical combinations of complexion products, colour cosmetics and setting products under ₹1,000.
10. Rich Brown Monochromatic Makeup Emerges as an Autumn Look
Grazia India is highlighting rich brown monochromatic makeup inspired by the Manish Malhotra Fall/Winter 2026 beauty aesthetic. The look combines warm brown tones across eyes, cheeks and lips with a dewy complexion and soft sculpting.
🌎 Global Beauty News
11. Estée Lauder Names New Global Head of Bobbi Brown
Estée Lauder Companies has appointed former L’Oréal executive Gaétane Baudry as Senior Vice President and Global General Manager of Bobbi Brown. The appointment comes as the group works to accelerate international growth for the makeup brand.
12. Estée Lauder Invests €5.7 Million in Water-Circularity Project
Estée Lauder Companies is investing €5.7 million in a water-circularity initiative at its Oevel manufacturing campus in Belgium. The project reflects the beauty industry’s increasing focus on reducing water consumption and improving manufacturing sustainability.
13. L’Oréal Partners With Paris Saint-Germain
L’Oréal Groupe has entered a new partnership with French football club Paris Saint-Germain, bringing together the beauty group’s global brands and one of football’s most recognisable sporting names.
14. Creed Opens First UK Boutique Outside London
Luxury fragrance house Creed has opened its first standalone UK boutique outside London in Manchester. The 525-square-foot store expands the L’Oréal-owned brand’s physical retail presence in one of Britain’s major cultural and commercial centres.
15. Paris Hilton Launches New Fragrance, Iconic Queen
Parlux has launched Iconic Queen Eau de Parfum under Paris Hilton Fragrances. The new scent adds to the celebrity fragrance category as brands increasingly use celebrity identities to create distinctive lifestyle and fragrance propositions.
16. Rhode, Haus Labs and Dolce & Gabbana Lead New Beauty Launches
New releases from Hailey Bieber’s Rhode, Lady Gaga’s Haus Labs and Dolce & Gabbana are among the beauty industry’s latest launches. The new products span makeup, fragrance and acne-care accessories.
17. Orebella Introduces New Vanilla’s Touch Body & Hair Mist
Bella Hadid’s Orebella has added Vanilla’s Touch to its body-and-hair perfume mist range. The alcohol-free, water-based fragrance uses sweet vanilla and marshmallow notes and is positioned as a lighter gourmand scent.
18. e.l.f. Skin Launches Hypochlorous Mist Campaign
e.l.f. Skin has launched a new campaign around its Save Your e.l.f. Hypochlorous Mist, targeting consumers interested in soothing and refreshing skincare. The campaign reflects the continued popularity of hypochlorous-acid products in skincare.
19. Beauty Brands Continue to Embrace AI and Digital Discovery
AI is increasingly influencing how consumers discover and evaluate beauty products, while companies are examining how brands can become more visible in AI-generated recommendations. Industry analysts say beauty companies need to communicate specific product benefits clearly as shoppers increasingly use AI alongside traditional search.
20. Men’s Grooming and Beauty Continue to Expand
The men’s beauty market is receiving increasing industry attention, covering skincare, hair loss, grooming, fragrance and ageing. Professional Beauty India’s October-November coverage describes male consumers as becoming more informed and increasingly willing to spend on appearance and wellbeing.
✨ Biggest Beauty Trends Today
Indian beauty entrepreneurship • celebrity beauty brands • prestige cosmetics expansion in India • festive makeup • brown monochromatic looks • natural nails • fragrance growth • men’s grooming • AI-powered beauty discovery • sustainable beauty manufacturing.
