💄 Top 20 Makeup & Beauty News Stories
India & World | Tuesday, October 13, 2026
From India’s booming beauty industry and festive makeup trends to international skincare launches, artificial intelligence and luxury beauty brands, the beauty sector is undergoing rapid change.
Here are 20 noteworthy makeup and beauty developments for DownTheNews, covering cosmetics, skincare, haircare, fragrances, salon businesses and global industry trends.
🇮🇳 India Makeup & Beauty News
1. Social Media Transforms India’s Beauty Culture
Instagram, YouTube and short-form video platforms are changing how Indians discover makeup, skincare and personal-care products. Get Ready With Me videos, beauty hauls, tutorials and product reviews have become important sources of information, allowing consumers to learn about new products and purchase them directly through social commerce.
The shift has also created opportunities for smaller beauty creators and homegrown brands to reach audiences without depending exclusively on traditional advertising. However, consumers must distinguish personal recommendations from paid promotions and verify product claims before purchasing.
2. TOI Fashion & Beauty Awards 2026 Spotlight Industry Innovators
The Times of India Fashion & Beauty Awards are preparing to celebrate businesses, professionals and personalities shaping India’s evolving fashion and beauty industries.
The event highlights the growing importance of innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and changing consumer expectations. Recognition at such events can also help emerging brands attract customers, retail partners and industry attention.
For India’s beauty sector, the awards reflect a market in which success increasingly depends on product quality, brand identity, consumer trust and digital visibility.
3. India’s Homegrown Beauty Brands Gain Ground
India’s beauty market is increasingly welcoming independent brands launched through Instagram stores, direct-to-consumer websites and online marketplaces.
Digital platforms have reduced some traditional barriers to entry, allowing entrepreneurs to develop distinctive products and build communities around their brands. Consumers are also exploring products designed for different skin tones, hair textures, budgets and personal-care needs.
The challenge for these businesses is turning online popularity into sustainable growth through consistent quality, reliable distribution and transparent product information.
4. Festive Makeup Demand Pushes Salon Prices Higher
Indian salons and beauty-service platforms are experiencing increased demand for festive makeovers, including elaborate Garba looks, Durga Puja-inspired makeup and special occasion styling.
A report published on October 12 noted that some salons and service apps had doubled festive makeover prices compared with the previous season. Industry participants attributed the increase to higher demand and rising costs.
For consumers, advance bookings and transparent quotations may help avoid unexpected expenses during the festive rush.
5. Estée Lauder and Nykaa Announce BEAUTY&YOU India Finalists
The Estée Lauder Companies, Nykaa and Startup India announced the finalists for the 2026 edition of BEAUTY&YOU India on October 9.
The initiative supports promising Indian beauty and personal-care entrepreneurs, helping them develop businesses with the potential to reach larger markets. Its focus on emerging brands reflects the growing importance of India’s homegrown innovation ecosystem.
The programme also creates a bridge between new entrepreneurs and established players in the global beauty industry.
6. NARS Expands Its Presence in India
International cosmetics brand NARS is expanding its Indian retail presence, with a boutique in Gurugram among the developments highlighted by Professional Beauty India.
The expansion reflects the continuing interest of international prestige-beauty companies in India’s premium cosmetics market. Urban consumers are increasingly exploring specialist makeup brands, professional complexion products and curated shopping experiences.
For beauty retailers, physical stores remain valuable because customers can test foundation shades, compare textures and receive personalised assistance before purchasing.
7. Birkenstock Enters India’s Personal-Care Market
Footwear brand Birkenstock is extending its consumer-facing presence into personal care in India, according to industry reporting.
The move reflects a wider trend in which established lifestyle companies are exploring categories beyond their original businesses. Personal care offers brands opportunities to build everyday consumer relationships through products connected with comfort, grooming and wellbeing.
The success of such an expansion will depend on product relevance, pricing, distribution and the strength of the brand’s credibility in the new category.
8. SUKI Introduces a Haircare Appliance Designed for Indian Hair
SUKI has introduced what industry coverage describes as India’s first Care-Dryer, a hair-drying appliance designed around Indian hair needs.
The development highlights growing interest in haircare technology that combines styling with convenient everyday care. Consumers are paying closer attention to heat exposure, frizz management, drying time and maintaining hair texture.
As the category develops, product performance, heat-control features, ease of use and clear instructions will remain important considerations for consumers.
9. Huda Kattan to Receive Beautyworld Icon Award 2026
Beauty entrepreneur and makeup artist Huda Kattan is set to receive the Beautyworld Icon Award 2026.
Kattan’s career illustrates how digital influence can develop into a major beauty business. Through makeup content, product launches and community engagement, beauty creators have demonstrated their ability to influence consumer preferences and shape product-development conversations.
The recognition also reflects the growing importance of founder-led beauty brands in the international cosmetics market.
10. Men’s Grooming Becomes a Bigger Beauty-Business Opportunity
The men’s beauty and wellness market is receiving increased industry attention, with companies exploring opportunities in skincare, hair-loss care, anti-ageing products and professional grooming.
Industry coverage in the October–November edition of Professional Beauty x Hairdressers Journal examines the changing male beauty consumer, who is increasingly informed about products and more willing to invest in personal care.
Brands are responding by broadening their product ranges and communicating benefits beyond traditional shaving and basic grooming.
🌍 World Makeup & Beauty News
11. Hello Sunday Exits Sephora US After Two Years
British sunscreen brand Hello Sunday has exited Sephora in the United States approximately two years after entering the retailer.
The company reportedly found that maintaining a US presence required substantial investment in product reformulation, marketing and a separate operating team. Differences between US and UK consumer preferences added further complexity.
The decision offers a lesson for emerging beauty businesses: international retail expansion can increase visibility, but it can also create significant regulatory, financial and operational demands. Concentrating on markets where a brand has established strengths may sometimes be more sustainable than pursuing expansion everywhere.
12. Beauty Brands Face Growing Trust Challenges Over AI
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly common in beauty through virtual makeup try-ons, skin-analysis tools, personalised product recommendations and digitally generated advertising imagery.
However, the technology is also raising questions about privacy, unrealistic appearance standards and the reliability of automated recommendations. AI-generated faces and heavily altered images can make it difficult for consumers to distinguish authentic results from digitally manufactured ideals.
Beauty companies will need to explain how their systems work, protect consumer information and avoid presenting simulated results as guaranteed product outcomes. The long-term opportunity lies in using AI to improve shopping and personalisation without undermining trust.
13. Food-and-Beauty Collaborations Become a Marketing Trend
Beauty companies are increasingly partnering with food brands, restaurants and familiar snack products to create unusual collaborations.
These partnerships can bring together recognisable flavours, playful packaging and beauty products designed to attract social-media attention. Food-inspired scents and themed cosmetics also provide brands with opportunities to develop limited-edition collections.
The strategy reflects the growing overlap between beauty, entertainment, food culture and online communities. However, a successful collaboration still needs to offer a useful or enjoyable product rather than relying on novelty alone.
14. Estée Lauder Communications Chief Meridith Webster Steps Down
Meridith Webster is leaving her position as chief communications and public affairs officer at The Estée Lauder Companies after five years with the group.
She joined in 2021 as the company’s first executive vice-president of global communications and public affairs. Her responsibilities included corporate communications and public affairs during a period of organisational and business transformation.
The departure represents a senior leadership change as Estée Lauder continues efforts to strengthen its business and adapt to a changing global beauty market.
15. Baylis & Harding Expands Its Skincare-Inspired Body-Care Range
British personal-care brand Baylis & Harding is expanding its Kindness+ collection with three new serum body lotions available through Whole Foods Market in the United States.
The range brings ingredients commonly associated with facial skincare into everyday body care. The formulations include vitamin C and niacinamide for brightening, hyaluronic acid for hydration, and salicylic acid to help improve uneven skin texture.
The launch reflects a wider industry movement towards ingredient-focused body products. Consumers increasingly expect moisturisers and body lotions to offer clearly explained benefits in addition to basic hydration.
16. Smashbox Revives Its Popular O-Gloss Lip Product
Smashbox’s O-Gloss has returned in an updated lip-gloss formulation, appearing among October’s notable beauty launches.
The product is known for its colour-changing effect, with the clear gloss developing a pink appearance when applied. The updated version is promoted for shine, hydration and a smoother-looking lip finish.
The revival demonstrates how beauty companies are bringing back recognisable products for consumers who remember earlier launches. Nostalgia can generate renewed interest, particularly when a familiar product is updated for contemporary preferences.
17. SK-II Introduces a New Facial Treatment Serum
Skincare brand SK-II has introduced a new Facial Treatment Serum combining its signature PITERA ingredient with oil pearls designed to release during application.
The product is positioned around hydration, radiance and a smoother-looking complexion. Its formulation reflects the continuing popularity of products that combine established brand ingredients with newer textures and application experiences.
As with other skincare launches, consumers should assess ingredient suitability, follow usage instructions and remember that advertised results can vary depending on skin type and individual circumstances.
18. CurrentBody Launches Its Third-Generation LED Face Mask
CurrentBody has introduced the LED Red Light Therapy Face Mask: Series 3, an at-home beauty device featuring six customisable light wavelengths.
LED skincare devices have attracted consumer interest because they offer a technology-led approach to home beauty routines. However, results depend on the device, its intended use, treatment consistency and the quality of supporting evidence.
Consumers should follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions, especially regarding eye protection and any warnings related to light sensitivity. Home devices should not be assumed to provide the same outcomes as professional treatments.
19. Fall 2026 Makeup Trends Embrace Soft, Berry-Toned Lips
Beauty editors and makeup artists are highlighting softer applications of deep lip colours for autumn 2026.
Wine, blackberry, burgundy, rosewood and brown-red shades are appearing in combinations that blend darker liners with lighter colours at the centre of the lips. Instead of sharply defined, opaque finishes, the emphasis is on blurred edges, stains and satin textures.
This approach allows dramatic colours to look more wearable during the day while retaining their impact for evening makeup. Hydrating lip balms and oils can also help address dryness as the weather becomes cooler.
20. Beauty Brands Explore Personalised Products and New Skincare Formats
October’s beauty launches illustrate how brands are experimenting with personalised formulations, new textures and products that combine several everyday functions.
Examples include Prose’s personalised eye cream, Mary Kay’s matte eyeshadow sticks, Goldwell’s hydration-focused haircare range and SK-II’s serum innovations.
The wider trend is towards products that fit specific routines and preferences rather than one-size-fits-all beauty solutions. Consumers are also becoming more attentive to ingredient lists, practical performance and whether a product’s claims are supported by credible evidence.
✨ Five Major Makeup & Beauty Trends to Watch
1. Social commerce: Creators and short-form videos are influencing how consumers discover and buy beauty products.
2. AI-powered beauty: Virtual try-ons and personalised recommendations are expanding, while transparency and privacy remain important concerns.
3. Skincare-inspired body care: Body lotions increasingly borrow ingredients and positioning from facial skincare.
4. Nostalgia-driven makeup: Established products are returning in updated formulations to attract both longtime fans and new customers.
5. India’s expanding beauty market: Homegrown brands, international retail expansion and festive demand are creating opportunities across cosmetics, skincare, haircare and salon services.
