South Asian beauty is set to be the next K-Beauty and it's already loved by Hollywood

South Asian beautylooks poised to be the next movement to permeate the global industry. While Korean beauty (K-beauty) has long-dominated social media feeds and beauty shelves — with consumers vying for ‘glass skin’ and brands like Beauty of Joseon, Innisfree and CosRX on every product round-up — the global eye is shifting to India.

Until recently, South Asian beauty was nowhere to be seen in chains like Space NK, Boots and Sephora. The call for major brands to expand their colour palettes for brown-skinned consumers was a hard-won nod of recognition, but South Asian beauty founders still struggled to claim space on retail shelves. But the tides may be turning.

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What is South Asian beauty?

South Asian beauty is largely rooted in Ayurvedicrituals and traditions. Derived from ancient Indian practices of medicine, it prioritises natural ingredients and holistic long-term practices for healthy skin and hair.

Traditional South Asian practices like hair oilingand scalp massages and active Ayurvedic ingredients like centella (aka gotu kola) and liquorice root (yashtimadhu) define the movement.

Why are South Asian beauty brands trending?

South Asian beauty brands meet consumer demand for natural, restorative products that lend themselves to long-standing wellness practices. Ayurvedic remedies prioritise herbal and non-toxic substances at a time when filler incites fatigue and expensive pharma-first solutions are losing steam.

On TikTok #hairoiling yields over 100k results and recipes for turmeric face masks and videos about the importance of tongue scraping are gaining traction. The mammoth beauty company Puig adding Kama Ayurveda to its impressive portfolio alongside Charlotte Tilbury and Byredo also signalled a move to raise Ayurvedic beauty’s profile in the UK.

South Asian beauty also appeals to consumers that prioritise founder-led businesses, as some of the biggest burgeoning brands have a distinct story and philosophy.

Have you tried South Asian beauty products yet — or are you sticking with K-Beauty classics? Let us know in the comments.

How is South Asian beauty like K-Beauty?

Like K-Beauty, South Asian beauty prioritises holistic and long-term practices for healthy skinand hair with a ritualistic nature. Innovative product lines highlighting ancient ingredients unite both practices.

The clean and holistic beauty movement that K-beauty perpetuated has helped pave a space in the international market for South Asian brands to emerge, most notably in the UK.

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South Asian beauty brands in the UK

• Kulfi Beauty - Founded in 2021 by Priyanka Ganjoo, Kulfi Beauty is a vegan and cruelty-free makeup brand which celebrates creativity and playfulness and takes inspiration from Ganjoo’s own Indian heritage. It became the first South Asian make-up brand to be stocked in Sephora and is now available in Space NK.

• Kay Beauty - India’s most popular make-up brand was founded by legendary Bollywood actress Katrina Kaifhas also arrived in the UK. As of September 2025, you can shop Kay Beauty exclusively at Space NK.

• indē wild - Founder, Diipa Büller-Khosla, is a notable social media star and was inspired by her mother’s work as an Ayurvedic doctor to combine ancient rituals with science-backed chemistry into Ayurvedistry™.

• Fable and Mane - In keeping with family traditions, the brother-sister duo behind Fable and Mane seeks to create a modern hair wellness brand of potent plant-based products inspired by ancient Indian beauty secrets with vegan, clean and cruelty-free formulas.

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