Come rain or shine: India's monsoon beauty category is big business

Lovers of romance revel in the rains. After all, for consumers in India there is nothing cosier than being tucked safely indoors nursing a hot cup of chai, watching dense clouds gather momentum and feeling the wind speed up, all while the monsoon pours outside.

However, the reality can be far less romantic, especially when consumers have to trudge through puddles of water while trying to protect themselves from the downpour.

As a power player in global beauty, India is forecasted to become the world's fifth largest cosmetics market and grow to US$28.6bn by 2026. But how can beauty brands help consumers through the turbulent monsoon season that dominates beauty and fashion choices from June to September?

With the rains, come a host of skin and hair problems. The sleekest of strands turn into out-of-control frizz; skin acts as unpredictable as the weather outside, and make-up requires a miracle to stay put. Come shine, and brands have it easy, but come rain, and the road to forecasting and navigating becomes a lot harder. These beauty brands explain how they tackle the annual deluge.

"A good monsoon season often builds a positive discerning approach to the economy, which leads to an increase in domestic and international consumption of goods, products and services," says Nitin Passi, Managing Director of organic luxury Ayurvedic beauty brand SoulTree.

"We also see an inclination of online shopping increasing compared to lower footfalls in our bricks-and-mortar outlets."

As for the significant skin and hair related concerns explicitly associated with the monsoon, which includes rashes due to increased allergens and humidity, and decreased temperature, Passi firmly believes that, for consumers, brands that help address issues intuitively without asking for a solution are likely to become their preferred choice in beauty regimes.

Shahnaz Husain, founder of