Introduction: Lakmé – The Beauty of India since 1952
Lakmé is a cosmetics brand that has solidified itself in India’s beauty industry for over seventy years. It was founded by J.R.D. Tata in 1952 with the goal of reducing India’s reliance on imported beauty products. Simone Tata became chairman of T.A.T.A. in the 1960s, positioning Lakmé in 1980. To be a brand centred around makeup and beauty for Indian women that was reflective of Indian skin tones.
Initially, its marketed products are modest, and its advertising began with the first in Indian advertising by featuring Shyamoli Verma. The brand wanted makeup to be an expression of individual identity. In 1999, Lakmé fortified its influence in the industry by launching Lakmé Salons and Lakmé Fashion Week. Offering premier beauty services for Indian women and establishing the beauty exhibition for men and women in the country.
Lakmé was acquired by Hindustan Unilever in 1998. It expanded to more than 300,000 point-of-sale (POS) locations and 450 salons in the country. Since being acquired by Hindustan Unilever. A subsidiary of the multinational British-Dutch corporation Unilever, Lakmé continues growing its retail presence, follows the global trends of K-beauty, and introduced augmented reality (AR)-based virtual try-on for its accessories like eyebrows, lashes, and eyeliners.
Its brand ethos on digital media allows its influencer collaboration engagements and a full range of vibrant content that can continue to attract new audiences. The brand can target and meet a similar audience cohort with their mix of both internal influential brand engagement and influencer-based campaigns to become the representative brand that symbolises Indian style and empowerment.
Founder History & Brand Story – The Lakmé Legacy
The Lakmé story starts with a formal request near the end of the 1950s from prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru to J. R. D. Tata. Nehru has a desire to create an indigenous Indian house of beauty and beauty brands for the domestic market to save foreign currency.
Then came the birth of Lakmé under the umbrella of Tata Oil Mills Company (TOMCO) in 1952. It was named after the Indian goddess Lakshmi. Simone Tata became chairman of TATA in the 1960s, who revolutionised Lakmé as a luxury beauty brand.
She believed that Indian women can have quality skincare and stylish makeup. Also, a beauty range that aligns with their multitude of skin tones and different climates. Lakmé eventually expanded beyond basic beauty; some of its products included foundations, designs of kajals, and product investments that were designed for the local Indian market.
Lakmé Salons were also started in India, providing professional beauty services. In 1996, the brand was acquired by Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). It allows Lakmé to obtain widespread distribution and reignite growth.
The launch of Lakmé Fashion Week in 1999 further embedded Lakmé into the fashion industry. From the brand launch, Lakmé has been synonymous with beauty and Indian beauty at Global Standards. Lakmé is a travel brand legacy in trust and transformations.
Best Products of Lakmé
Lakmé has created an incredible amount of popular products, products that have become staples for women’s makeup across India.
Lakmé Absolute Matte Melt Liquid Lip Colour: A long-lasting, smudge-resistant lipstick that has made it popular with students and professionals alike.
Lakmé 9 to 5 Primer + Matte Foundation: This item comes with a built-in primer with a smooth finish and an SPF 20 for sun protection.
Lakmé Eyeconic Kajal: A kajal, as it is waterproof and smudge-proof, is constantly available in various shades. A must-have item for all ages.
Lakmé Absolute Perfect Radiance Skin Lightening Day Cream: A decade long product that remains popular as it reduces dark spots whilst providing instant glow.
Lakmé Sun Expert SPF 50: A broad-spectrum sunscreen that is non-sticky and ideal for inclement Indian weather.
These products show Lakmé remarkably understands the needs of their audience.
Awards & Recognition
Lakmé has won numerous awards, stress-testing its position for quality and leadership.
- Brand Trust and Popularity Awards: Human Resource recognition as India’s Most Trusted Brand was recognised by the Brand Trust report in 2022 – 2024. Also, ET Best Brands in 2023 & India Today Best Beauty Brand in 2021 & 2022.
- Product Innovation Awards: Luxurious awards by Cosmopolitan and Vogue, such as the 9 to 5 Weightless Mousse Foundation and the Eyeconic Kajal.
- Fashion & Partnership Excellence: Lakmé Fashion Week is Asia’s leading lifestyle fashion platform aimed at celebrating and advancing sustainable fashion design.
- Global Brand Recognition: Starting in 2024, only Lakmé will have represented India in the Top 100 Cosmetic Brands in the World according to the Global Cosmetic Index.
With nearly a decade of uninterrupted success and legacy in the beauty space, Lakmé is a leading and trusted beauty product.
SWOT Analysis of Lakmé
A SWOT analysis analyzes Lakmé’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Strengths
Legacy and Trust: A heritage beauty product with history and real emotional bonds to consumers.
Wide Range of Products: Lakmé has the complete product portfolio of makeup and skincare suited to Indian skin tones.
Strong Distribution Network: Lakmé’s complete footprint is across 300,000+ retail outlets and 450 salons.
Powerful Marketing & Endorsements: High celebrity association and also with Lakmé Fashion Week.
Backed by HUL: Hindustan Unilever provides ample financial and marketing support during the seasonal promotion initiatives.
Innovation in Digital Beauty: Examples of how to observe and view the brands’ practices with virtual try-on tools, trending formats and rapid online content.
Weaknesses
Price Perception: Some of their consumers feel their products are expensive.
Limited Male Grooming Products: Lakmé has lost out to competitors who have entered this growing men’s grooming market.
Inconsistent Salon Experience: Quality can vary by location.
The necessary instructions in salon treatments can differ per person, and therefore they may experience a different quality in the service, this defeats the purpose of executing & recommending Lakmé products.
Opportunities
Expansion in Tier-3 and Rural Markets: The increase of internet access to small towns provides for new categories of growth.
Sustainable and Organic Products: The opportunity to introduce clean beauty products to engage conscious consumers.
Male and Teen Segments: Opportunity to create bespoke products for these occasions.
Global Expansion: Vast potential for growth in South Asian and African markets.
Collaborations with Influencers: Collaborating with local influencers can help improve your audience engagement with your offerings to your local market.
Threats
Intense Competition: Competition is heating up in the Indian marketplace. New brands like Sugar Cosmetics have entered, and there are mega brand competitors such as L’Oréal or Maybelline, that are also global in size.
Customer Loyalty Shift: New-age brands are targeting the younger audience at risk of switching loyalties.
Fake Product Market: A counterfeit marketplace erodes brand equity, as well as trust relationships with consumers.
Changing Beauty Trends: Watching beauty trends influence whether your offering is either hyper-localised or gender-neutral in some aspect, as well as ingredient trends such as serum-infused beauty products.
Lakmé’s Digital Marketing Strategy
Lakmé is a digital-first brand known for its multi-faceted marketing strategy based on a modern beauty company that stays relevant.
Strong Social Media Presence: They are actively engaging on all social media platforms, regularly posting engaging content like makeup Reels, demo or how-to videos, or tutorials, etc. They also have AR filters so users can try on their products using augmented reality.
- Instagram: Lakmé shares Reels showcasing and endorsing the brand’s own products in how-to makeup tutorials, in-studio demos, and skincare advice, as well as notices/snippets of new launches in the brand’s product lines. In 2026, Lakmé even uses AR filters where customers can virtually try on all the lipstick and eyeliner shades. Most of its Reels exhibit influencers while mimicking a beauty tutorial and a before-and-after look with trending music.
- YouTube: Their YouTube channel offers how-to-style and influencer-created videos which also promote their celebrity-launched styles. Videos like “A Bridal Look in 10 Minutes” or “#LakmeMakeup Easy Office to Party” have millions of views.
- Facebook: Used mostly for brand campaigns and as a platform for Live sessions grouped around the festive seasons and product launches.
- Influencer Marketing: Collaborating with influencers, especially regional creators, is a great resource to spread the brand and flexibility in design. Lakmé created a community around its products. When posting, they typically use simple hashtags like #LakmeLookOfTheDay.
- Celebrity Endorsements: Undertakes celebrity endorsements – for instance, using celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan in short-form video for social media ads.
Content Marketing: The site serves as an online beauty guide with SEO-optimised blogs on beauty-relevant topics such as skincare and makeup.
They post once a week blog articles with topics including:
- “Top 5 Lipstick Shades for Dusky Skin”
- “Summer Skincare Tips Under ₹500”
- “How to Choose the Right Foundation Tone”
Performance Marketing: Utilises targeted Google Ads and Meta Ads for product launches and sales, which lead to a 47% increase in eCommerce conversions during Diwali 2024.
They included search terms or keywords such as:
- “Buy Lakmé Lipstick Online”
- “Best foundation for Indian skin”
Their ad copies have promotions such as
- “Flat 20% off on Lakmé 9to5 Range – Limited Time”
- “New Lakmé Dew Serum – Try Now @ ₹799”
For Diwali 2024, they issued a Performance Max Campaign which lead to:
- 47% increase in eCommerce conversions
- 26% lower cost per click than 2023
Website Optimisation: Added AI-based personalisation to recommend products based on browsing history, which improved average cart value by 18%.
Consumers can now receive tailored suggestions, based on previous and browsing history, directly related to:
- Product suggestions challenging customers with suggestions, such as “Based on your skin type…”
- Offers based on past purchases or browsing behaviour/shopping cart, such as “buys lipstick; here is 10% off lip balm”,
Augmented Reality (AR) Tools: The AR virtual try-on feature tangibly assists with creating confidence in the consumer and reducing product returns.
- The consumers can trial lipstick shades, eyeliner, blush, or foundation using the phone camera in order to make informed buying decisions.
- The AR tool powered through the Lakmé app and connected with partnered salons to create buyer trust and returned items.
Email & WhatsApp Marketing: Book is delivering tailored emails and leveraging WhatsApp for Business to inform and engage clients regarding orders, reminders, and suggestions.
Lakmé works with their customers through personalised email campaigns:
- Inform of new products launching,
- Birthday discount codes,
- Order Updates and follow-ups to review.
In 2026, they also adopted WhatsApp for Business:
- Customers can get order confirmation.
- Track delivery
- Receive beauty tips and daily product suggestions.
Lakmé Fashion Week Promotions: Launch limited edition products according to the season (e.g., Winter 2023). Use the tutorial to spend on brands from runway looks. across the website, and enable collaboration. To create season-facing and promotional initiatives to increase LFW by 22% in 2026.
During LFW, the brand launches:
- Special edition products,
- Tutorials on “getting the runway look”,
- Instagram filters featuring the trending look.
Their campaign during LFW 2026 Spring Edition featured:
- YouTube Shorts Behind-the-Scenes.
- Instagram carousel posts “Style with Lakmé”,
- Shoppable Links to recreate Celebrity looks.
Partnerships with eCommerce Platforms: Partnering with eCommerce platforms (e.g., Nykaa and Amazon) for limited launches and coordinated PM mega sale events.
- Participate in PM mega sale events,
- Build and create an exclusive kit only through an online platform.
- Launch exclusives for the premium collection for pre-access collaboration.
Example:
The Lakmé Absolute x Nykaa Dewy Kit sold out in 3 days from one launch customer subscription in March 2026.
Product pages will feature:
- high-resolution images,
- video demos,
- verified reviews,
- steps on “how to use”
Lakmé’s Social Media Presence in 2026
Lakmé enjoys a colourful and dynamic social media presence, featuring lifestyle & self-expression content.
| Platform | 2026 Presence & Strategy |
| Over 3.2 million followersDaily Reels on trending makeup hacksAR filters for lipstick/eyeliner try-onsRegional language campaigns with creators | |
| YouTube | 1.1 million subscribers“Lakmé Looks” series for skin and hairTutorials: bridal makeup, office glam, festival looksInfluencer reviews & live Q&As |
| 5.6 million followersProduct launches, beauty tips & giveaway contestsCross-promotions with Lakmé SalonFacebook Live sessions with experts | |
| Twitter (X) | 400K+ followersUpdates on Lakmé Fashion WeekBeauty tips in short threadsCelebrity endorsements & trending hashtag campaigns |
| Boards on festive looks, bridal kits, and trending skincareStep-by-step makeup inspirationOver 1.5M monthly viewers | |
| Business API activePersonalised deals, order tracking, and beauty tips3x higher engagement compared to email | |
| For brand partnerships, sustainability efforts, and HUL updatesPosts on career opportunities and Lakmé Salon franchisees | |
| Threads | Light, casual beauty jokes, relatable content, and product factsRising audience among Gen Z |
Conclusion – Lakmé’s Journey from Legacy to Leadership
Lakmé is not merely a label; it is symbolic of Indian beauty and creativity. From a state-owned company, it has transformed into one of the most respected brands in the Indian beauty sector.
It has also succeeded for many reasons, among them, but not limited to, understanding the Indian consumer like no other, heritage, and digital development.
Lakmé has identified a way of combining cutting-edge technology, staying current, and offering goods associated with self-exploration and confidence to continue to lead the market.
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