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From viral obsessions to everyday icons, Nykaa decodes the beauty choices that defined 2025
If beauty in 2025 had a headline, it would read: India flirted hard and swiped right on what worked.
This wasn’t a year of blind loyalty or long-term commitment. It was the year of curious, confident experimentation. Consumers chased what was viral, sampled what was trending, and moved fast, but only the products that truly delivered earned repeat screen time in their routines.
Ingredient lists were scanned like subtitles. Reviews mattered. Reels influenced carts. And routines evolved in real time.
With a community of over 45 million beauty lovers across 19,000+ pincodes, Nykaa’s Best of 2025 doesn’t just decode what sold, it captures the beauty zeitgeist of India in 2025: what people flirted with, fell for, and folded into everyday life.
Because in 2025, beauty behaved less like a long marriage, and more like dating apps on a good day: fast, curious, trend-led, and brutally honest.
Some Categories Didn’t Just Trend. They Went Monumental.
The Pout Power: We sold 1,750 lipsticks every hour. Whether it was a swipe of the M.A.C MACximal Matte in Mehr or the cult-favorite Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk, somewhere in India, a pout was being perfected every two seconds.
Infrastructure for the Eyes: Stack all the kajals sold in 2025 and you’d build 575 Burj Khalifas. Clearly, a sharp wing isn’t a phase; it’s infrastructure.
Base Camp: The volume of foundation sold could paint 250 football fields. From the high-coverage NARS Natural Radiant Longwear to the “skin-first” Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer, India is committed to the base like never before.
The Pink City: Blush sales hit such heights this year that if they were paint, Jaipur wouldn’t need a refresh for the next century. (Yes, Kay Beauty’s Velvet Crème Blush deserves a mention.)
Reviews as the final word: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (Dry to Normal Skin with Niacinamide) won without breaking a sweat. With 1.3 lakh+ ratings and a stellar 4.5-star rating, it officially became India’s most-reviewed beauty product on Nykaa, proof that sometimes, the quiet classics win the loudest applause.
Brand Topper: Dot & Key didn’t just sit pretty on vanities this year, it lived rent-free in people’s search histories. In fact, “Dot & Key Face Moisturiser” emerged as the fastest-growing beauty search keyword on Nykaa in 2025, clocking 63% growth. From ceramides to sunscreen, the brand’s barrier-first, no-fuss philosophy struck a chord with a generation that wants skincare to work hard and feel good doing it. Cute packaging helped, but performance sealed the deal.
Some people shop. Some people commit
A shopper from Nagpur placed Nykaa’s single highest-value order of 2025, Rs. 4 lakhs in one go, 91 products, no browsing, no second thoughts.
Was it a wedding? A launch? A glow-up era? We don’t know. But we do know the face was going to be camera-ready for anthing.
Moral of the story? When India loves beauty, it loves it wholeheartedly.
Skin First, Always: The Barrier Era
In 2025, “glow” was the result, but “barrier health” was the requirement. Consumers stopped chasing miracles and started playing the long game with ceramides and peptides.
Forever Status: Icons like Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and Simple Kind to Skin Refreshing Facewash proved they never go out of style. India is clearing the shelves at warp speed with 19 cleansers finding a new bathroom mirror every single minute.
Moisture Mania: Nykaa sold 25 moisturisers a minute, making hydration the most consistent step in beauty routines. Neutrogena Hydro Boost and Cetaphil Moisturising Cream topped the charts in this category. So by the time you finish this paragraph, 50 more routines just got a hydration upgrade.
Serums: The Power Move
If moisturisers were the foundation, serums were the intentional “main character.”
The Glow-Getter: Minimalist 10% Vitamin C Serum For Face For Glowing Skin became the ultimate bright spot in India’s vanity, leading the charge for radiant, even-toned skin.
Ingredient Literacy: India memorized percentages like passwords. From The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% to targeted peptides, these were the go-to solutions for consumers who know their molecules from their marketing.
K-Beauty – From Discovery to Discipline: Not a Trend. A Habit.
2025 marked the year K-beauty completed its transition from curiosity to core routine.
Trust over Hype: Products like Beauty of Joseon Relief Sunscreen didn’t just go viral, they stayed, were repurchased, and relied upon.
Lips as Self-Care: Glossy finishes, lip oils, nourishing balms, and creamy textures officially dethroned old-school mattes. Cult favourites like LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm became the sweet spot where self-care met self-expression, making lips the main character of the beauty routine.
The Glass Skin Standard: COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence remained a staple, aligning perfectly with India’s growing preference for barrier care and skin longevity. K-beauty wasn’t being explored anymore. It was being trusted.
Fragrance: Building an Aura Wardrobe
India stopped looking for “the one” signature scent and started building wardrobes. 5 fragrances were sold every minute.
Main Character Energy: From the luxury of DIOR Sauvage to the sweet comfort of Plum Bodylovin’ Vanilla Caramello EDP, scents became a daily personality trait.
Makeup, But Make It Intelligent: The Era of the Multitasker
Heavy glam took a backseat this year, not because makeup disappeared, but because it evolved. Consumers leaned into skin tints, breathable bases, and formulas that worked overtime. Makeup didn’t want attention; it wanted performance.
Tint-Meets-Treatment: Products like Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer and L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24H Tinted Serum led the movement.
Lips, but Smarter: Liquid lipsticks became the statement piece of 2025, long-wear, no-transfer formulas ruled the day. Standouts included L’Oréal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick and Nykaa Matte To Last! Transferproof Liquid Lipstick proving that color and performance can coexist effortlessly.
Enduring Icons: Meanwhile, classics like Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer reminded everyone that cult status isn’t a trend; it’s a legacy.
In 2025, makeup didn’t shout. It showed up and did the job.
The Ritual Upgrade: Bath, Body & Hair
Body care moved from “functional hygiene” to “intentional ritual,” with Bath & Body Kits surging by 93%.
The Shower Scene: It wasn’t just a wash; it was a treatment with Chemist At Play’s Exfoliating Body Wash (4% Lactic Acid) and the comforting Dove Relaxing Care Shea Butter & Vanilla.
Scalp is the New Skin: Haircare got serious. Through the last year, over 1 crore rosemary-based products were sold. WishCare Hair Growth Serum moved at a rate of one unit every minute, proving India is officially over the “quick fix” and into the “thick fix.”
The Gloss Factor: L’Oréal Professionnel Absolut Repair and L’Oréal Paris Hyaluron Moisture shampoos kept the frizz at bay for 72 hours at a time.
Nykaa Now: For the “I Need It Yesterday” Generation
Imagine this, you’re halfway through packing for a holiday when you realize your face wash is bone dry. One shopper in Bangalore found herself in this exact “pre-flight panic.” Realizing she was flying to Delhi that same night, she didn’t think a restock was possible. She ordered her favorite cleanser via Nykaa Now while still at her office desk. The result? The package didn’t just meet her at home; it beat her there. That’s not just delivery; that’s a travel hack.
When “Instant” Actually Means Instant:
The 6-Minute Flex: In Hyderabad, someone restocked their full barrier-repair kit, Minimalist 10% Vitamin C Serum and CeraVe Moisturizer, while a Bella Vita Perfume Set landed in Delhi… all in 6 minutes. That’s faster than deciding what to watch on Netflix.
The “Everything Everywhere All At Once” Order: While most people use us for quick fixes, Chennai went for the “full vanity overhaul.” Our largest basket of the year featured 96 products in a single order, a makeup-heavy haul of Nykaa Cosmetics, Lakme and Neutrogena that proved our assortment is as deep as our delivery is fast.
Whether it’s one serum or ninety-six lipsticks, Nykaa Now is making sure the only thing you waited for in 2025 was your nails to dry.
The Big Picture: Smarter, Softer, More Intentional
Beauty in 2025 wasn’t about chasing what’s next, it was about building routines that last. Beauty in 2025 wasn’t about chasing what’s next, it was about moving fast, choosing smart, and switching without guilt.
Indian consumers explored freely, followed trends unapologetically, and built routines that evolved with them. From barrier-first skincare to intelligent makeup, indulgent body care and mood-led fragrances, beauty became deeply personal, and joyfully flexible.
And as always, Nykaa remained the space where curiosity met with credibility, trends met trust, and discovery happens at the speed of now. Shop the ‘Best of 2025’ only on Nykaa or at a Nykaa store near you.
