Brushes with purpose: Kohl Kreatives eyes growth potential among India’s eco-conscious beauty consumers

The makeup tools brand partnered with beauty e-commerce platform Kult App to enter the India market earlier this month.

Its offerings include makeup brushes that are known for its inclusive design for those with motor disabilities, as well as makeup stencil stickers.

Kohl Kreatives’ founder Trishna Daswaney told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that it observed a demand for products that are sustainable and inclusive, especially among younger consumers, during a pop-up event it co-hosted with Kult App.

Price of sustainability​

According to the brand, it is still early days for the sustainable beauty movement in India compared to Western markets in Europe and the United States. However, it believes that consumers are willing to pay a premium for sustainability​ if they understand where the cost has gone to making the products more sustainable.

“I feel like there’s this missing knowledge piece around what sustainability means from an order quantity perspective, and how something is made does impact the price. ​

“I think that’s something the Indian consumer is slowly but surely realising the impact. They’re getting to the stage where they’ll eventually catch up with realising our products are not made with a million other units. ​

“It’s bespoke and niche, and it’s also made out of upcycled products. It maybe took us 18 months to collect the ocean waste plastic and make it into an end product. The cost of the raw material is much higher already. So, I think it’s about reinforcing that messaging and how that affects pricing,” ​Daswaney explained.

Its makeup stencil sticker costs an average of GBP9.99 (INR1,022) and its makeup brush costs an average of GBP8.99 (INR920).

Strategy for India​

Daswaney added that the Indian consumer is a global consumer, and the brand did not have to adapt too much of its marketing or come up with different product offerings when it launched in the market.

“While the Indian consumer has a different colour palette, I really do feel that the internet has created a borderless community. We’re heavily invested in the global consumer, and the Indian consumer really fits into that. And honestly, we haven’t change much of our brand to be there.”​

Currently, the brand ships globally via its website, with most of its Asia Pacific customers coming from the South East Asia and Oceania regions.

“I think today’s consumer is really e-commerce savvy, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. I think consumers can find something worthwhile based on the content you see on Instagram and TikTok where they can understand what one’s experience of the products would be. They’re willing to try and invest in something that is digitally presented to them.”​

The brand is planning to set up more physical pop-up events and offer less traditional experiences within the country to connect with its customers.