BEAUTY&YOU India 2025 finalists, redefining beauty through innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability have been revealed. Read along to know more.
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.’s (NYSE: EL) New Incubation Ventures, in collaboration with Nykaa and Startup India, has announced the finalists for BEAUTY&YOU India 2025. Now in its fourth edition, the program continues to nurture India-focused entrepreneurs who are reshaping the country’s beauty landscape. With this year’s theme, Beauty Frontiers, the initiative highlights innovation across skin care, makeup, hair care, and fragrance.
The 2025 theme: Beauty Frontiers
The program celebrates creativity, technology, cultural heritage, and innovation. This year’s 13 finalists represent a spectrum of ideas that capture India’s diverse beauty ecosystem. From Ayurvedic science to microbiome research, inclusive beauty solutions to sustainability-driven formats, the finalists bring forward concepts that redefine how India approaches beauty.
Award categories
The finalists have been selected across three key categories:
- IMAGINE: Recognising the best pre-launch beauty concepts.
- GROW: Honouring in-market beauty brands showing growth and impact.
- BREAKTHROUGH: Highlighting leading innovations in products, technology, or business models.
Each finalist will pitch their brand and concept to an esteemed jury in Mumbai on October 7, with winners announced later that evening.
Rising role of women entrepreneurs
This year underscores the growing leadership of women in India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Over 80% of applicants included at least one woman founder. Reflecting this, BEAUTY&YOU India 2025 introduces a new category, the Visionary Women’s Award. Presented in partnership with Startup India, this prize honours the innovation and impact of a woman entrepreneur, inspired by Estée Lauder’s legacy as a trailblazing founder.
Benefits for the winners
Winners of BEAUTY&YOU India 2025 will gain access to:
- Mentorship from global beauty leaders.
- Strategic support networks across the industry.
- Financial support from a prize pool of up to $500,000.
- National visibility through Startup India.
- Brand-building and distribution support via Nykaa’s extensive ecosystem, which includes consumer insights, omnichannel presence, and digital amplification.
IMAGINE Finalists: Best Pre-Launch Beauty Concepts
- Atypiical – Milli Patel, CEO: Hybrid suncare combining SPF, skincare, and makeup tailored for Indian skin tones and climates.
- DRENCH – Srishti Kumar, Founder: Ingredient-first luxury body care making body routines as effective and indulgent as skincare.
- Skiom Pvt. Ltd. – Dr. Gautam Banerjee & Balaknath Datta: Microbiome-based skincare tested on Indian skin, bringing science-driven solutions to the forefront.
- Mimiq – Harsha Soundararajan, Founder: A complexion-focused makeup brand designed for inclusivity, with products for people with visible skin differences like vitiligo.
- Allyv – Surabhi Sundarka, Founder & CEO: Multi-functional skincare products offering effectiveness and sensorial pleasure.
GROW Finalists: Best In-Market Beauty Brands
- Antinorm – Aparna Saxena, Founder & CEO: High-performance, multitasking products that simplify beauty routines.
- Dermis Oracle – Ankit Tripathi & Kaksha Patel: A pharmaceutical-driven beauty company addressing specific concerns through brands like Seekcaus (suncare) and Anable (hair care).
- Justhuman – Roshini Sanah Jaiswal & Nitin Chawla: Neurocosmetics harnessing the skin-brain connection to enhance both skin health and emotional well-being.
- Project Qaafi – Aahan Chatterjee, Founder: A contemporary skincare line blending Ayurveda, botanicals, and modern actives with a culturally nuanced, design-first approach.
BREAKTHROUGH Finalists: Innovations in Product, Technology, or Business Model
- Atmiya Innovations Foundation – Dr. Mousumi Das: CYALIP, an advanced lipcare innovation offering vibrant, stable coloration while preserving bioactive pigment properties.
- Cosmos Bio Private Limited – Dr. Bharat Somireddy & Sowjanya Venkata: A biotech company pioneering sustainable, cruelty-free bioactives for beauty and personal care.
- Hitech Formulations – Jaspreet Singh Gulati: Lipocell™ encapsulation technology stabilizing retinoids and other actives, making formulations safer and more effective.
- Nanospin Technologies LLP – Naman H. Barot: A sustainable quick-dissolve face sheet mask delivering moisture and glow in seconds.
The esteemed jury
The finalists will present their concepts to a distinguished jury comprising leaders from Estée Lauder Companies and the wider industry:
- Akhil Shrivastava (Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, ELC)
- Michelle Freyre (Global Brand President, Clinique and Dermatological Brands, ELC)
- Sumit Bhasin (Senior Vice President, Global R&D and Innovation for Fragrance, Makeup, and External Partnerships, ELC)
- Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois (Senior Vice President & Global General Manager, MAC Cosmetics)
- Rohan Vaziralli (General Manager, The ELC India)
- Anchit Nayar (Executive Director & CEO, Nykaa Beauty)
- Nivruti Rai (Head of Invest India)
- Katrina Kaif (Actor and Co-Founder, Kay Beauty)
- Gianandrea Ferrari (Chief Commercial Officer, Intercos Group)
- Dr. Jaishree Sharad (Celebrated Cosmetic Dermatologist, Author, and TEDX Speaker)
- Aabha Bakaya (Founder & CEO, Ladies Who Lead)
- Gaurav Gupta (Couturier, Artist, and Designer).
Looking Ahead
As BEAUTY&YOU India enters its fourth year, it continues to serve as a launchpad for bold ideas shaping the future of beauty. By championing creativity, inclusivity, and sustainability, the program not only supports entrepreneurs but also strengthens India’s position in the global beauty ecosystem.
The winners of 2025 will not only gain mentorship, funding, and visibility but also contribute to a new wave of innovation that reflects the dynamism and diversity of Indian beauty.
