With a focus on innovation, affordability, and Indian skin tones, Mila Beauté is revolutionising the cosmetics industry with a consumer-first approach
Mila Beauté isn’t just another beauty brand—it’s redefining Indian cosmetics with affordability, inclusivity, and research-driven innovation. With its upcoming expansion, the brand is well on its way to making high-quality beauty products accessible to millions across India. BW Retail World spoke to Saahil Nayar, Co-founder & MD Mila Beauté
What inspired you to be part of Mila Beauté, and how do you see the brand evolving in India’s competitive beauty industry, especially with the rise of homegrown brands in the last two years?
Saahil: I’ve been in the industry for almost a decade now, but the past 3–4 years have been particularly eye-opening. The Indian colour cosmetics market is divided into two broad categories:
Trading Companies – They primarily source products from China and sell them in India. While they have a great knack for finding the right suppliers, these brands lack transparency regarding ingredient sourcing, stability tests, and product compatibility with Indian skin and climate.
Global Marketing Giants – These brands rely on third-party manufacturers, offering products that are essentially the same but packaged differently for different price points.
I wanted to create a brand that truly listens to Indian consumers and formulates products specifically for them—not just repackaging existing formulas from China. For instance, many so-called “Indian” brands offer just three brown shades in foundation and call themselves inclusive. But Indian beauty is more than that.
For Mila Beauté, it’s not just about shades; it’s about formulation. We ensure SPF protection in all our products without making them too thick. Our lipsticks are designed for highly pigmented Indian lips, and our kajals use ingredients that suit Indian skin tones. 90% of our manufacturing is done in-house, from formulation to packaging, which allows us to maintain high-quality standards while keeping prices affordable. That’s how we offer transfer-proof lipsticks for Rs 289- Rs 299, something even trading companies struggle to match at less than Rs 399.
The packaging of Mila Beauté products is stunning!
Saahil: Yes! Our packaging is monochromatic, high-resolution, and hybrid UV-coated—something you’d typically see in brands like L’Oréal. But beyond aesthetics, we focus on transparency. Unlike brands that disclose just four key ingredients, we list all our ingredients on our packaging.
Take our Gloss Girl lip gloss, for example. It’s completely non-sticky, has a seamless applicator, and contains Mango Seed Butter. Indian consumers hate struggling to remove sticky glosses, so we created a formula that feels weightless yet delivers intense payoff. And it retails for just ₹229.
What’s the one product you’re most excited about?
Saahil: For revenue, lipsticks make up 40 per cent of our business, but my personal favourites are our primer and concealer. Unlike most brands offering liquid concealers, we’ve created a pot concealer—a creamy formula with SPF and crease resistance, retailing for just Rs 249 for 4 grams.
One of our influencers highlighted it perfectly—she zoomed in and said, “Finally, a brand that understands that creamy concealers actually help with fine lines!” That’s what excites me—creating products that solve real problems for Indian consumers.
That’s exactly what Indian consumers need! Speaking of primer, is it silicone-based or silicone-free?
Saahil: It contains silicone but is completely oil-free. I have oily skin myself, and even after six hours, there’s minimal residue, which can be easily blotted away. I could tweak the formula to last 12 hours, but I don’t want to compromise on the lightweight feel.
For brides or long-wear needs, layering the primer with foundation, concealer, and a setting powder extends wear to 8–10 hours. But even alone, the primer acts as a skin filter, smoothing fine lines and pores.
How does Mila Beauté integrate ethical practices into its business model?
Saahil: Sustainability is a key focus for us. Unlike many manufacturing companies that generate excessive waste, our wastage is less than 1% because we produce only as much as we need.
We’re also shifting to recycled paper packaging instead of traditional shipping cartons. From next month, all single-product orders will be packed in brown recycled envelopes. While this costs Rs 1.50 more per unit, we believe it’s a necessary step for the planet. Additionally, by February 2025, we aim to become plastic-neutral.
What’s your marketing strategy in an industry dominated by legacy brands?
Saahil: We focus on Organic Content Creators – Instead of hiring celebrity influencers, we collaborate with relatable creators who genuinely love our products. Also, UGC (User-Generated Content) – Our Mila Beauté Ambassadors (MBA) programme engages college students, allowing them to try our products and participate in fun challenges. We’ve already partnered with IIT Kanpur, Symbiosis, IIM Ghaziabad, and LPU Punjab. This grassroots approach has significantly boosted our brand presence.
We’re essentially taking a door-to-door selling approach, but in a modern way—meeting Gen Z where they are and letting them experience our products firsthand.
Indian beauty brands often assume peach shades suit brown skin, but they don’t. Consumers like me end up giving away products that don’t match. How does Mila Beauté address this issue?
Saahil: Shade selection is not an afterthought for us. Even our front-desk executives and social media managers participate in product development meetings because they interact with real consumers daily.
From campaign lighting effects to real-world application, we ensure that every shade works on multiple Indian undertones. This attention to detail sets us apart.
What are Mila Beauté’s expansion plans for 2025 and what is the vision behind this expansion?
Saahil: Mila Beauté aims to bring premium beauty to every Indian city by expanding into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, targeting Rs 100Cr growth. The brand is strengthening retail touchpoints in high-demand regions such as Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and South India while enhancing accessibility by offering affordable, high-quality makeup in local cosmetic stores.
The mission is to make premium beauty accessible to every Indian, regardless of location. He emphasises that this initiative is not just about business growth but about making beauty inclusive and experiential for everyone.
