Edyta Kurek, Senior Vice President, Oriflame India and Indonesia, discusses the brand’s innovative retail strategies, focus on sustainability, and commitment to empowering local entrepreneurs in India’s competitive beauty market
How has Oriflame India adapted its retail strategy to cater to the rapidly evolving preferences of Indian consumers, especially in the skincare segment?
Oriflame India has developed a comprehensive social selling model that specifically addresses Indian skincare needs through a dual approach of localization and global innovation. While Oriflame’s product offerings focus on addressing universal needs, we carefully select which global products to introduce to the Indian market based on the relevance and appeal to local consumers. Moreover, with India being a vital market for us, we have introduced and plan to launch even more selective product lines curated for Indian skin tones and needs, including products clinically tested for Indian skin.
Further, we complement our local expertise with advanced global skincare innovations, particularly through our Novage+ skincare line and breakthrough products like the Wellosophy Astaxanthin and Billberry Extract supplement. The latter showcases our scientific excellence in the symbiotic relationship of skincare and wellness from within, with Astaxanthin being 6,000 times more powerful than Vitamin C and specifically addressing Indian consumers’ concerns about oxidative stress and air pollution damage to skin.
This science-backed approach, combined with European safety standards and strong R&D capabilities, helps build credibility in the premium skincare segment. Our product excellence is exemplified through iconic offerings like Tender Care- interestingly, one Tender Care multipurpose balm gets sold every 15 seconds globally. Such popularity extends across our entire range, from GG Pearls to the beloved Milk & Honey collection.
Furthermore, our social selling model serves as an effective channel for skincare education, allowing our brand partners to provide personalized skincare recommendations and product education to consumers. This approach is particularly valuable in the skincare segment where product understanding and proper usage guidance are crucial for customer satisfaction. Concurrently, our strategy specifically targets younger demographics like Gen Z and millennials by emphasizing our commitment to sustainable skincare solutions, including biodegradable formulations and clean beauty ingredients, responding to the growing demand for environmentally conscious skincare products in the Indian market.
What key skincare trends do you see shaping the Indian market in 2025?
The Indian skincare market is being fundamentally shaped by dominant trends that Oriflame is strategically positioning itself to address. With consumers increasingly demanding eco-conscious products, Oriflame’s core belief in sustainability and clean beauty remains a fundamental focal point, through our biodegradable formulations and sustainable sourcing practices.
Further, the growing preference for personalisation in skincare is being met through Oriflame’s diverse product portfolio, which includes both locally-manufactured items tailored for Indian conditions and global innovations like the Novage+ skincare line. Additionally, consumers are showing interest in minimalistic skincare, a demand we address with our Optimals range.
The market is also seeing a significant shift toward holistic wellbeing, where consumers seek products offering benefits beyond mere cosmetic improvement. Consumers now look forward to products that help tackle stress and toxins that negatively affect the skin, to ensure wellbeing from within. Oriflame addresses this through offerings like the Wellosophy Astaxanthin and Bilberry extract, which provides comprehensive protection against modern challenges like oxidative stress and air pollution while supporting overall skin health.
Transparency has emerged as another crucial trend, with consumers demanding clear information about product ingredients and claims – Oriflame’s adherence to European safety standards and strong R&D capabilities, resulting in scientifically-backed products positions us well to meet this growing demand for authenticity and clarity in skincare products.
With the rise of direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels, how is Oriflame balancing its traditional retail presence with online platforms in India?
Oriflame effectively balances our hybrid social selling network with online platforms by creating an omnichannel experience that allows customers multiple interaction points—both online and offline. This hybrid model facilitates community selling, where brand partners provide personal service while promoting social engagement through digital tools. Additionally, Oriflame empowers brand partners with digital resources that enable effective sales both offline and online, enhancing credibility among potential customers.
All of our sales in India are now facilitated through our website and mobile app. This shift is further supported by enhancements to our digital catalogue, which now features an interactive design and user-friendly tools to inspire and engage our consumers.
While we prioritise digital growth, we remain committed to our ethos of individual consultation; through our efforts, we have cultivated a community of brand partners who serve as both product advocates and entrepreneurs. These partners can sell products through traditional methods while also utilizing digital tools provided by Oriflame. The introduction of a VIP membership program allows customers to purchase products online while still attributing sales to individual brand partners, thus maintaining the personal touch of direct selling.
Moreover, our social selling model allows us to create vast micro-entrepreneurship opportunities and uniquely nurture the Indian startup system, by offering brand partners the opportunity to become micro-entrepreneurs without the hassle of building a business from scratch. This ‘plug and play’ microbusiness model allows our brand partners to leverage our established business and collateral to focus on selling products profitably, without excessive business management costs.
As Oriflame continues to expand its footprint in India, what strategies are you employing to increase brand visibility and foster customer loyalty in a highly competitive market?
As Oriflame approaches our 30-year milestone in India in 2025, we have implemented a comprehensive strategy to enhance our market presence and build lasting customer relationships in the competitive beauty and wellness sector. At the core of our approach is a strong focus on engaging younger demographics, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, through digital channels to ensure long-term brand relevance.
This is complemented by our robust local manufacturing presence, with 85% of products being manufactured in India through facilities in Noida and Roorkee, demonstrating our commitment to quality while supporting local economies.
Our social selling model serves as a cornerstone of our expansion strategy, with an ambitious goal to onboard 1 million brand partners within the next five years. This initiative not only helps penetrate deeper into tier 2 and 3 cities but also promotes micro-entrepreneurship, particularly among women, by offering flexible work opportunities and pathways to financial independence. This aligns well with India’s growth trajectory and the government’s emphasis on employment generation and self-reliance.
Oriflame’s strategy also emphasizes continuous product innovation and R&D investment, including establishing research capabilities within India. This focus on innovation, combined with our adherence to European safety standards and quality differentiation strategies, helps maintain our premium positioning in the market. We are focusing on building strong community engagement through social media platforms, fostering connections among brand partners and customers while emphasizing our commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.
