Bollywood has always shaped India’s ideas of glamour, grace and self-expression. But in recent years, India’s leading actresses have extended their influence far beyond movie screens. They are quietly transforming the country’s booming beauty industry, turning their personal brands into powerhouse businesses. What was once about makeup rooms and red carpets has evolved into a battle for shelf space, customer loyalty and innovation in a $30‑billion‑plus marketplace.

Glam Power Meets Commerce: Bollywood’s Beauty Boom

The Indian beauty and personal-care market is experiencing an unprecedented expansion, projected to reach around $30 billion within a few years. The rise of e-commerce, D2C channels and increasing disposable income has made self-care and beauty essentials an everyday conversation, not a luxury. Marketplaces like Nykaa, Myntra, and Tira, along with independent D2C websites, have provided a nationwide (and now global) springboard for celebrity-led labels to launch with impact and scale almost instantly.

What makes this moment unique is how India’s celebrity founders are repositioning their influence. The old model of simple endorsements is giving way to something much deeper: “I’m the customer—I know Indian skin, I understand Indian weather—and I personally helped shape these formulas.” This authenticity narrative resonates strongly with the millennial and Gen-Z base that wants efficacy but also identity in the bottle. It’s not just products; it’s participation in a movement of brown beauty and self-confidence.

The battlegrounds are lively and diverse. Colour cosmetics lead the charge with the likes of Kay Beauty (Katrina Kaif), LoveChild (Masaba Gupta) and StarStruck (Sunny Leone). Skincare and self-care sparkle with 82°E (Deepika Padukone), Hyphen (Kriti Sanon), 9SKIN (Nayanthara), and others such as BrownSkin Beauty and Arias. On the haircare front, Anomaly by Priyanka Chopra Jonas brings clean, accessible formulations to a global audience. And in nails and niche beauty, SOEZI by Sonakshi Sinha is pioneering India’s press-on nail culture. Together, these brands represent a modern Bollywood that is as serious about P&L as it is about red carpets.

Individually: what each actress is really betting on

• Katrina Kaif is betting on being the default Indian makeup brand – the Lakmé 2.0 built in the e-commerce era, and now testing whether a truly Indian celebrity brand can succeed in Western retail.

• Deepika Padukone is betting on premium wellness and the long game: smaller revenues today, but a brand that fits into a global “rituals and mental health” narrative.

• Priyanka Chopra is betting on global distribution plus affordability – if Anomaly keeps its quality consistent, it could be the first Indian-founded celeb brand that feels like a normal shelf staple in the US/EU.

• Kriti Sanon is betting on speed and scale – Hyphen wants to be the fast-growing “actives brand for everyone”, but now has to back its growth story with transparent numbers.

• Sonakshi Sinha is betting on niche dominance – nails might be small, but if SOEZI becomes shorthand for press-on nails in India, that’s a strong, ownable space.

• Masaba Gupta is betting on culture & design – if you love her fashion, LoveChild aims to be the beauty extension of that aesthetic.

• Sunny Leone is betting on massive product width with ethical cues – a fully-fledged cosmetics house that stands on its own legs even as her film career ebbs and flows.

• Nayanthara is betting on regional strength & Asian-skin expertise, starting from South/East Asia and then broadening out.

From Red Carpets to Retail: Stars Build Iconic Brands

Katrina Kaif’s Kay Beauty, launched in 2019 in collaboration with Nykaa, set a new benchmark for Indian-made cosmetics. With inclusive shades for every undertone and an empowered “#MakeupThatKares” mantra, the brand has reportedly touched around ₹240 crore in GMV by early 2025, serving over 2.5 million customers and preparing for UAE and UK expansion. Kaif’s consistency and product focus have turned Kay into India’s most credible celebrity-beauty brand—a case study that others follow with envy and respect.

Deepika Padukone’s 82°E (pronounced Eighty-Two East), meanwhile, sits in the premium lane. Launched in 2022, it combines Ayurvedic wisdom with modern science, positioning skincare as an act of calm and control—a reflection of Padukone’s own disciplined persona. With backing of $7.5 million in seed funding and ambitions to raise more, it’s carving space in the wellness-meets-beauty category.

In contrast, Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ Anomaly follows an affordable global model—vivid packaging, vegan formulas, available in big-box U.S. retailers and across Indian e-commerce platforms. It channels her transcontinental appeal to normalize “Made for all” clean haircare.

Newer entrants like Kriti Sanon’s Hyphen have been embraced by younger consumers seeking results-driven skincare, with active ingredients and masstige pricing. The brand has claimed over ₹400 crore in gross sales in just two years, though critics question reported revenues. Sonakshi Sinha’s SOEZI, a chic line of press-on nails, offers an affordable way to switch up beauty looks without salon visits, capturing a niche that was once untapped. Meanwhile, Masaba Gupta’s LoveChild celebrates bold individuality with makeup, fragrance and skincare that reflect her quirky design DNA—a bright spot for those who see beauty as artistry, not conformity.

The South’s glamour queen Nayanthara has entered with 9SKIN, a minimalist skincare brand geared toward Asian skin tones across India, Singapore and Malaysia. Add Lara Dutta’s Arias, Anusha Dandekar’s BrownSkin Beauty, and Shraddha Kapoor’s MAI, and the ecosystem becomes even more dynamic. Each brings a personal story of self-acceptance and cultural representation, layered atop serious business strategy. The outcome: a mosaic of beauty brands redefining what “Made in India” glamour looks like on global stages—from vanity cases to shopping carts.

Bollywood’s beauty empire isn’t just another celebrity trend—it’s the story of women reclaiming their image and reshaping an industry long dominated by imported ideals. These founders are merging glamour with governance, fame with formulas, and charisma with commerce. As India’s beauty market races toward new heights, it’s clear that these actresses aren’t simply selling lipsticks or lotions; they’re crafting legacies that blend purpose, empowerment and profit—in true cinematic fashion.