Myntra Report Finds Gen Z Reshaping India's Beauty Shopping

A new report from Myntra, covered by IFAB Media, says Gen Z shoppers are changing how beauty products sell in India by choosing items based on the ingredients listed on the label rather than brand name alone, according to the report. The report also ties this ingredient focus to a broader pattern of self-expression in how young shoppers pick skincare and makeup, IFAB Media reports.

What did Myntra's report find?

According to IFAB Media's coverage of the report, Gen Z shoppers in India are moving away from buying beauty products just because of a brand name. Instead, they are looking at what is actually inside the bottle or jar before they buy. The report frames this as part of a larger shift where younger shoppers treat beauty choices as a form of self-expression, not just a grooming habit, per IFAB Media.

Why are Gen Z shoppers reading ingredient lists?

The ingredient-first approach described in the report lines up with a wider trend in skincare, where shoppers want to know exactly what an active ingredient does before they put it on their skin. For readers who want a plain-English breakdown of two common actives that often confuse shoppers, HTT News has compared retinol and retinal, the stronger form of vitamin A used in many anti-aging products. General, science-backed habits for building a skin care routine are also laid out for shoppers trying to match products to their skin type rather than their marketing.

What should shoppers check before buying skincare?

Shoppers who want to shop the way the report describes can start with a few basic habits: read the full ingredient list on the back of the package, not just the front-label claims; look up unfamiliar ingredient names before buying; and compare the active ingredient percentage across products instead of comparing price alone. These steps do not require a dermatologist visit and can be done on a phone while standing in a store aisle.

What does this mean for beauty brands in India?

If the report's description of Gen Z behavior holds, brands selling in India may need to put more detail on packaging and marketing about what an ingredient actually does, rather than relying on broad claims like "anti-aging" or "glow." The report, as described by IFAB Media, ties this shift to self-expression, meaning brands may also need to let shoppers choose products that fit a personal routine rather than a one-size-fits-all regimen.

What's the timeline for this shift?

The pattern described in the report is not a single-day change. It starts with individual shoppers checking labels before a purchase, then shows up in brands adjusting packaging and ingredient disclosure, and finally shapes which products retailers like Myntra choose to stock and promote. IFAB Media's writeup frames the ingredient-led, self-expression trend as already underway in India's beauty market rather than something still ahead.

Readers can find the original IFAB Media report on the Myntra Gen Z beauty findings here.

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.