South Asian beauty brands may be taking the UK cosmetics world by storm today—but until recently, it barely had a seat at the mainstream table. Yes, South Asian founders have long worked to bridge the gaps in shade ranges for brown-skinned make-up wearers, but their innovations rarely reached the shelves of major beauty retailers. Now, that’s finally beginning to change.
This summer has seen the global expansion plans of two huge South Asian brands landing them on the shelves of luxury beauty retailer, Space NK. First up, we have Kulfi Beauty. Founded by Priyanka Ganjoo, Kulfi is a vibrant, vegan and cruelty-free makeup which is already a cult favourite in the US. The playful brand celebrates creativity and playfulness, and Ganjoo takes inspiration from her own Indian heritage. The second is Kay Beauty, India’s most popular make-up brand, founded by legendary Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif.
Being a second-generation daughter of Pakistani immigrants, my life is rooted firmly in South Asian culture. From what we wear on special occasions, to the food we eat, to the language I speak at home, it defines who I am. Similarly, being brought up in Yorkshire and living in London and my love for the beauty world and working in the industry for years also makes up a huge part of who I am. Kulfi and Kay Beauty arriving in London feels like a glittery, sparkly amalgamation of both, masking the imposter syndrome that makes me feel like beauty is a world I don’t quite belong in.
