Are South Asian Beauty Brands the Cultural Reset the UK Industry Has Been Waiting For?

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.

Think about the feeling when Rare Beauty launched, how we’d all grown up watching Selena Gomez on Disney Channel, and it felt like suddenly we were all that teenager watching Wizards of Waverly Place after school except now we could wear the exact make-up Selena herself created and loved. Kay Beauty is that to us brown girls. Katrina’s involvement in the brand means that the colourful, exciting whirlwind world of Bollywood movies that I grew up watching with my family feels like it no longer just exists in the person I am at home. Attending a beauty event for work by a founder my mum has actually heard of? An unmatched feeling.

Kulfi Beauty nods to its South Asian roots with shade names - from Plum Pataka to Chamak Challo, these little details make me feel warm and fuzzy like I’m part of an inside joke and there’s a piece of home with me in the world I’ve built my career in. Ganjoo herself knows what it feels like to be a brown girl looking in on the world of beauty and feeling like there wasn’t always space for a South Asian voice at the table, and her authenticity comes across every time I see her talk about the products.

And the products! Whilst the South Asian founders might be what brought me to the brand, the products are why I’m hooked. More than just a cultural moment, both Kulfi and Kay Beauty have managed to create a selection of make-up suitable for all skin tones and types, with a lens on the often missed nuances of brown skin undertones.

From Kulfi, the Main Match Concealer is the hero - long-lasting coverage that works to cover the dark circles and hyperpigmentation that myself, and so many other South Asians suffer with due to our skin’s melanin production. As well as this, the Lassi Lips Staining Lip Oil goes on glossy but leaves a feather-resistant stain that wears beautifully throughout the day. The shades Tamarind and Fig are particularly flattering on brown skin.

Kay Beauty’s Intense Black 24H Kajal Eyeliner Duo is the standout. Kajal is a huge part of South Asian culture and was the first make-up I ever wore, so having a strong one is crucial for a brand with this background. This dual-ended essential does everything from a perfect feline flick to a smoky waterline. Another personal favourite for me is the EyeKanvas Discover Eyeshadow Palettes. These dinky quads are perfect for even the tiniest of make-up bags, and the colour combinations are well thought out for creating a variety of looks.

Even though I’m always immersed in the world of beauty, it can be hard to find brands that really feel like home, but both of these give me a sense of belonging that can be hard to come by in a world so exclusively designed by people that don’t look like me. I’m excited to see what this means for other South Asian brands, and happy to see a little brown girl magic in the big named stores.