Your Beauty, Your Power | YEU COSMETICS

WS: You entered a highly saturated beauty market—what was the one gap you felt “Yeu Cosmetics India” absolutely had to fill?

SG : The market is saturated but real innovation is missing.

Ever noticed how a foundation looks flawless on someone else but turns patchy, cakey, or oxidises on you? That’s not a makeup problem, it’s a formulation problem.

Different skin types react differently, yet the industry continues to create one formula for everyone leading to everyday makeup challenges.

At YÊU Cosmetics, we approached makeup through skin biology.

After studying Indian consumers, we identified four key skin types. Dry, oily, combination, and acne-prone—and created separate personalised formulations for each.

So the question wasn’t, “how do we create another brand?”

It was, “how do we solve real makeup problems?”

And the answer was personalised formulations designed to work with your skin, not against it.

That’s what sets us apart. We’re not just adding to the noise we’re solving what the industry chose to ignore.

WS : Take us back to the beginning—what sparked the idea for the brand, and what did those early days really look like behind the scenes?

SB : Shivam (My brother and Founder at Yeu Cosmetics) always wanted to build a brand and not just launch another random brand; but one that solves real life problems.

I had worked as a freelance makeup artist, so I had seen real problems up close. Base problems like dry patches, cakey makeup, oxidation, melting of makeup etc were very common. I realized that a lot of these issues get better with the right skin prep. That made me think if skincare is made based on skin type, why isn’t makeup? And that’s how it started.

When we explored the market, we realized no brand was truly formulating makeup based on skin biology. That gap became our opportunity. 

Our idea: Skin biology in makeup works with your skin, not against it. And that’s how YÊU Cosmetics was born.

We started experimenting, and developed different foundation formulations personalised to common Indian skin types: dry, oily, combination, and acne-prone. 

We then rigorously tested them in real Indian conditions heat, humidity, and long wear because that’s where makeup truly gets challenged. And the results: when makeup is made according to your skin type, these problems actually get solved.

I would call our early days beYÊUtiful, because even though it looked messy, it was full of learning and growth. We were completely new to the industry, with no experience in building a brand or developing products. So we started from scratch meeting industry people, understanding how everything works, and figuring out each next step as we moved forward.

Even after launching, the learning didn’t stop. But best part our innovation was the perfect product market fit. Our blush has received immense love from people & this kind of appreciation keeps us going.

So behind the scenes, it was real, and all about learning, understanding & growing. I am excited to see what’s next, while we continue to grow.

WS : Your foundation range has been a key talking point—what makes your formulations stand out in a market flooded with options. Tell us more about your current product portfolio?

SB : There’s a reason we stand out. YÊU is the only makeup brand, building foundations personalised formulation for different Indian skin types dry, oily, combination, and acne-prone. This approach is common in skincare, but almost unheard of in makeup.

Because when a formula is designed for your skin type, it performs better no patchiness, no cakiness, no oxidation. It solves everyday makeup problems at the root.

Our current portfolio reflects this philosophy:

1.⁠ ⁠Skin-Type Foundations

Four different formulations, each tailored to a specific skin type and built to perform in Indian heat and humidity.

2.⁠ ⁠Water-Based Blush

While most brands focus on oil-based formulas, that’s not suitable for Indian climate. We created a water-based blush suited for Indian climate. Lightweight, non-sticky, non-comedogenic, and designed to melt seamlessly into the skin while adding hydration.

3.⁠ ⁠Lip Set

Modern lifestyles need versatile solutions. Instead of choosing between matte or gloss, we created a lip set that gives you both—so you can switch your look effortlessly.

We don’t just create products, we rethink how they should work for our consumers.

WS : You’ve positioned your products at par with international pricing—what was the thinking behind that, and were you ever concerned about consumer perception in India?

SB : I don’t believe Indian consumers are price-sensitive. I believe they are value-sensitive.

The real question isn’t, “why are you priced high?”

It’s, “what are you offering at that price?”

At YÊU Cosmetics, we didn’t take shortcuts. We didn’t pick ready-made formulas. We built them from scratch for different skin types & their needs, keeping Indian Climate requirement.

We didn’t settle for average packaging, we wanted the best of the best there too. Even if that meant little extra costing or getting it from internal market.

The unboxing experience is not just for social media, it’s for every single customer.

We invested in customer satisfaction. We put them first. We want every step of their journey to feel memorable, from the moment they receive the product to the moment they fall in love with the formulation.

So the pricing is a reflection of the choices we made.

You can build a cheaper brand by compromising on formulation, packaging, or experience.

We chose not to. And honestly, we were never trying to be affordable, we were trying to be worth it, by delivering real value.

Today’s Indian consumer is evolving. They understand quality, they recognise effort, and they’re willing to invest in products that genuinely deliver.

And the response has proven that. We haven’t faced resistance on pricing, instead, we’ve seen strong repeat behaviour, which tells us customers don’t just buy us, they believe in the value we deliver.

WS : How has the response been so far—are Indian consumers today more open to investing in homegrown premium beauty brands?

SB: Our innovation was a strong product–market fit. Through in-depth research, we identified a clear gap and that gave us the opportunity to shift consumer behaviour from brand-led buying to skin-first physiology.

Instead of choosing products based on brand name or trends, our customers are now choosing based on what actually works for their skin & is made specifically for Indian skin and climate. Who else knows us better than us? And the response has validated that.

We’ve seen strong repeat behaviour, which is the biggest indicator of trust in beauty. Customers aren’t just trying the product, they’re coming back to it.

What’s also encouraging is that consumers today are far more aware. They understand formulation, they value performance, and they’re open to investing in homegrown brands that deliver real results.
For us, it’s not just about acceptance, it’s about resonance.And that’s clearly building & we are so thankful for the response and trust consumer showed on us, as a homegrown brand.

WS : Building a beauty brand today is as much about storytelling as it is about product—how have you approached creating a distinct brand identity?

SB : “For us, building a beauty brand today goes far beyond just creating great products it is equally about building a story that people genuinely connect with. From day one, one thing our team has always believed in is authenticity. We want to be clear, honest, and intentional in everything we create and communicate.

That authenticity forms the foundation of our brand identity and storytelling approach. We aim to present beauty in a modern, fresh, and highly relatable way, while creating narratives that truly resonate with our audience.

As we move closer to our next big launches, we are incredibly excited about what’s coming next. Stay tuned, because we are set to break makeup norms in a fun, bold, and story-led way.

At our core, our brand exists to challenge conventional beauty standards and redefine the norms of the makeup industry.”

WS : What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while scaling “Yeu Cosmetics India,” especially in the early growth phase?

SB : “If I talk about some of the biggest challenges we faced while scaling, especially in the early growth phase, one of the key challenges has been the nature of the Indian premium beauty market, which is highly brand-driven. Consumers in this segment often lean towards established legacy and international names, so creating trust and shifting consumer behavior has been a major focus for us.

At YÊU Cosmetics India, we are working to drive a meaningful shift by encouraging customers to choose products that are more personalized to their skin type and individual beauty needs, rather than simply buying based on brand familiarity.

We truly believe this change is possible if we remain deeply committed to exceptional quality, innovation, and building genuine trust with our consumers. For us, long-term growth comes from consistently delivering products that people truly connect with and believe in.”

WS : As a founder, how has your own relationship with beauty and self-expression evolved through this journey?

SB : ⁠My relationship with beauty has always been the same and it reflects in our tagline, “Your beauty, your power.” It’s not just a line, it’s something I truly believe in.

That perspective hasn’t changed for me. What has evolved is my expression. Over time, I’ve realised it’s not just about challenging norms through words, but through actions. For me, that meant embracing my skin as it is not trying to hide my actually skin with makeup or with filters, but normalising it.

Because skin has texture, pores, lines and if we be honest makeup wasn’t made to hide it, rather enhance the natural beauty that we already have. We all have it. We’ve always heard, “beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.” I think the real shift is, starting to see that beauty in ourselves first.

WS : Looking ahead, what’s next for the brand—both in terms of product innovation and expanding your presence in India and beyond?

SB : “The innovation we’re currently working on has the potential to change industry norms and redefine how consumers have looked at makeup for years.

We’ve all heard this at some point: ‘Don’t apply too much makeup, it will harm your skin.’
It’s time we change that. That’s all I can share for now.

In terms of what’s next for the brand, our focus is on creating stronger offline experiences and deeper consumer engagement. We believe beauty is something people should be able to experience, feel, and connect with in real life, which is why we are planning a lot of on-ground activities and immersive brand experiences.

Very soon, we will also be expanding our presence into retail stores, making the brand more accessible to our consumers and allowing them to engage with our products more closely. For us, the next phase is about building meaningful physical touchpoints and strengthening our presence in the market in a thoughtful and impactful way.”

WS : What is one impactful thing you have learned during this journey as a founder?

SB : If I had to sum it up in one line, it would be: “Keep going, keep improving, and never repeat the same mistake twice.”

Building a brand is like raising a child. You can’t expect it to start running from day one. It takes time to crawl, to stand, to walk & then it runs. And in that process, you will fall.

The key is not to avoid mistakes, but to learn from them and not repeat them. I’m not a believer in luck. I believe in consistency making mistakes, learning, improving, and showing up every single day. 

And if you do that long enough, what people call “luck” will eventually find you, I believe.

WS Team