Estée Lauder Reveals 14 BEAUTY&YOU India 2026 Finalists

Estée Lauder Companies revealed the 14 finalists for the fifth edition of BEAUTY&YOU India 2026 on October 9, 2026. The finalists were selected across four award categories in partnership with beauty retailer Nykaa and the Government of India’s Startup India initiative.

This year's program includes the Grow, Imagine, Breakthrough, and DESIGN categories. The finalists showcase a wave of Indian innovation, from science-backed skincare to novel fragrance technologies.

Category focus and finalist highlights

The four award categories target different stages of entrepreneurial development. Grow is for in-market beauty brands. Imagine supports early-stage concepts. Breakthrough focuses on fragrance innovation. DESIGN seeks creative talent for potential collaboration with an ELC brand.

The Breakthrough category is presented with Estée Lauder Companies’ Fragrance Atelier in Paris, the company's global fragrance innovation hub. It aims to connect Indian innovators with this expertise, recognising India's legacy in fragrance craftsmanship.

Finalists present a mix of solutions. The Grow category features professional haircare, clear deodorants, and textured hair care. Imagine finalists are developing advanced skincare and beauty concepts.

Design finalists incorporate distinct Indian cultural elements. These include Warli art, hand-painted street typography, and traditional artisan techniques. A new DESIGN category was added to the competition this year.

An ELC company statement noted the breadth of innovation. "Together, the finalists reflect many of the trends redefining beauty and the breadth of innovation emerging becoming available to India’s diverse beauty consumers," it said.

Jury, support and next steps

The finalists will present their businesses to a distinguished jury in Mumbai at a later date. Winners will be announced the following evening at the BEAUTY&YOU India 2026 Awards ceremony.

The jury includes Estée Lauder Companies CFO Akhil Shrivastava, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer Aude Gandon, and Chief Research & Innovation Officer René Lammers. Nykaa Beauty CEO Anchit Nayar, actress and beauty entrepreneur Katrina Kaif, designer Gaurav Gupta, and executives from Intercos and Google for Startups India are also judges. Dermatology specialists and government officials complete the panel.

Winners may receive up to $500,000 in prize money. They also gain mentorship, distribution support, and strategic opportunities. Since launching in 2022, the program has helped founders scale their businesses through funding and global industry access.

Programme background and impact

BEAUTY&YOU India was launched in 2022 to discover and support the next generation of Indian beauty entrepreneurs. It provides funding, expertise, networks, and scaling opportunities.

The program's continued collaboration with Startup India and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) reflects a shared focus. The goal is advancing Indian entrepreneurship and creating greater opportunities for women founders. A Visionary Women’s Award is offered in this partnership.

An ELC statement highlighted the tailored innovations. It pointed to high-performance skin and hair care made for Indian consumers and climates. New technologies for creating and delivering fragrance and active ingredients were also noted.

Finalists will present their businesses and ideas to a panel of judges in Mumbai at a later date.