Sugar cosmetics is a very popular Indian luxury cosmetics brand found by Vineeta Singh and Kaushik Mukherjee in 2015. It started when Indian market was already flooded with international cosmetics branded and still managed to outshine all of them.
But, how did it achieve such a grand success? Let’s discuss all the details about the journey of this premium cosmetic brand in detail. From “how sugar cosmetics started to how it sailed through the competition”, we will discuss everything it.
What Is Sugar Cosmetics?
Sugar cosmetics is a premium cosmetics brand, that boasts about being cruelty free, of high quality and, high on style and higher on performance. It was found in 2015 by Vineeta Singh and Kaushik Mukherjee.
This company took birth on the premise that they wanted to give high quality yet affordable, and Indian skin fit products to the people. What is notable is that it did so, and that too by using vegan and natural ingredients only.
The company became such a hit that it clocked sales worth INR 200 crores in FY19. It expanded very quickly and it is currently present in more than 130 cities, and is available at more than 2500 outlets across India.
Sugar cosmetics started with just 6 products and currently it has more than 150 products. It has a customer base of 10 million, and it is still expanding very rapidly.
The company is living to the claim, “We believe in every interpretation of beauty. Bold to subdued, quirky to crazy, everyday to glam goddess! Our aim is to celebrate every aspect of you, no matter what your style is”.
Founders Of Sugar Cosmetics
The founders of Sugar Cosmetics are Vineeta Singh and Kaushik Mukherjee.
Vineeta Singh
Vineeta Singh is a very energetic entrepreneur who is famous for founding Sugar cosmetics. She graduated in electrical engineering from IIT Madras in 2005. Later on, she pursued her MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.
She is the first and the youngest business school graduate to have declined a INR 1 crore offer job from a very famous investment bank, to start her own business.
She worked as the director of Quetzal Online Private Limited for about 5 years. She left the company to first found Fab-Bag, a beauty product supplier company, and then Sugar cosmetics, a beauty product manufacturing company.
She has been a good sports person and is also a judge on Shark Tank India.
Kaushik Mukherjee
Kaushik is the cofounder and COO of Sugar cosmetics. He is the husband of Vineeta Singh. He graduated from BITS Pilani and later on got his MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.
Kaushik Mukherjee is the recipient of Ashwamedha, KVS Gold medal, and Best startup business award, besides being the Retail icon of India-2019.
How Sugar Cosmetics Started
The idea for Sugar cosmetics was conceived from Fab-Bag, an earlier business venture of Vineeta and Kaushik. FabBag was the India’s largest beauty subscription service.
FabBag had more than 100 global brands on board, and it dropped curated Fab-Bags to its subscribers, based upon their wishes and requirements. It helped in delivering genuine high quality products to the customers, who could afford them. This would save customers from spending money on such items that did not work for them.
The high quality services provided by FabBag helped it in developing trust, and it grew very rapidly. Besides being a viable business, it gave Vineeta and Kaushik deep insights into the cosmetics business.
FabBag acquainted them with the likes and dislikes, skin problems and makeup preferences of women in India. They came to know that Indian skin and its tones were different from the global standards and the existing brands were not a suitable choice for the local needs.
The shades didn’t work well for Indian skin tones and had to be re-applied many times a day, given the local tropical conditions. It was indeed a very agonizing situation.
Vineeta and Kaushik found that there were two kinds of brands available in India. One, the mass brands that were quite affordable, but did not suit Indian skin types. Second, the luxury brands, that were not affordable for all. This is where the husband-wife duo found a gap between the mass brands and the luxury brands. Consequently, they decided to fill the gap, and Sugar cosmetics was born in 2015.
It started with just a few long lasting makeup products, and grew enormously. It is currently having a strong work force of 2500, and is present in offline and online stores through out the country. It sailed through a roller coaster journey and is currently one of the three largest makeup brands in India.
How Sugar Cosmetics Is Different From Other Brands
Sugar cosmetics has enjoyed a very rapid growth, and it has almost killed all the competition. But it managed to do so, because it is different from its rivals in many ways. Some of the ways, in which Sugar cosmetics is different from other brands are;
- made for Indian skin.
- premium yet affordable.
- use of safe and natural ingredients.
- vast choice of products.
- cruelty free brand.
- thumb stopping packaging.
1. Made For Indian Skin
When Sugar cosmetics was started, Indian market was filled with many national and international brands. But, none of them was actually made for Indian skin and its varying tones. They all worked on the basis of the global skin standards. In addition, none of them took care of the tropical conditions of India.
This resulted in Indian customers not getting suitable products for their skin, and the makeup would not last longer, and had to reapplied many time a day.
Sugar cosmetics is different from other brands as it manufactured products for Indian skin and Indian climatic conditions. With the result, it got an enormous acceptance, and hence an exponential growth.
2. Premium Yet Affordable
Sugar cosmetics started after the founders identified a gap that existed between the mass brands, that did not suit Indian skin and, the luxury brands, that were not affordable for all.
For instance, Maybelline lipsticks was priced at INR 300 and Mac lipstick started at INR 1000, and the gap in between the two brands was unfilled. It was bridged by Sugar cosmetics by providing a range of medium-priced products.
3. Use Of Safe & Natural Ingredients
This is yet another differentiator of Sugar cosmetics. It does not use any synthetic fragrances, parabens, or sulfates in their products. It just uses the natural ingredients in its formulas.
In this era of rising consciousness towards organic and natural life style, Sugar cosmetics got to enjoy an added advantage over its competitors.
4. Vast Choice
Sugar cosmetics has a very wide range of products and a very vast choice within the products. It initially started with a range of matte crayon lipsticks and matte liquid eyeliner, and currently has a base of more than 150 products with a motive of being the first makeup choice for bold and independent women.
It provides foundation in 22 different shades, transfer-proof lip colors in 52 shades, the best of its kind eye brow definer, Lip Glosses, and Jelly Highlighters-all are meant for all tones of Indian skin.
5. Cruelty Free Brand
Sugar cosmetics is a cruelty free brand, unlike most of its competitors. Cruelty free brand is one such brand that does not test its products on animals.
In addition, it does use any animal products in its formulas. It is completely vegan in nature.
Being vegan and cruelty free is the another differentiator of Sugar cosmetics.
6. Thumb Stopping Packaging
Sugar cosmetics is very well known for its unique and innovative packaging. Its packaging is simply versatile, expressive, thumb stopping and, premium in touch and look.
These were the various reason that answer your query, why sugar cosmetics is different from other brands? Now, let’s discuss the reasons that made Sugar cosmetics successful.
Why Sugar Cosmetics Became So Successful and Popular
Sugar cosmetics is currently one of the fastest growing beauty products brand in India. It is despite the fact that the company was born just a few years ago, one of which was engulfed by pandemic. The journey was full of ups and downs, but it slayed the competition and emerged out very successful. The reasons behind the phenomenal success of Sugar cosmetics are;
- catering to local needs.
- riding the health consciousness wave.
- utmost use of influencer trend.
- robust distribution system.
- innovative and creative nature
They are discussed below in detail:
1. Catering to local needs
As mentioned earlier, Sugar cosmetics took care of the existing local needs by making products that were fit for Indian skin tones and climate. It made the brand an instant hit.
2. Riding the health consciousness wave
The founders of sugar cosmetics rode well on the health consciousness wave. They prepared such products that avoided parabens, sulfates and other harsh chemicals. It was received well by the customers that were neither catered to by the mass brands and nor by the luxury brands.
3. Utmost use of influencer trend
Sugar cosmetics took full advantage of the social media influencer trend. Its Instagram page houses the unboxing videos, the before and after videos by consumers, the videos with acid attack survivors, the feedback videos by large influencers and the micro influencers alike.
With its Instagram following of over 1 million, it easily made its way through the competition.
4. Robust distribution system
Sugar cosmetics used all channels of distribution system. It made its products available both in offline as well as online mode.
It started with Shopify, then made its own app and website, and also got itself listed on Nykaa. In, addition, it is available through out the length and breadth of the country.
5. Innovative and Creative Nature
This is what sets Sugar cosmetics apart from its competitors. It has been creative and innovative right from the day one.
Right from the variation in formulas, to the thumb stopping packaging, it is second to none.
These were the details about the Sugar cosmetics. We are sure that you might have come to know how sugar cosmetics started and how it is different from other brands. If you loved reading this products, then share it with your friends.
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FAQs
The founders of Sugar cosmetics are Vineeta Singh and Kaushik Mukherjee. They are a husband wife couple, and both are engineering graduates and MBA degree holders.
The reasons behind the popularity of Sugar cosmetics are; 1. it is premium yet affordable, 2. it is made for Indian skin tones and Indian climate, 3. it stays for a longer time, 4, it is a cruelty free and vegan brand, 5. it does not use parabens and sulfates and uses only natural ingredients etc.
Sugar cosmetics is a very popular brand in India, and it owes its popularity to multiple factors. They are; 1. it is made for Indian skin and Indian climate, 2. it fills the gap that exists between the mass brands and the luxury brands, 3. its products have a very good quality and thumb stopping packaging, 4. it is very creative and innovative in nature, 5. it takes care of the health consciousness of its customers, apart from other reasons.