With rising affluence and the influence of the Instagram generation, India’s demand for cosmetics has witnessed an unprecedented boom. This surge in interest is no longer confined to the affluent, but has permeated the middle and even lower-middle segments of the market. The sector has seen a proliferation of blockbuster direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands and startups, each eager to capture a share of this expanding market. As more small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups vie for attention, it is crucial that consumers are not misled by substandard products or exaggerated claims. Ensuring the highest quality and safety of cosmetics is paramount, and this responsibility falls squarely on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the apex body regulating industry specifications.
However, BIS now faces a significant threat from those advocating the replacement of its time-tested vertical standards with a broad, horizontal approach. If implemented, this shift would not only affect the domestic cosmetics industry, it would result in substandard products coming into the market, at cost to the customer. It is essential that India upholds its stringent, product-specific standards to protect both its industry and consumers.
India’s existing vertical standards, meticulously crafted by the BIS, operate under the stringent regulations laid out in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the Cosmetic Rules, 2020, and are designed to safeguard the quality, safety, and performance of cosmetic products. BIS standards—such as IS 2888 for toilet soaps, IS 13498 for bathing bars, and IS 4199 for liquid soaps—have been carefully crafted to meet the specific needs of the Indian market. These standards are product-specific, ensuring that each category of cosmetics — from soaps to skincare and haircare — meet the requirements tailored to their unique formulations. This approach has not only nurtured consumer trust but also fostered the growth of a vibrant, homegrown cosmetics industry, especially among SMEs and startups.
Take, for example, the standard for toilet soaps. The Indian Standard (IS) 2888 specifies that toilet soaps must contain a minimum of 76% Total Fatty Matter (TFM) for Grade 1, with lower grades requiring at least 70% and 60% TFM respectively, which guarantees that consumers receive high-quality products that meet safety and performance benchmarks.
Unfortunately, some foreign manufacturers, under the guise of promoting global innovation and sustainability, are lobbying for the adoption of horizontal standards—broad, generic guidelines that apply uniformly across product categories. While these horizontal standards may be marketed as progressive, they threaten to undermine the very foundation of India’s cosmetics sector. These one-size-fits-all rules lack the detailed parameters necessary to guarantee the safety, quality and performance of individual products, which vary widely in composition and purpose.
Should horizontal standards replace the vertical ones, Indian manufacturers—especially SMEs and startups—will be hit hardest. These businesses, which rely on clear, product-specific guidelines to maintain quality and consistency, would struggle to adapt to a new regulatory framework that lacks the specificity they depend on.
The switch to horizontal standards would compromise consumer safety. Vertical standards are crafted with a deep understanding of the unique risks and requirements associated with different types of cosmetics. Horizontal standards, by contrast, offer only minimal guidelines, increasing the risk that unsafe or ineffective products could slip through regulatory cracks and reach the market. This poses a serious threat to consumers, who deserve better than to be exposed to potentially harmful or subpar products.
India’s cosmetic industry, built on the foundation of BIS’s vertical standards, has only helped to innovate and create excellent products. This progress must not be undone by the imposition of generic standards that neither serve the interests of the industry nor the consumers. The Indian government must remain vigilant on this and protect a system that has worked so effectively for decades.
The demand for cosmetics in India is growing rapidly, and with it, the responsibility to maintain the highest standards of safety and quality. The Bureau of Indian Standards has long been the guardian of these standards, ensuring that Indian consumers can trust the products they use. The push for horizontal standards, however, threatens to dismantle this carefully built system, undermining both the domestic industry and consumer safety. It is imperative that India protects its existing vertical standards and continues to support a thriving, self-reliant cosmetics sector—one that prioritises the well-being of its people over the demands of foreign interests.
This article is authored by Dr Saumya Takiar, aesthetic physician, Delhi NCR.