Q] What inspired you to launch Color Cupid, and how does it align with WOW Skin Science’s core values?
India’s beauty sector, particularly in colour cosmetics, is currently unorganised, and much smaller compared to the West. Beauty is now a daily routine rather than a luxury, with increased consumer consciousness over the past decade. This burgeoning market presents a unique opportunity amidst significant clutter. Our goal, is to not only build a brand but also differentiate ourselves in this space. While hair, skin, and nutrition are our core businesses, we decided to explore colour cosmetics as a new portfolio, to see if we can build a successful future in this area.
Q] Color Cupid is tailored for Gen-Z and Millennials. What specific trends or preferences within these demographics did you consider while developing this line?
We conducted extensive research with a Gen Z-first approach, as relevance to Gen Z is crucial today. Gen Z is a major influencer and has strong opinions on beauty products. Our initial 40 products were designed to be essential to their beauty routines, incorporating Gen Z feedback on packaging and product types. We focused on creating trargeted items rather than a broad range. One innovation is, our two-in-one lip gloss and lipstick which is unique in the country. This and other innovations are based on Gen Z insights. The first 40 products are just a start; future phases will offer more selections. We won’t diversify into 1,000 colours of nail paints or lipsticks, but we’ll remain focused on offering curated, everyday basics for Gen Z, rather than an extensive range of colours.
Q] Your focus seems to be in regions like East India, Delhi NCR, and Mumbai. What market research influenced your decision to target these areas?
Currently, we already have a strong distribution in place. Our first phase involves utilising our 300-plus beauty advisors in key regions to start selling colour cosmetics. We aim to test the market through our current robust distribution network in these regions, before expanding into other territories. We are already available online, with an exclusive launch on Amazon, so you can purchase our products online and have them delivered anywhere. We plan to expand distribution further once we assess the success of the first phase of our pilot distribution in our core areas, where we have strong distribution capabilities.
Q] What are your top markets in the South vs your top markets in the North? What is the key difference between these markets?
We are a very urban-focused brand, with strong performance in all the metros, which are some of our largest markets. However, tier two and tier three cities are also areas where we continue to invest, and see a lot of loyalty from customers. These cities tend to exhibit more loyalty in comparison to the more flirtatious developed urban centres. From our perspective, we remain strong in the North, and in other regions. The South, especially Bangalore, is one of our strongest regions. We plan to expand further in the South over the next couple of years. Overall, we have a strong presence across India, delivering to over 27,000 pin codes. However, there are still pockets where we can improve and grow our distribution, which we will focus on, in the next 12-18 months.
Q] WOW Skin Science is known for its ‘Activated Naturals’ products. How important is it for Color Cupid to maintain WOW Skin Science’s reputation for natural and efficacious products?
Our company prioritizes customer safety by using natural & non-toxic ingredients, and focusing on sustainability. We aim to avoid harmful substances for both customers and the environment, and have already removed certain elements from our packaging and formulations. Although we can’t disclose all details yet, this commitment will be highlighted in our marketing. Sustainability is crucial to us; we were the first in India to introduce a paper tube with 42% less plastic. We are dedicated to protecting the environment, and ensuring safe products for our customers.
Q] Color Cupid will be available both online and offline. How do you plan to balance and integrate these channels to maximise reach and customer engagement?
Omnichannel is crucial today, and WOW has leveraged its 10 years of experience and strong distribution network to refine our approach. We’ve learned from past mistakes to create a playbook for experimenting with SKUs, marketing, and distribution strategies. While our core strength remains Digital, offline presence is key for colour cosmetics, where customers want to experience products firsthand. Our current strategy focuses on 90% digital and 10% experimental offline efforts.
Q] With presence in over 700 beauty advisor-led stores and 1000+ makeup stores, what role does in-store experience play in your overall strategy?
We have 700 stores, 300 of which will carry Color Cupid. It’s crucial to identify the best channels for customers to buy. Over-distribution or placing products in channels where they are unlikely to sell can lead to unsold products being returned after two years. These are some of the lessons we’ve learned. We now use data and analytics to gain better visibility into customer buying habits, and identifying high-performing stores. Mastering this knowledge and planning for the future is essential.
Q] Body Cupid has seen significant growth with multiple brands under its umbrella. How do you ensure each brand maintains its unique identity while contributing to the company’s overall vision?
As a young company, we embrace meaningful experimentation rather than building random brands. The cost of failure is relatively low, so setbacks don’t impact us significantly. This experimental spirit is central to our DNA, and we aim for long-term success by continually trying and learning from failures. The worst outcome is not trying at all, and we are committed to exploring new opportunities.
Q] What emerging trends do you foresee in the beauty and wellness market, and how is Body Cupid preparing to capitalise on them?
Science and consumer preferences have evolved, and brands must adapt or face challenges. The next decade will favour those who embrace these changes, while those who don’t will struggle. Indian consumers now have access to excellent brands and are overwhelmed with information, leading to low loyalty. It’s a great time for customers but challenging for brands due to the abundance of choices. Staying relevant and engaging in this dynamic market is crucial. While we’ve had a strong start, long-term success will depend on adapting to these ongoing shifts.
Q] As a founder, what are the key leadership principles that guide you in managing a diverse portfolio of brands and products?
We are hungry to build meaningful and relevant brands. We are now an institution of great individuals. On my end, I continue to embrace a high-risk, high-reward approach. If things don’t work out, we’ll find a way to survive, but the intent should always be to never give up and keep striving to serve our customers better. This is the DNA of our company, which we uphold. We are a young company. We make mistakes, we’ll fall and we’ll rise. That’s part and parcel of the journey. From an overall perspective, it’s an interesting category to serve in a great nation like ours, which is underpenetrated in terms of having great brands. It’s an exciting time to build a business.
