Every swipe, every review and every vote tells the story of how India shops beauty today. The third edition of the Nykaa Best in Beauty (NBiB) Awards brings that story to life, distilling the choices, aspirations and evolving preferences of millions of beauty consumers into India’s definitive beauty benchmark. More than an annual awards programme, NBiB has grown into one of India’s largest consumer-led beauty awards, offering a definitive pulse on what India is buying, loving and trusting.
Nykaa Best in Beauty Awards 2026
With over 3.2 million votes cast across 60 award categories and 316 nominees spanning makeup, skincare, haircare, fragrance, wellness, personal care, bath & body, gifting, and beauty tools, this year’s edition showcased the remarkable breadth and diversity of India’s beauty landscape. The final winners were determined through a combination of consumer participation and evaluation by an esteemed jury, creating a benchmark where consumer conviction meets industry expertise.
Catch all the winners here: Winners
This year’s winners paint a compelling picture of a beauty industry being reshaped by increasingly informed, ingredient-conscious and globally connected consumers. Performance-backed efficacy is redefining purchase decisions, prestige beauty continues its upward trajectory, and homegrown innovators are earning their place alongside global icons. From Best Homegrown Beauty Brand and Cult Classic to Iconic New Launch of the Year, New & Now, and Brand Campaign of the Year, this year’s honours reflect the ideas, innovations and cultural moments that resonated most with India’s beauty consumers.
The panel featured Anchit Nayar, Executive Director & CEO, Nykaa Beauty; Nykaa’s brand icon Sharvari; make-up & hair artist- Elton Fernandez; make-up artist, educator and founder of Mokae Beauty-Sandhya Shekhar; hair expert- Hiral Bhatia; dermatologist- Dr. Aanchal Panth (MBBS, MD); founder of NAKED Coffee and luxury content creator- Radhika Seth; creator- Ankush Bahuguna; beauty creator- Tarini Peshawaria; and Nandini Bhalla, Editor at The Word Magazine.
NBiB 2026 Jury
Commenting on the awards, Anchit Nayar, Executive Director & CEO, Nykaa Beauty, said, “The Nykaa Best in Beauty Awards have evolved into more than an annual celebration of product excellence. It reflects the changing aspirations of India’s beauty consumers and the innovations redefining the industry. This year’s winners show that consumers are rewarding efficacy, authenticity and innovation in equal measure, while homegrown and global brands continue to raise the bar together. We’re proud that NBIB has become a platform where millions of consumers and industry experts collectively define the benchmark for beauty excellence in India.”
What the winners reveal about the next wave in Indian beauty:
Efficacy is the new beauty standard: Maybelline’s Instant Age Rewind Concealer, Sky High Mascara, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, and Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser prove consumers are choosing products that consistently deliver results over fleeting trends.
K-Beauty continues to dominate: Korean beauty brands emerged as standout winners across multiple categories, with Beauty of Joseon, LANEIGE, COSRX, TIRTIR, and Dr. Althea taking home multiple awards, reinforcing K-Beauty’s growing influence across both skincare and makeup.
Healthy skin leads every routine: Barrier-care favourites from CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, TONYMOLY, and Dot & Key reflect the growing focus on ingredient-led, skin-first beauty.
Homegrown brands are rewriting the rules of beauty: Kay beauty, Maison Moi, Foxtale, WishCare, and indē wild continue to win alongside global beauty icons, showcasing the strength of Indian innovation.
Hybrid beauty is redefining makeup: L’Oréal Paris Infallible Tinted Serum Foundation, Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer, NYX, and e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter highlight the growing demand for makeup that works like skincare.
Luxury beauty is becoming increasingly mainstream: From Charlotte Tilbury and NARS to Yves Saint Laurent, Estée Lauder, CHANEL, Paco Rabanne, Carolina Herrera, Dyson, and Jo Malone London, consumers are increasingly investing in premium beauty experiences.
Discover the complete list of winners on nykaa.com, from breakthrough launches and cult favourites to timeless icons, and shop the products that have earned India’s highest vote of confidence.
With a community of over 60 million consumers, a curated assortment spanning 4,000+ brands and 3 lakh+ products, Nykaa continues to shape how India discovers, experiences and shops beauty. The Nykaa Best in Beauty Awards have become an annual barometer of India’s beauty evolution, capturing not only the products that are loved by consumers, but the ideas and innovations that will define tomorrow.
Explore the full list of winning products and celebrate your favourites and discover some new ones! All award-winning products are available for purchase on Nykaa.com, ensuring that everyone can enjoy the best in beauty as recognized by the most discerning judges & beauty aficionados themselves!
Sub-category
Product
MAKEUP
Blush
Nykaa Cosmetics Whipped Blush Pot
Blush (Luxury)
Pixi By Petra On The Glow Blush Ruby
Concealer
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer
Eyeliner
Lakmē 9 to 5 Eyeconic Liquid Eyeliner – Intense Black
Eyeshadow
Kay Beauty Eyeshadow Palette
Foundation
L’Oréal Paris Infallible Tinted Serum Foundation
Foundation (Luxury)
NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation
Foundation (Luxury)
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation
Highlighter
e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Liquid Filter
Kajal
Renee Cosmetics Midnight Kohl Kajal
Lip Gloss
Yves Saint Laurent Loveshine Candy Glaze
Lip Tint
Benefit Cosmetics Lip & Cheek Tint
Lip Tint
ETUDE Dear Darling Water Gel Lip and Cheek Tint Lipstick
Lipstick
Kay Beauty Hydra Creme Lipstick
Lipstick & Liquid Lipstick (Luxury)
M.A.C MACximal Mini Matte Lipstick
Lipstick & Liquid Lipstick (Luxury)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution – Pillow Talk Medium
Liquid Lipstick
Maybelline New York Super Stay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lipstick
Mascara
Maybelline New York Sky High Mascara
Nail Polish
Nykaa Cosmetics Creme Nail Enamel
Primer
e.l.f. Cosmetics Power Grip Primer
Compact & Loose Powder
Kay Beauty Setting Loose Powder
Compact & Loose Powder (Luxury)
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish – Medium
Setting Spray
L’Oréal Paris Infallible Setting Spray
Skin Tint & Tinted Moisturizer
Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow All-In-One Tinted Moisturizer
Makeup (Trending)
TIRTIR Mask Fit Red Mini Cushion Foundation
Makeup (Trending)
NYX Professional Makeup Lip I.V. Gloss Stain
SKINCARE
Ageless Beauty
Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+ Youth Power Creme Moisturizer
Eye Cream
Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum
Face Wash & Cleanser
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
Lip Balm & Mask
LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm – Berry
Makeup Remover
Bioderma Micellar Water Sensibio H2O
Face Mask
Foxtale De-Tan Skin Radiance Mask
Moisturizer (Luxury)
Clinique Moisture Surge 100h Moisturizer
Moisturizer
CeraVe Moisturizer Cream For Dry Skin
Moisturizer
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Light Face Moisturizer
Night Cream & Sleeping Mask
LANEIGE Bouncy And Firm Sleeping Mask
Serum (Luxury)
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum
Serum (Luxury)
Eucerin Anti-Pigment Dual Serum
Serum
COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin 96 Power Essence
Sunscreen
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sunscreen Rice + Probiotics
Sunscreen
Dot & Key Vitamin C + E Super Bright Sunscreen
Toner
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Toner
Toner
TONYMOLY Wonder Ceramide Mochi Toner
Korean Beauty (Trending)
Celimax The Vita-A Retinal Shot Tightening Booster
Korean Beauty (Trending)
Dr.Althea 345 Relief Cream
Skin (Trending)
CeraVe Blemish Control Cleanser
Skin (Trending)
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume
HAIRCARE
Shampoo
Kérastase Discipline Fluidealiste Shampoo
Hair Serum
WishCare Hair Growth Serum Concentrate
Hair Mask
Dove Peptide Bond Strength Hair Treatment Mask
Conditioner
L’Oréal Paris Glycolic Gloss Conditioner
Hair Oil
indē wild Champi Hair Oil
Hair Colour
Streax Professional Argan Secrets Hair Colour & Developer
Hair Styling
Moxie Beauty On The Fly Hair Finishing Stick
Hair (Trending)
L’Oréal Professionnel Hair Growth Serum
Appliance
Dyson Airwrap I.D. Multi Styler & Dryer
FRAGRANCES
Women’s Fragrance (Luxury)
Carolina Herrera Good Girl Eau De Parfum
Men’s Fragrance (Luxury)
Yves Saint Laurent MYSLF Eau De Parfum
Body Mist
Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 62 Perfume Mist
Popular Fragrance
Victoria’s Secret Bombshell Eau De Parfum
BODYCARE
Shower Gel & Body Wash
Chemist At Play Exfoliating Body Wash
Body Lotion
Plum BodyLovin Vanilla Caramello Lotion
Body Scrub & Exfoliant
Dove Exfoliating Body Polish – Pomegranate Seeds And Shea Butter
Deodorant & Roll-On
Be Bodywise 4% AHA BHA Underarm Roll
Body Grooming
Gillette Venus
NYKAA MAN
Favourite Men’s Brand
Minimalist 10% Niacinamide Face Serum
Favourite Men’s Brand
Paco Rabanne 1 Million Elixir Parfum Intense
WELLNESS
Beauty Booster
OZiva Phyto Ceramides+ Collagen
Daily Nutrition
Wellbeing Nutrition Slow Multivitamin + Omega 3
GIFTING
Most Loved Gifting Brand (Luxury)
Jo Malone London Peony & Blush Suede
Most Loved Gifting Brand
Nykaa Wanderlust French Lavender Getaway Gift Set
SPECIAL AWARDS
Iconic New Launch of the Year (Brand)
CHANEL
Iconic New Launch of the Year (Product)
Nykaa Cosmetics Matte to Last Lipstick
Cult Classic
M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid Foundation
New and Now (Brand)
NYX Professional Makeup
New and Now (Product).
Nexxus Promend Oil Resurrection Hair Serum
Multi-use makeup product
LoveChild Masaba Skip Everything Blurring Serum Skin Tint SPF 20
Best Homegrown Beauty (Brand)
Maison Moi
Brand Campaign of the Year
L’Oréal Paris – Cannes Film Festival