Within a short span of time, the use of cosmetics by Indian consumers has increased significantly

with more and more women and men taking greater interest in personal grooming, increasing
disposable incomes, changing life styles, influence of satellite television and greater product choice
and availability. This cosmetics and personal care industry has been growing at an average rate of
20 per cent for the last few years. The growing Indian cosmetics market offers promising prospects
for international brands. The growth rate in the cosmetics market reflects an increasing demand for
beauty care products in India. Perfumes and fragrances, skin care, and hair care products are
some of the major segments with promising prospects for U.S. companies. Penetration of most
cosmetic and toiletries is very low in India. Current consumption of many products is well below
that of many countries in Asia. The low market penetration of many cosmetics and personal care
products offers room for growth. The urban population with increasing purchasing power is
the major force driving demand for cosmetics and toiletries. India is a very price-sensitive market
and mass-market products constitute the major part of the cosmetics and toiletries market. Indias
import of cosmetics and toiletries and intermediate raw materials is around US$ 120 million, of
which the U.S. has a share of approximately 10 percent The research process includes
the response received from target audiences (Min age 18yrs- Max -45yrs) through questionnaire for
deeper insight with sample size of 100

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Lakm is an Indian brand of cosmetics, owned by Hindustan Unilever and run by CEO Pushkaraj Shenai. Lakme
started as a 100% subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills (Tomco), part of the Tata Group; it was named after
the French opera Lakm, which itself is the French form of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, also renowned for her
beauty. Indian cosmet Lakme was started in 1952, famously because the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru,
was concerned that Indian women were spending precious foreign exchange on beauty products, and personally
requested JRD Tata to manufacture them in India. Simone Tata joined the company as director, and went on to
become its chairman. In 1996 Tata sold off their stakes in Lakm Lever to HLL, for Rs 200 Crore(45 million US$),
and went on to create Trent and Westside. Even today, when most multinational beauty products are available in
India, Lakme still occupies a special place in the hearts of Indian women.
Lakme also started its new business in the beauty industry by setting up Lakme Beauty Salons all over India. Now
HUL (Hindustan Unilever Limited) has about 110 salons all over India providing beauty services. Lakme' has been
ranked as 47th most trusted brand in India by The Brand Trust Report The company is the title sponsor for Lakme
Fashion Week(LFW) a bi-annual fashion event which takes place in Mumbai.

LAKMES POSITIONING IN TERMS OF PERSONALITY AND SELF CONCEPT:
Lakme is a product range that caters to the beautification needs of not only women in their adult age but in today's
context teenagers also. It has a brand personality of someone who takes care of you and your beauty needs. It
tries to position itself amongst its consumers as a product rangethat will help them look beautiful as is evident from
its catchphrases:

1.On top of the world!
2.Source of radiant beauty

!Lakme has a range of beauty products to offer to its consumers. Some of the ways in which it tries to position itself:
1.Lakme Hair Color: magic of colors (collage).
2.Lakme (versatile eye shadow collection): rich, long lasting and healthy make up.
3.Lakme fair perfect: For flawlessly fair skin!
4.Lakme face magic: daily wear souffl.
5.Lakme (skin vitalizer): radiant skin, now and forever.
6.Lakme (moisturizer): radiant skin, now and forever.
7.Lakme nail polish and lipstick: electric brilliance/sensual brilliance/freespirit/peppermint/9 to 5
8.Lakme sun expert (sunscreen): sun safe hamesha! (face the sun with a smile)
9.Lakme pure defense: anti-pollution system.
10.Lakme Tropical Island (cosmetics): defining the future of fashion.
11.Lakme hair care (international): natural hair care, a source of pleasure and well being.
12.Lakme hair next: exclusive range of hairstyle products that give you that salon look instantly.

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On the basis of above mentioned positioning strategies Lakme can have the followingcharacteristics that determine its
personality:
Someone who takes care of your beauty needs.
A long lasting beautification product range.
Something that is not harsh on your body or harmful for your beauty.
A product that provides you with an option of getting beautiful hair.
A product that helps you get a beautiful skin.
A cosmetic product that you can wear for the entire day and not a special occasion.
Someone who tells you right things about looking good.
It's an Indian cosmetic brand.
It covers all facets of beauty care for women.

The following factors of Lakme's personality help in differentiation of its products from thecompetition:
It covers all facets of beauty care.
It helps arm the consumer with products to pamper her from head to toe i.e. a complete product range.
The quality of its products which can be only gauged by the consumer perception of the brand.
India's first beauty brand and is there for a long time in the market (since independence).However, most of the
other foreign brands have come only lately.


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HOW LAKME IS INFLUENCING ITS CONSUMERS:THE CONCEPT OF EGO:
According to Freudian Psychoanalytic theory Lakme tries to position itself on the basis of its appeal to the
consumers which have an ego. This means that the consumers of Lakme have an impulsive drive for which
they seek immediate satisfaction without concern for means of satisfaction
Women all over the world are always expected to look good and Indian women are no exception; More so
because of the fact that Indian women in general do not have a fair skin like that of their western counterparts.
Thus it becomes but natural for Indian women to try and look good and use beauty products that help enhance
their looks and style. With globalization and liberalization of Indian economy and the changing demographics and
income levels there is more and more concern to look good as today's Indian woman is no longer confined to her
home but is a big contributor to the growth of Indian economy.
THE CONCEPT OF PERSONALITY GROUPS:
Lakme tries to woo the compliant consumers according to Karen Horney's classification
of personality groups i.e. people who move towards others. Those who have desire to beloved, wanted and
appreciated. As is earlier stated women are supposed to look good not only in western countries but also in India.
Women always appreciate if someone calls them beautiful and it has become the custom of the society to see
women in such a context. So it would be prudent to say that according to the societal norms a women has to look
good at all times and which has a bearing on the psychology of female consumers towards cosmetic products
which help them achieve that desired look. Needless to say that Lakme plays on the concept of women wanting
themselves to be appreciated for their beauty and being loved for that.

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CONCEPT OF PERCEPTUAL SELECTION:
On the basis of perceptual selection Lakme has tried to position itself among its consumers in the following ways:
Lakme has tried to gain the attention of its consumers by line extension and having more and more product depth,
packaging and attractive print advertisements. If we look at the line extensions of Lakme than we would observe
that it is in almost all the segments of cosmetic care ranging from hair care to skin care to beauty salons! Looking
at the product depth it is pretty evident that Lakme has actually tried to fill in all areas that it can, particularly the
nail paint and the lip color segment is a big hit among Indian women as it offers them a wide variety of products in
terms of colors as well as various styles that they can choose from.
It was the first cosmetic brand in India that captured the imagination of consumers. It hada market share of 52% at one
time as the consumers didn't have many choices but as theforeign brands came in, it lost its Numero Uno position.
This was primarily due to the fact that consumers now had easy access to high quality products and with rising
disposable income and size of the Indian middle class consumers shifted their attention to foreign players.

PERCEPTION AND ATTITUDE OF CONSUMERS TOWARDS LAKME:
According to the answers in the in-depth interview of the respondents:
What respondents feel:

Colorful: 20% (6/30) of the respondents in the in-depth interview said that theyassociated Lakme with colors i.e.
something which is vibrant and lively. According tothem Lakme offers them with a wide range of colors in product
category of nail paint andlip color. This makes them perceive it as colorful.
What Lakme wants them to feel:
This consumer perception goes well with the positioning of Lakmes lip color and nail polish as they try to position it as
colorful andvibrant which is how the consumers perceive it as.




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What respondents feel:

30% (9/30) respondents felt that Lakme is a trendsetter for fashionable cosmetics inIndia. The major reason they attributed to this
was that it was the first cosmetic brand inIndia which was particularly catering to the need of Indian women and thus set a
trendfor the foreign players to tap the Indian market. Today also they said that it is atrendsetter in cosmetics as it keeps on
coming out with novel colors, shades and productsfrom time to time.
What Lakme wants them to feel:
This again matches with what the company wants Indianconsumers to perceive about it as is evident from the shown
advertisement. Lakmesstrategy has been to come with new and vibrant colors and shades of cosmetics each andevery season.
Currently it is aggressively advertising its Tropical Island Collection
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which has been designed by none other than famous fashion designer Wendell Rodricks.
What respondents feel:


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20% (6/30) respondents feel that Lakmes lip color is longer lasting as compared to other brands such as Maybelline
and Revlon. They felt that it is because of good quality of lip color that was provided by the company.
What Lakme wants them to feel:
This is what Lakme is trying to do with the advertisements of its lip color. In fact it has launched a special range of lip
color that is called 9 to 5 range andis meant for women who are working in offices. This product is primarily
harping on the premise that the lip color stays longer than any other and is meant for working women who stay in
offices from 9 to 5 and cant give that much time for their looks in between working hours.
What respondents feel:
10% (3/30) respondents felt that when they thought of Lakme they thought of an expertin beauty care. According to
them it is a brand which communicates to them the variousways in which they can protect as well as enhance
their beauty.
What Lakme wants them to feel:

This advertisement of Lakme is exactlytrying to communicate this message to its consumers that the brand is an expert
in beauty care as it helps the consumer not only to look beautiful but also helps her to protect her beauty.




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What respondents feel:

10% (3/30) of respondents felt that Lakme although is not a very well known and trusted brand for
its hair care products but still the new range of hair styling products that it has brought out in the
market have to some extent provided them with an easy way of making their hair look beautiful.
What Lakme wants them to feel:
This advertisement of Lakme although is trying to say the same thing but the perception of
consumers has not been built according to what the company is primarily looking for i.e. it is trying
to position itself as a instant hairstyling product.
What respondents feel:

10% (3/30) felt that Lakmes skin care lotion is one of the best products in its categoryand provides
them with optimum care in winters. However they said that the role of acosmetic product is
different for different environments. They disagreed about the factthat the cosmetic products
actually help you maintain a good and healthy skin for a longtime unless it is of good quality. They
were of the opinion that a good and healthy skincan only be obtained by proper diet and hydration
with the help of liquids taken orally.


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What Lakme wants them to feel:
In this context Lakme has tried to woo itsconsumers by means of informative advertisement but
the perception of its consumersdoesnt gel with that of what the company wants to do. The major
reason for this could bethe level of sophistication of the respondent. In this case they are learned
women from aB school. However in case of women who are not
at all abreast with the actualmechanisms of bodys maintenance of good health, it can be a good
way of trying togenerate awareness amongst it consumers regarding the role this product can play
in theachievement of the consumers goal.
PREVAILING CONSUMER ATTITUDE:
The prevailing attitude of the consumers regarding Lakme is that it is:

A brand that epitomizes the feminity of Indian women. 30% (9/30) of the respondents of the in
depth interview felt that Lakme has over the years built a brand that has got aspecial place in the
hearts of Indian women. This was attributed to the length and depthof its product mix.

20% (6/30) of the respondents feel that Lakme is economical as compared to itscompetitor foreign
brands. This particular aspect has never been harped upon by Lakmein its advertisements. When
asked whether the consumers would buy the products of Lakme if their price was increased most
of the respondents were not able to make uptheir mind. They were of the opinion that low price is
one of the major strengths of the brand and it should remain like that.


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10% (3/30) of the respondents felt that Lakme provides them a complete range of cosmetic products. This is in line
with what Lakme has been trying to position it as. Thevarious advertisements of Lakme try to tell their consumers
that they provide them with acomplete solution for their beauty enhancement.

20% (6/30) respondents felt that Lakme is not at all a healthy choice in order to keep ahealthy and beautiful skin.
This is in contrast with its skin care products as they try to telltheir consumers that using their skin care products
would help them achieve radiant andglowing skin. The major reason is the growing popularity of herbal products
and theusage of chemicals in Lakme products.In this respect what we as a group feel that Lakme should start a
new product line of Herbal or Ayurvedic based cosmetic products as Lakme is already
considered as atrendsetter in cosmetics industry by various consumers. So it should not miss theopportunity
and should either launch a new product line or incorporate Herbal or Ayurvedic ingredients in its product portfolio.
SPECIAL NOTE WITH RESPECT TO THE PREVAILING CONSUMER ATTITUDE:
We as a group came to the conclusion that whatever negative attitude consumers haveregarding Lakme at IBS
Hyderabad campus it maybe because the respondents werehighly informed regarding the products and product
range. They were all B schoolstudents and were aware of the recent developments with respect to the cosmetic
industryto some extent.If we look at a broader picture women today are changing their attitude towards
morehealthier and natural cosmetic products as a whole and are reluctant to use chemical based cosmetics if they
have better options. Moreover due to immense competition it isvery much evident that consumers of Lakme would
switch over to healthier brands as inthis product category the brand loyalty of the consumer stays as long as the
product is providing the consumer the desired level of satisfaction. Since that level is already on thechanging side
its high time Lakme looks at beautification not only in terms of cosmetics but healthy cosmetics!


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METHODOLOGY OF DATA COLLECTION:
In this project, I have done qualitative research for gaining insights into perception of Lakme in the minds of
consumer, their attitude towards the brand and also to find out whether Hindustan Unilevers intentions are
matching with the consumers perception about the brand. Qualitative data was collected to know more about
consumer behaviour, intentions, feelings and thoughts that cannot be directly observed and measured. Hence
qualitative methods helped me to project the emotions, needs, motives, attitudes and beliefs of women towards
Lakme. Moreover, these methods are less structured and more intensive than standardized questionnaire based
interviews. There is a longer, more flexible relationship with the respondent, so the resulting data have more depth
and great richness of context. I have used qualitative research for the study where I wanted to gain insights into
womens perception towards Lakme that otherwise might be impossible to pursue with structured research
methods.


IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW METHOD:
The data collection tool which I have chosen for this study is Individual In-depth interviews. The individual in-depth
interviews were conducted face to face with the respondent i.e. women , in which the subject matter of the
interview i.e. Lakme as a brand was explored in detail. The in-depth interview was of focused type. The
questionnaire that we administered to the respondents is given in Annexure.

RATIONALE OF THE METHOD CHOSEN:
The focused individual interviews were being done because I wanted to cover a specific list of topics or subareas
of the Lakme brand. So therefore the interviewer had the discretion on the timing, exact wording and time
allocation on each question area. Special care was taken to avoid threatening questions. In the individual in-depth
interview, I have used laddering technique so as to get an actual response from the respondent. For example,
firstly the respondents were asked a particular question and then, they were probed on reasons for their response
given to the interviewer.


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Earlier I narrowed down the sources of data collection to focus groups and individual in-depth interviews. But finally I
ended up by selecting individual in-depth interviews. The advantages of in-depth interviews over focus groups are:
1. More quality:
Unlike focus groups, one- on-one interviews can avoid responses that are influenced by other people. Like in our case
where personal beauty care is a critical issue. Girls or women tend to get influenced by other participants of the
focus group in order to avoid any embarrassing situation. This kind of behaviour is not seen in case of in-depth
interview. Interviewers may ask respondents directly and find out their personal thoughts on the product; this
ultimately enhances the quality of information.
2.
More quantity:
We can receive twice the amount of information per respondent in an in-depth interview, where the interviewer speaks
at most 20 percent of the time, as in atypical 10-member focus group.
3.
More depth:
In-depth interviews capture all the relevance of the qualitative information of focus groups. Every word the respondent
speaks can be tapped and transcribed and used in multiple ways. Well designed surveys can go beyond surface
answers and produce rich database of interviews to produce analytical reports, identify broad themes, and
understand the ranges and depth of reactions.
4.
More representation:
In-depth interviews allow a much more representative approach. Respondents are carefully selected to represent the
marketplace as accurately as possible. As in our case, the respondents were girls. Therefore it was better to
conduct individual in-depth interviews as girls can feel comfortable in answering questions pertaining to beauty
care of a person.
5.
More value:
One-on-one interviews can double or triple the number of minutes that the respondent is talking, and that is the true
goal of our research: understanding your consumers better.


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6.
More convenient:
As we are residing in a residential B-school where we are under inevitable pressure of assignments and placements ,
so it was difficult for us to schedule focus group discussion comprising of 7-8 girls and that too we have to conduct
3-4 focus group discussions. In comparison to focus groups, individual interviews were easier toschedule.7.As our
subject of research i.e. personal beauty care of women is quite sensitive, therefore individual in-depth interviews
were more appropriate in order to get more of the talking from girls or women.8.Moreover, with one respondent,
there is absolutely no potential for influence from other respondents which might have been prevalent if it was a
focus group discussion instead of an individual in-depth interview. As we have clearly mentioned myriad
advantages of in-depth interviews over focus group discussions, there are also some limitations of individual in-
depth interviews. They are:

There is no group interaction among girls. Therefore, stimulation for new ideas from respondents comes from
the interviewer.

In the absence of group pressure of girls, the thinking of respondents is not challenged.

It takes a lot of time to obtain information and analyze it.
LIMITATIONS OF QUALITATIVE METHODS:

The results are not necessarily representative of what would be found in the population, and hence cannot be
projected.

There is typically a great deal of ambiguity in the results of qualitative methods.

Susceptibility of the results to misuse.

Flexibility that is the hallmark of these qualitative methods gives the moderator or interviewer great latitude in directing
the questions; similarly, an analyst with a particular point of view may interpret the thoughts and comments
selectively to support that view.


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(http://www.business-standard.com/article/management/lakme-s-new-
muse-the-working-woman-113070700636_1.html)
In uncharacteristic style, the Rs 25,810-crore Hindustan Unilever (HUL), the country's largest fast-moving consumer goods
company, has silently gone about revamping its officewear portfolio in the cosmetics space in recent weeks. Called '9 to 5', it
is taking on international brands such as L'Oreal, Revlon and Chambor that have traditionally targeted this segment in a big
way. Lakme remains the dominant player in the Rs 1,100-crore organised make-up market in India. With cosmetics use
growing in India and more women moving into the urban workforce, experts say the pressure to come up with chic products
is growing. Women are increasingly getting aspirational and also have the means to ensure they can buy what they want in
their drive to enhance their beauty.

According to data released by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) last month, India's female workforce in urban areas
stood at 27.3 million between July 2011 and June 2012 - the period for which the analysis was done - versus 22.8 million
between July 2009 and June 2010.
There is a growth of 16.48 per cent, which is reasonable, given the high dropout rate of women from the labour force on
account of marriage, starting a family and other pressures.

But the growing bunch of women trooping to work is still substantial enough for cosmetic majors to sit up and appraise their
portfolios. Lakme appears to have done just that. Arun Srinivas, vice-president, skincare and make-up, HUL, says, "The
number of contemporary professional women in Indian offices is increasing with societal changes. Lakme 9 to 5 offers
women a unique range of long-wear make-up that allows them to look their best and go about their work with utmost style
and without any touch-ups."

This will be the second time in two years that Lakme has come out with a long-wear range, that is, make-up lasting through
the day. Last year, the company had launched Absolute, its range of premium baked make-up, at the upper end of the
market, targeting women who wanted chic but effective products that lasted through the day. Actor Kareena Kapoor
endorsed this line by Lakme.

In recent years, most international majors have focused on offering Indian women no-fuss but stylish products. For working
women, this is an enticing proposition, given that they barely have the time for repeated touch-ups. Satyaki Ghosh, director,
consumer products division, L'Oreal India, says innovation has been at the heart of this strategy of offering no-fuss but
effective products. "We are clear that if we have to make a difference, it has to be through a range of stand-out products
that are stylish and neat and do not take too much time when applying," he says.



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This has taken different shapes, from interesting colours in segments such as lips and nails, two big categories in make-up, to innovative
products such as a kajal that can be twisted open like a lipstick or a compact that doubles as a foundation. L'Oreal Paris, along with
Maybelline (at the lower end) and Lancome (at the upper end), has attempted to make make-up utilitarian as well as look good through
such products, to draw the attention of the consumer.

Innovation, say experts, has also become imperative in the cosmetics space because women today are not hesitant to experiment with
their products. This is increasingly becoming evident in nail colour, for instance, where even working women can be found trying out
newer and bolder shades without worrying about how their colleagues would perceive them.
As Anand Ramanathan, associate director, KPMG (management consulting practice), says, the cosmetics industry is seeing a shift with
consumers wanting to try out newer and better products, with women going after brands that offer them a little more than what others
would. Ghosh puts it succintly, "Women today do not want to try out their mother's brands."


Lakme has responded to these mutiple challenges with a range of products from eyeliners, compacts, blushers, nail polish to lipsticks
under 9 to 5. "Lip and nail colour, in particular, are new additions to the range," Srinivas says. "The packaging has also been revamped
to make it exciting for the working woman," he adds.

Experts say that as disposable income among women go up, the pressure to adopt new styles will increase. "The pressure to innovate
will certainly go up as consumers become demanding," says Ghosh of L'Oreal.

What is partly fuelling this pressure is the awareness among consumers of global trends. "Women know what is happening abroad and
in a globalised world, they want to be part of an international trend or phenomenon," Ghosh adds. The homegrown universe of beauty
and fashion bloggers has fanned such trend-spotting.

Lakme has also played on pricing for its revamped range for the working woman. It is priced between Rs 200 and Rs 600, bringing it
within the reach of most. International brands such as Revlon, Chambor and even L'Oreal Paris are all priced over Rs 500, and
Maybelline is the only mass-market brand among the global players.

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http://www.fashionunited.in/news/apparel/lak
me-fashion-week-goes-live-with-tv-
180320111810
Lakme Fashion Week goes live with TV
Friday, 18 March 2011Indias pioneering fashion event, Lakme Fashion Week for the first time
launched an online streaming channels, LFW TV, to woo netizens. Anil Chopra, chief executive
officer of Lakme Lever, part of Hindustan Unilever, is fine-tuning Lakmes online and offline
strategies to popularize its fashion property Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer Resort 2011
across the globe. Currently, Lakme, the market leader in the branded color cosmetics segment in
India, is also gearing up to launch a new range of cosmetics during the grand finale of LFW this
season.
LFW TV is one of Lakmes key initiatives this season that was envisioned to provide access to all the
content closer to the PC.

The rapid growth of online social networks and the power it brings to people, brands and consumer
behavior has resulted in the need to embrace technology with fashion. By becoming early adopters
and staying at the forefront, LFW takes its active digital outreach and social media engagement to
the next level. LFW TV allows fashion enthusiasts worldwide to engage and experience fashion real-
time, eliminating the limitations of location or invitation and giving them an experience of watching
the show live from the runway. Besides live streaming of all shows through the five days, LFW TV
also gave the audience a peek of action at the venue.
Lakm also introduced the Fantasy Collection of colored cosmetics at the grand finale of the fashion
event. Chopra said, Every season, Lakme forecasts and sets the beauty and fashion trends in India
in the form of a color collection. The selected trends are translated for different types of faces and
skin, and sees culmination in a collection that is co-created with the Lakm Makeup Artists and the
Lakm grand finale designer.
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INIFD is the first educational institute in the world to completely digitize
education to change the learning landscape for thousands of students
across all INIFD centres!
INIFD Presents Gen Next at LAKM FASHION WEEK at Main Show Area to
encourage upcoming Gen Next Designers at Lakm Fashion Week to
encourage upcoming Gen Next Designers at Lakme Fashion Week - the
premium platform for all budding designers.
INIFD is the 'Official Knowledge Partner' of Indias premier fashion and
lifestyle event - Lakm Fashion Week. The synergy between the education
and learning centre and the fashion week is a first ever attempt to
integrate knowledge sharing between the leaders of the fashion business
and the future of fashion in India. Its a two way process wherein students
get to be part of the fashion week at various levels, thus enhancing their
practical skills and an on the other INIFD aims to leverage the successful
talent base in the country who are part of the fashion week back into
education. And set role models for the future generation.

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http://www.hul.co.in/brands-in-action/detail/Lakm--
launches-India-s-first-makeover-application/368874/
LAKM LAUNCHES INDIAS FIRST MAKEOVER APPLICATION
Lakm, Indias leading beauty brand, now introduces Indias first ever makeover application that allows consumers to
experiment with their looks and get an instant makeover with the vast Lakm pallet.
Available under the Lakm Reinvent StudioLink opens in a new window section on the Lakm website, this first of its kind
application is designed to precision giving the users a chance to create a look for themselves using options across all
categories including the face, eyes, lips, etc. The application also suggests products and shades that will suit a ones face
along with tips for application tips and tricks along with an option of emailing herself, the list of products used to create the
look.
LAKM REINVENT STUDIO IN DETAIL
Face: This section covers options for base make up including foundation, concealor, powder and blush. Each of these options
contain a circulur color pallete of the Lakm products available across all ranges including Classics, 9to5 and Absolute. Once
the user selects the shade according to her skin tome, she is introduced to the details of the product including its price and
shade number thus helping her with a ready recknor.
Eye: For the eyes, the app allows user to play around with different styles, thickness options for eyeliners, kajal and mascara.
Be it on the models image available on the app or the users own picture, the app allows the user to reinvent their style
virtually and thereby encouraging them to try different options in reality.
Lip: This is the most exhaustive category with Lakms wide range of lipsticks across Classics, 9to5 and Absolute available for
the user to play with and select the lip color that suits her style and mood. It allows the user to define the lip liner, further
apply the lip color as per preference and complete the look with the lip gloss.
Nails: This segment is also designed to detail with the user being able to select the colour based on their nail style and skin
tone.
LAKM LOOKS
The most fascinating section of the application, it gives the user the chance to adapt her looks to the ones created on the
Lakm diva Kareena Kapoor. The user simply has to choose their favourite Lakm look and click on their image to witness
the same look being re-created on them. Exciting looks like Night Look, Sultry Evenings, Cocktail Glamour, Corporate Power
and Sundown Shimmer are among the many options available.
BEFORE AFTER
The app allows you to compare your looks before and after the makeover.

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Contemporary Indian beauty expert Lakme continuously
innovates to offer a wide range of, high performance and
world class color cosmetics, skincare products, and beauty
salons. In addition to leveraging Unilever's worldwide
expertise, Lakme also partners with the leading cosmetic
house Milan-based Intercos Italia, Schwann Stabilo
Germany and Paris-based Fiabila. Combining international
cosmetic technology with an in-depth understanding of the
Indian woman's needs, Lakme also offers its consumers a
comprehensive beauty experience through its products and
services at the Lakme Salons and Studios.


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future
The objective now is to set up 200 salons within two-three years, and Lakme Lever intends to tie up with brands
related to personal grooming in the forthcoming months. In addition to skin care, hair care and colour cosmetics,
the Lakme Lever branded salon model could also finalise tie-ups in categories such as hair dryers, among others.
A tie-up with hair-care major Wella has already been firmed up. On the retail front, while the combined distribution
strength of Lakme and Elle 18 straddles 65,000-odd outlets, Lakme's skin care range is distributed across one
lakh stores.
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1996
Lakme and Hindustan Unilever forms 50:50 JV
Lakme Lever
1997

Lakme brand and assets acquired by
Hindustan Unilever

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