From Nykaa’s fruity shampoo to Hyphen’s mango popsicle SPF, brands are making the most of sensory marketing
Globally, sensory marketing has gone viral as brands realize the power of creating immersive, multisensory experiences. From food-inspired packaging to textures and scents that evoke emotion, these campaigns spark instant social media buzz. They’re highly shareable, visually striking, and emotionally engaging — turning everyday products into viral, feel-good moments that resonate worldwide.
Sensory marketing is a powerful strategy that taps into our five senses, sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, to build emotional connections between consumers and brands. It goes beyond product function and appearance, creating experiences that people can feel, remember, and associate with emotions. In a highly competitive market like beauty and skincare, sensory marketing helps brands stand out by transforming everyday products into indulgent, multisensory rituals.
In India, where culture, colors, traditions, and fragrances play an integral role in people’s lives, sensory marketing has found a thriving space. Indian beauty brands are cleverly using nostalgic flavors, regional fruits, vibrant textures, and culturally familiar scents to connect deeply with their audiences. By merging modern aesthetics with sensory triggers rooted in local experiences, these brands are not just selling products, they’re selling feelings, memories, and moments of joy.
Nykaa Cosmetics
Nykaa taps into sensory marketing by blending visually appealing packaging with fragrances and textures that feel luxe. From fruity shampoo ranges to candy-like lipsticks, they connect beauty with everyday indulgences like apples and onions! Their color palettes are bold yet approachable, making consumers associate self-care with delightful, multisensory experiences.
Mars Cosmetics
Mars Cosmetics knows how to make its mark with playful, tactile packaging and rich, food-inspired shades. By pairing products with textures and flavors, think pie-like tints or candy-colored sticks, Mars triggers both visual and taste associations. It feels less like makeup and more like a treat, creating an emotional connection through sensory recall.
Renée Beauty
Renée is redefining glam with clever, crave-worthy products. Their unique roll-on and crayon lipsticks pair texture with flavor visuals, like watermelon or desserts, making you almost taste the experience. The way their products feel in-hand, sleek, fun, and vibrant, deepens emotional impact, creating an irresistible, multi-sensory moment for modern Indian consumers.
Gush Beauty
Gush Beauty turns beauty routines into playful, candy-colored rituals. From creamy textures to dessert-themed palettes and packaging, they blur the lines between cosmetics and confectionery. Gush capitalizes on the sense of touch and taste association, every product feels lighthearted and inviting, making users subconsciously link beauty with joy, indulgence, and nostalgia.
D’you Beauty
D’you leans into clean, fresh sensory branding with minimalist designs paired with zesty, fruity backdrops. Their soothing formulas promise a skin-calming experience, evoking feelings of refreshment and purity. The brand’s association with citrusy fruits and nature’s simplicity creates a multisensory calm, it smells good, feels good, and looks serene.
Fae Beauty
Fae Beauty champions playful minimalism. Their sensory marketing uses quirky, snack-inspired setups to position beauty as fun and inclusive. With names like “Sugar Rush,” paired with pies and candies, they connect flavors, smells, and visuals, making makeup relatable and memorable for a younger, culturally rooted audience seeking bold, bite-sized beauty statements.
indē wild
indē wild blends ancient wisdom with modern beauty, using sensory cues like turmeric, citrus, and earthy packaging. Their campaigns pair ingredients with natural textures and scents, evoking nostalgia and cultural familiarity. This rooted sensory language makes skincare a holistic ritual, something seen, smelt, and felt, reconnecting consumers to their heritage.
Dot & Key
Dot & Key plays with soft, pastel visuals and candy-like packaging, evoking sweet, youthful vibes. Their fruity, vitamin-rich formulations are marketed alongside marshmallows, lemons, and bright, edible props, making skincare feel like a sensory treat. The brand’s playful visual language transforms routine skincare into an exciting, multisensory ritual.
Blur India
Blur India thrives on quirky, feel-good packaging paired with dessert-inspired textures and visuals. From cakes to candies, their marketing evokes childhood nostalgia and indulgence. Each product feels like an edible delight, with playful names and bold, sensory-laden campaigns. Blur’s genius lies in making beauty light, memorable, and emotionally engaging.
Chemist at Play
Chemist at Play uses bright, cheerful colors and fruit-based associations to bring life to their skincare range. Their roll-ons and serums feel clinical yet fun, combining scientific efficacy with sensory pleasures. Think citrusy freshness paired with soft, minimalist packaging, their campaigns appeal to the clean girl aesthetic while triggering olfactory and tactile satisfaction.
Hyphen
Hyphen collaborates with food brands and uses snack-inspired packaging to position sun protection and skincare as irresistible treats. Their mango popsicle SPF campaigns connect taste, color, and fun textures to an otherwise mundane skincare step, transforming it into a sensory experience that’s youthful, nostalgic, and absolutely unforgettable.
Mrucha Beauty
Mrucha Beauty harnesses fruity, floral, and edible imagery, from apples to watermelon, to elevate skincare into a multisensory experience. Their glossy, colorful packaging pops against natural textures, while product textures promise soft, pampering touches. Mrucha’s marketing cleverly makes consumers crave the sensation, fragrance, and visual appeal of every product.
Sensory marketing in India is evolving into an art form, with beauty and skincare brands mastering the craft of creating immersive, feel-good experiences. By using locally-loved scents, flavors, and textures, they’re transforming ordinary routines into delightful, culturally relevant indulgences. These brands aren’t just delivering results, they’re leaving lasting impressions by speaking to the heart through the senses, making beauty personal, playful, and unforgettable.
