Review: Is H&M makeup worth investing in?
H&M recently launched its makeup range in India. This writer tried the products for a week
As H&M marked a decade in India, the international high street brand expanded its footprint earlier this month with the launch of a beauty range. It was a timely entry, just before Diwali, but late into one of the country’s most competitive consumer markets.
India’s beauty market is crowded with luxury, high street, and homegrown labels. In the budget-but-posh segment alone, H&M Beauty joins a crowded shelf, featuring Westside Beauty, Joyology by Shoppers Stop, Nykaa Cosmetics, Sephora Collection, Maybelline, and a growing number of promising indie brands. Zara Beauty, though yet to make a mark in the Indian make-up community, also competes for attention in the same space.
The H&M Beauty range includes satin lipsticks ( ₹799), matte liquid lipsticks ( ₹599), blush and highlighter sticks ( ₹699), loose powder highlighters ( ₹699), eyeshadow pencils ( ₹699), a mascara ( ₹799), an eyeliner ( ₹699), and perfumes ( ₹1,299 each). It also offers beauty tools and accessories such as gua shas, brushes (starting ₹599 onwards), and make-up pouches—all priced attractively for a global brand, though on the higher side compared to local counterparts. Notably, all products are vegan and made in India.
I tested the products through the festive week, which offered an ideal opportunity to gauge their performance across long wear, finish, and comfort. One of the most standout products was the loose powder highlighter. It swatches brilliantly on the wrist and will work best when applied with fingertips rather than a brush on the cheeks, as it has glitter specks too.
The eyeshadow stick, too, is creamy, easy to blend and perfect for quick looks.
The H&M perfumes carry fresh, contemporary notes but remain within a familiar olfactory range—comparable to offerings from Nykaa, Zara or Westside. While the packaging is comparatively better, the scent profiles may not yet stand apart in India’s increasingly sophisticated fragrance landscape.
Among the lip products, the satin bullet lipstick impresses with its magnetic closure and hydrating formula—the shade My Lips But Better performed well even on pigmented lips. However, in a market where brands like Sugar, Nykaa, and Maybelline offer a wider shade and finish range at lower prices (starting around ₹300), H&M will face strong competition. The packaging is similar to Joyology’s lipstick, also priced the same and is available in different finishes. The Mad for Matte liquid lipstick fares great: its velvety texture offers impressive comfort without emphasising fine lines and stays put well too— the ideal balance between matte and moisture.
The mascara is light and defining, but less effective for adding volume or dramatic length— if you have sparse or short lashes, skip it. The Do-It-All Blush Stick is a clear winner— it offers generous quantity, blends seamlessly with fingers, and delivers a natural, buildable flush that lasts even without setting spray. Its multitasking use on eyes and lips adds further value.
All the comparisons are with affordable high street brands, as the finishes cannot be compared to professional brands such as NARS or MAC. What they do offer is stylishly packaged and accessible makeup with a strong retail presence—both in stores and online. The range of accessories aligns well with the brand’s impulse-buy model, catering to shoppers who tend to pick up small beauty items such as hair and makeup brushes and pouches at checkout counters.
But the Indian market is fiercely competitive, price-sensitive and filled with dupes. H&M Beauty will need to carve a distinct voice to crack the Indian beauty market.
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