India’s beauty market is heating up, and sunscreen has unexpectedly become the battlefield. In what many are calling the industry’s first real 'Sunscreen Skirmish,' legacy giant Lakmé and fast-growing disruptor Honasa Consumer (the force behind Mamaearth and The Derma Co.) are in the middle of a very public showdown. The debate? SPF 50, transparency, and who gets to lead the skincare standards of the future.
The SPF 50 showdown: Who sets the standard?
It all kicked off when Lakmé launched a high-decibel campaign for its new Sun Expert SPF 50 sunscreen. Not long after, Ghazal Alagh, co-founder and innovation head at Honasa, responded with a cheeky LinkedIn post welcoming Lakmé to what she called the “SPF 50 club.” Her post included a billboard from The Derma Co. placed right beside Lakmé’s, boldly declaring, “Welcome to the standard.”
Alagh didn’t hold back, emphasising that clinical transparency and in-vivo testing, actual human testing versus lab-only claims-have long been the gold standard at The Derma Co. She hinted that older brands are only now catching up, thanks to the pressure from newer, science-forward players.
Lakmé fights back with science-backed campaign
But Lakmé isn’t staying quiet. In response, it has launched a wide-reaching campaign across digital platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and OTT streaming services. Central to this effort is Lakmé’s own in-vivo testing, conducted by an independent lab, which confirms its SPF 50 claim.
Harman Dhillon, Executive Director at Hindustan Unilever (Lakmé’s parent company), explained that many sunscreen brands in India advertise SPF 50 and PA++++ without testing rigorously-some don’t even deliver SPF 20. Lakmé’s goal, she said, isn’t just product promotion-it’s raising awareness and driving a shift in how sunscreens are evaluated and trusted.
Beyond branding
This isn't just a branding spat. Both players are, in their own way, pushing for higher industry standards. Honasa claims to have previously changed the game with Mamaearth by championing clean-label formulations. Now, through The Derma Co., they’re pushing for honest disclosures and science-backed claims.
Alagh views Lakmé’s recent transparency push as a sign of progress. “Good competition keeps the industry awake,” she wrote, signaling that this “skirmish” might actually be the start of something better for Indian skincare.
In a country where regulatory checks are still catching up, consumers may finally be getting what they deserve-sunscreens that do what they promise.
