Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], February 19: A fresh entrant in India’s crowded color cosmetic market is turning heads with textured finishes, clean formulations, and a Gen-Z-focused approach that’s rewriting the rules of affordable beauty
Walk into any beauty store in India today, and you’ll find rows of color cosmetic products competing primarily on one dimension: color. Red, pink, nude, metallics, the choices are endless, but the formula remains largely unchanged. That predictability is precisely what Ahmedabad-based True Colors is betting against.
Launched in early 2025 by Otrix Life Science, True Colors entered India’s beauty market not with another glossy red or trendy nude, but with something the industry had largely overlooked: texture. Crackle finishes that create artistic patterns, sugar-coated effects, and sandy shimmery finishes. The brand’s eight texture collections offer something clearly different from regular nail polish.
“We’re seeing a fundamental shift in what Indian consumers want from beauty products”, says an industry analyst tracking the D2C space. “It’s no longer just about looking good. It’s about self-expression, ingredient transparency, and value for money. True Colors seems to understand this intersection.”
The D2C Beauty Gold Rush
The timing couldn’t be better. As of early 2026, there are approximately 899 D2C beauty and personal care companies operating in India, with the sector having attracted $822 million in total funding, the highest among D2C beauty brands globally, according to Tracxn.
The country’s beauty market is in the midst of a transformation that’s equal parts technological infrastructure, changing consumer preferences, and entrepreneurial ambition. India’s D2C market, valued at approximately $12 billion in FY22, is expected to reach $60–61 billion by FY27, with industry estimates suggesting the sector could cross $100 billion by the end of the decade, reports Markets and Data.
Within this broader boom, nail care represents a particularly interesting category. Unlike skincare or makeup, nail polish has traditionally been dominated by legacy international brands or mass-market local players. The middle ground, affordable yet innovative products with clean formulations, remained largely unoccupied until recently.
Texture as Strategy
True Colors’ product lineup reads less like a traditional nail polish range and more like a catalogue of artistic finishes. The brand offers 100+ shades across eight texture families: Crackle Craze, Sugar Candy, Sand Shine, Cookies Crush, Gracious Matte, Silken Shadows, Gloss & Shine, and Sparkling Stories.
Each texture category targets a different consumer need. Office-goers might opt for sophisticated mattes from the “Workaholic” collection, while someone preparing for a wedding might explore the glitter-infused “Event Showstopper” range. The brand even offers a Zodiac collection, astrology-inspired shades for each star sign, tapping into the massive trend of personalized beauty.
D2C beauty founders note that there has been a rise in demand among the beauty community for high-quality glossy, matte, and textured variants, such as crackle nail polish, paired with suitable base coats.
“When everyone’s competing on color, you’re stuck in a race to the bottom on pricing. But when you offer something visually distinct, like crackle or sugar candy finishes, you’re creating a reason to choose your brand beyond just the shade.”
Clean Beauty Meets Affordability
Perhaps more impressive than the texture innovation is how True Colors has managed to maintain its 21-Free Formula, eliminating harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, toluene, and DBP, while keeping prices accessible. Individual polishes retail at ₹249-299.
This pricing strategy is particularly noteworthy given the structural challenges facing D2C beauty brands in India. Beauty products face significant cost pressures at 18% GST, especially for emerging D2C brands that are still investing heavily in marketing, logistics, and customer acquisition.
“Clean beauty in India has historically been a premium positioning,” explains a retail consultant. “What brands like True Colors are attempting is to democratize clean formulations. Whether they can maintain margins while scaling remains to be seen, but the initial positioning is compelling.”
The brand’s FDA-approved formulation addresses growing consumer consciousness about ingredient safety, a trend that’s accelerated significantly post-pandemic. The market narrative has moved beyond superficial claims, with consumers now scrutinizing product efficacy, ingredient functionality, and scientific credibility, according to Technavio.
Reimagining the Shopping Experience
Beyond product formulation, True Colors has rethought how consumers discover and purchase nail polish. Rather than organizing products solely by color, the industry standard, the brand offers multiple navigation pathways:
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Nails by Occasion: Workaholic, Casual Days, Event Showstopper, Minimals, Boldly Glamorous
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Nails by Mood: Energetic, Relaxing, Flirty, Royal, Bold, Earthy
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Zodiac Collection: Astrology-inspired shades for each star sign
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Shop by Texture: Eight distinct texture families
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Traditional Color Categories: Red, Pink, Blue, Green, Yellow, Purple, Nude
This multi-dimensional approach reflects an understanding that consumers don’t always know what specific shade they want; they know the context (a job interview, a date, a festival) or the feeling (confident, playful, sophisticated) they’re seeking.
The Distribution Playbook
True Colors operates across multiple channels, its own website (truecolors.world), Amazon, Flipkart, and selected retail outlets. This omnichannel approach aligns with broader trends in India’s D2C ecosystem.
By 2025, India is expected to have 900 million internet users and nearly a billion smartphone users, with mobile commerce leading the way, according to Research Nester. More significantly, over 60% of new D2C customers are emerging from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, with local e-commerce markets in these cities expanding at an annual rate of 23%.
For a brand like True Colors, this geographic expansion represents an enormous opportunity. A customer in Indore or Coimbatore has the same access to textured nail polishes as someone in Mumbai or Delhi, something traditional retail distribution could never achieve economically.
What Sets True Colors Apart
Speaking with industry observers, three factors emerge as potential differentiators for True Colors:
1. Focused Product Innovation
Rather than launching across multiple beauty categories (a common D2C temptation), True Colors has remained laser-focused on nail care. This focus allows for deeper expertise, more refined formulations, and clearer brand positioning.
2. Lifestyle Positioning Over Product Features
The brand’s emphasis on occasions, moods, and self-expression, rather than simply chemical formulations or shade names, resonates with Gen-Z and millennial consumers who view beauty as identity expression.
3. Affordable Clean Beauty
Maintaining a 21-Free Formula while pricing products at ₹249-299 occupies a sweet spot between mass-market affordability and premium clean beauty credentials.
The Founder’s Philosophy
Bhavdip Dhameliya, Founder and CEO of Otrix Life Science (True Colors’ parent company), articulates a vision that extends beyond just selling nail polish. “At Otrix, we have always believed in the power of self-expression. Now with True Colors, we are bringing our vision by offering beauty not just with its looks, but also the way you feel. Each shade tells a story of a woman that truly reflects her personality.
What’s Next
As True Colors approaches its second year of operations, several questions loom large:
Can the brand maintain its texture innovation edge as competitors inevitably copy successful formats? Will the clean beauty positioning command sustained price premiums or become table stakes? How will the brand navigate the inevitable “online ceiling” that D2C players encounter after initial growth?
Industry watchers suggest the next 12-18 months will be critical. Brands that successfully transition from startup mode to sustainable business, building repeat purchase behaviors, managing inventory efficiently, and achieving positive unit economics, will be positioned for long-term success.
Early indicators are promising. Customer reviews highlight product quality, texture uniqueness, and value pricing. The brand’s social media following has grown organically, suggesting genuine product-market fit rather than just paid acquisition.
The Bigger Picture
True Colors represents more than just another nail polish brand. It’s emblematic of India’s broader D2C revolution, a movement characterized by digital-first distribution, consumer-centric innovation, clean formulations, and accessible premium positioning.
India currently hosts nearly 11,000 D2C companies, though only about 800 of these have secured funding as of 2024, highlighting both the accessibility of the sector for entrepreneurs and the selective nature of investment in the space, Research Nester.
Whether True Colors becomes one of the success stories or joins the long list of promising startups that struggle to scale will depend on execution, market timing, and the ability to evolve with changing consumer preferences.
For now, the brand offers an intriguing case study in how focused innovation, clean ingredients, and lifestyle positioning can carve out space in even the most crowded markets, one textured finish at a time.
About True Colors
True Colors is a color cosmetic brand launched in early 2025 by Ahmedabad-based Otrix Life Science. The brand offers 100+ shades across eight texture categories with a 21-Free clean beauty formula. Products are available at truecolors.world, Amazon, Flipkart, and selected retail outlets.
Media Contact:
Email: care@otrix.in
Phone: +91 9081908282
Website: https://truecolors.world
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