In India, 90% of customers primarily use bar cleaning soap for his or her bathing routine, demonstrating their deep-rooted affinity for this format in line with Mintel analysis. Conversely, solely 9% of Indians report utilizing physique wash, bathe gel, or bathe cream as their major bathing product.
Their hesitance to make use of the physique wash format is pushed by elements comparable to perceived excessive prices of physique wash, associations with dangerous chemical substances and issues about water wastage. On this article, we discover how manufacturers can overcome these limitations and make physique wash extra interesting, significantly to metro customers who are sometimes early adopters of magnificence developments.
Make physique wash extra economical
The numerous price ticket of physique washes, typically perceived as a luxurious product, deters many customers, with 63% contemplating it too costly. This sentiment rises to 69% amongst metro customers who often have bigger budgets for magnificence merchandise.
To beat this, manufacturers may deploy pricing methods that incentivize trial and repeat consumption. Providing worth packs, combo offers, and subscription providers are potential techniques. Transparency and communication about pricing methods also can improve the model’s picture of being economical.
For example, Cocokind emphasises its use of minimalistic packaging to scale back prices. In the meantime, Outlaw gives a Physique Wash Subscription Field, delivering a selected physique wash to the client each month.

Cocokind shows its pricing technique on its Instagram web page
Emphasise ‘cleaner’ formulations
The notion of physique washes being laden with dangerous chemical substances is one other barrier to utilization. Indian customers favor pure magnificence merchandise, associating chemical substances with being dangerous to the pores and skin. Mintel analysis on Clear Magnificence exhibits that ‘free from dangerous chemical substances’ is ranked as a very powerful issue by 12% of Indian customers when selecting magnificence merchandise, intently following ‘made with pure substances’ (15%).
Manufacturers like Plum Goodness counter this concern by providing bathe gels with light, non-drying cleaning formulation which might be mentioned to be cruelty-free and devoid of dangerous substances like sulphates, parabens, phthalates, silicones, and animal-derived substances.

Plum BodyLovin’ Hawaiian Rumba Bathe Gel
Deal with water consumption issues
India, being probably the most water-stressed nations, often faces water shortages. Given the prevalent observe of bucket bathing, the perceived excessive water requirement of physique wash pushes customers in direction of bar cleaning soap.
Though extra sustainable choices (eg biodegradable packaging or progressive formulations) may be costlier to supply significantly for smaller magnificence manufacturers, positioning eco-friendly choices at inexpensive costs is usually a game-changer. Manufacturers may discover progressive, waterless codecs like powders, sheets, and tablets to enhance the worth notion of physique wash.
Godrej, for example, launched India’s first ready-to-mix physique wash, affordably priced for the mass market. The product, out there in small sachets of concentrated components, may be combined with water and poured into reused containers, creating 200ml of physique wash. This method not solely addresses sustainability but additionally breaks down the value barrier, making it simpler for customers to change from bar cleaning soap to physique wash.

Godrej’s Magic Prepared-to-Combine Physique Wash
What we expect
The upper worth of physique wash in comparison with bar cleaning soap in India is a big barrier to adoption. Manufacturers could make physique wash extra economical by means of worth packs and smaller packaging, coupled with cleaner formulations that don’t considerably improve prices. Lastly, to reinforce the perceived worth of physique wash, manufacturers have the chance to delve into creative options comparable to powder, sheet, and pill formulations that eradicate the necessity for water.