Exploring the Indian consumer perception and purchase intention for skin
tone inclusive brands

Riya Patel

doi:10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.011

Title: Exploring the Indian consumer perception and purchase intention for skin tone inclusive brands
Authors: Riya Patel
Journal: International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research (IJSSER) ISSN: 2455-8834 Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Publication Date: January 2026 DOI: 10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.011
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Riya Patel Ahmedabad International School
MLA 8 Patel, Riya. "Exploring the Indian consumer perception and purchase intention for skin tone inclusive brands." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 11, no. 1, Jan. 2026, pp. 143-152, doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.0011. Accessed Jan. 2026. APA 6 Patel, R. (2026, January). Exploring the Indian consumer perception and purchase intention for skin tone inclusive brands. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 11(1), 143-152. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.0011 Chicago Patel, Riya. "Exploring the Indian consumer perception and purchase intention for skin tone inclusive brands." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 11, no. 1 (January 2026), 143-152. Accessed January, 2026. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2026.v11i01.0011.
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ABSTRACT: This study aims to investigate consumer perceptions and purchase intentions regarding skintone-inclusive beauty and cosmetic brands, with a particular emphasis on the Indian market. This study aimed to explore the impact of skin-tone preferences on advertisement selection among individuals in the sample. Participants viewed six advertisements, and responses were gathered using a structured survey questionnaire. This study examines how an inclusive brand image, particularly regarding skin tone, influences Indian consumers of beauty and cosmetic products. The findings show that for gender-specific products, purchase intentions are higher when advertisements feature fair-skinned models compared to darker-skinned models. However, for gender-neutral products advertised by both male and female models, purchase intentions remain the same regardless of skin tone. These insights can help marketers develop more effective advertising strategies for the Indian beauty and cosmetics market.

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