Two of Bollywood’s leading actresses launched their skincare ventures around the same time and in the same market segment, yet their business trajectories could not be more different. By 2025, Deepika Padukone faced significant losses, while Katrina Kaif saw her company’s valuation soar past ₹100 crore.
Deepika’s mid-premium skincare brand, 82°E, disclosed a net loss of ₹12.3 crore for the fiscal year 2024-25 in filings submitted to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The brand’s valuation also fell from ₹21.2 crore in 2024 to ₹14.7 crore in 2025.
Despite cost-cutting measures, including reducing annual expenses from ₹47.1 crore to ₹25.9 crore and slashing marketing spend from ₹20 crore to ₹4.4 crore, the company continues to struggle. 82°E was launched in November 2022 and offers products in the ₹2,500–4,000 range. Deepika leveraged her social media presence of over 8 million followers and celebrity endorsements, including Shah Rukh Khan, to promote the brand.
However, 82°E faces stiff competition from established brands such as Foxtale, mCaffeine, Plum, and Dot & Key, which offer similar quality skincare products at lower prices, making market penetration challenging.
In contrast, Katrina Kaif’s brand, Kay Beauty, launched in 2019, has experienced consistent growth. The company first turned a profit in 2022 and has never looked back. In 2025, Kay Beauty’s brand valuation rose to ₹88.23 crore, alongside a net profit of ₹11.3 crore, establishing it as a fast-growing player in the celebrity skincare segment.
The contrasting fortunes of these two brands highlight how celebrity star power alone does not guarantee business success. Factors like market positioning, pricing strategy, competition, and brand differentiation play crucial roles in determining long-term growth in the highly competitive skincare market