Local beauty finds its place on the shelf

There was a time when seeing “Made in Bangladesh” on a beauty product made customers think twice. Beauty is personal, and trust matters. For years, imported products from Korea, India, Thailand and Europe were often considered safer and better, while local products were viewed mainly as affordable alternatives.

This perception developed over time as local personal care brands competed largely on price, while limited product information, unclear ingredient lists and counterfeit products made consumers more cautious.

Today, however, the picture is changing. Local cleansers, sunscreens, hair oils and serums are increasingly being considered alongside international brands�"not simply because they are cheaper, but because of their quality and performance.

Consumers are also becoming more informed. Instead of focusing only on a brand’s origin, they are asking about ingredients, testing, product claims and suitability for their skin and hair.

Sinthia Sharmin Islam, Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer of Shajgoj Limited, has observed the shift closely. “When we started, almost every question in our comment section was some version of ‘is this foreign or local?’ But what I see now is completely different. The questions are ‘what percentage of niacinamide is in this’, ‘is this tested’, ‘will this work on oily skin in Dhaka's humidity’,” she says.

The change became more visible during and after COVID-19, when difficulties in accessing imported products gave local brands greater opportunities to build consumer trust through better formulations, quality and transparency.

Today, clear ingredient lists, testing, dermatological assessments and evidence-based claims are becoming more important. Social media, beauty communities, creators and customer reviews have also made it easier for shoppers to assess products beyond advertising.

For local brands, attracting a first-time buyer is only the beginning. Farhana A. Preeti, Assistant Vice President at Shajgoj Limited, says, “An offer can get anyone to try a product once. What it cannot do is bring the customer back. That is where local skincare and haircare has changed.”

The competition is therefore no longer only about affordability. Earning a place on Bangladesh’s beauty shelves increasingly depends on quality, performance, transparency and consistency. “Made in Bangladesh” is no longer the only thing consumers consider�"they are looking beyond the label.