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Private company

Lakmé Cosmetics

Logo: Lakmé Cosmetics, Non-free logo, via Wikipedia3

Indian cosmetics company

Lakmé is an Indian cosmetics brand owned by Hindustan Unilever. It was named after the French opera Lakmé, which itself is the French word for the goddess Lakshmi who is renowned for her beauty. It was started in 1952 as a subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills, famously after Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was concerned that Indian women were spending precious foreign exchange on beauty products and persuaded JRD Tata to manufacture them in India.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1952Founded1

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Lakmé is an Indian cosmetics brand owned by Hindustan Unilever. It was named after the French opera Lakmé, which itself is the French word for the goddess Lakshmi who is renowned for her beauty. It was started in 1952 as a subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills, famously after Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was concerned that Indian women were spending precious foreign exchange on beauty products and persuaded JRD Tata to manufacture them in India. Simone Tata joined the company as director and went on to become chairperson. In 1998, Tatas sold their stake in Lakmé to Hindustan Unilever for ₹200 crore (US$48.46 million).2

The story

Founded by JRD Tata in 1952.1

Leadership

Who has led Lakmé Cosmetics, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Products and brands

  • cosmetics

Listed on Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 1952Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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