Indian 'baddie' no longer means full glam; confidence, skincare also important: Survey

A survey of over thousand women aged 16–26 across Tier 1 and 2 cities suggests the word ‘baddie’ in India is now less about heavy makeup and more about confidence, glow and attitude. Conducted by Too Much, a homegrown clean and vegan lip care brand, co-founded by five international student entrepreneurs from India, USA, Latvia and Morocco, the study explores how this generation views beauty, confidence, evolving aesthetics, and its relationship with makeup in 2026. For years, especially on global social media, the term ‘baddie’ has usually meant a very polished, high-glam look. Think sharp liner, matte lips, full coverage, contour and a face that looks fully done. But among young Indian consumers, that idea now seems to be shifting.

The survey found that 64.2% of respondents no longer see the baddie as just a full-glam beauty look. Instead, they connect it with attitude, confidence, soft glam or a skincare-first look. In fact, 45.6% say the word now means attitude and confidence more than makeup itself. Only 35.8% still define it mainly through full glam. That is what makes this shift interesting. The “baddie” is not disappearing. It is being rewritten for a new generation of Indian beauty consumers.

What does ‘baddie’ mean in India right now?
The term is still new and evolving in India. It is borrowed from internet culture, but young Indian women are giving it their own meaning. For some, it still refers to a bold and put-together beauty look. But for many others, it now seems to describe a person with presence. Someone who looks good, knows herself, carries confidence, and does not need heavy makeup to make that point.

The survey suggests that the word is moving away from one fixed beauty template and is becoming wider and more personal. A ‘baddie’ today can be someone in full glam, but just as easily someone with glossy lips, healthy skin, brushed brows and a strong sense of self. Nearly two in three respondents (66.6%) say the term now goes beyond full glam. That is a strong sign that Indian beauty culture may be moving toward a softer and more flexible idea of power.

Glow is beating full glam
One of the key findings in the survey is how strongly respondents now value a healthy, glowy look. Beauty is still part of the confidence story, but the centre of that story is changing. Skin, glow and comfort are becoming just as important as coverage and definition. As many as 79.6% said that naturally glowy, healthy-looking skin feels more powerful than a full face of makeup. The ideal now seems less about looking transformed and more about looking fresh, confident and effortless. 76.1% said confidence today comes more from skincare or a balance of skincare and makeup, rather than makeup alone. This is an important cultural shift.

Makeup is becoming more personal

The survey also suggests that makeup is being used less for performance and more for self-expression. When asked what makeup is mainly about, 53.8% said it is mostly about how they feel about themselves. A further large share said it is about both self-perception and how others see them. Very few framed it mainly around outside validation alone.

This shows how the beauty conversation is changing. For this group, makeup is not just about looking impressive to other people. It is also about mood, self-image and identity. That helps explain why the meaning of “baddie” is widening. If makeup is becoming more personal, then the aesthetic attached to confidence also becomes more personal. The result is a version of beauty that feels less rule-bound and less dependent on one “perfect” face.

‘Too much’ is no longer an insult

Another strong cultural thread in the survey comes from a question that goes beyond product and looks. 48.8% of respondents said they have been called “too much” often or sometimes. This suggests that for many young women, standing out still invites judgment, whether for how they dress, speak, post, perform or present themselves. But it also suggests that this language may be losing its sting.

In culture today, especially online, what used to be seen as “too much” is often being reframed as personality, energy or confidence. The phrase is not only emotional, it is social, carries pressure, visibility and self-expression all at once. Seen this way, the changing “baddie” is not just a beauty trend but a part of a wider shift in how young women claim space and define confidence on their own terms.

The shift is consistent across cities

The data shows that this change does not appear to be limited to just a few big cities. Among Tier 1 respondents, 63.4% said that “baddie” now means something beyond full glam. Among Tier 2 respondents, that number was slightly higher at 66.8%. The preference for glow over a full face was also strong across both groups: 79.8% in Tier 1 and 79.2% in Tier 2 said healthy-looking, glowy skin feels more powerful. Clearly, the new beauty language is spreading across cities, not staying confined to a niche urban audience.

When it comes to regions, in the North, 65.1% said the baddie now means something beyond full glam. In the South, the number was 64.3%, and in the West, 63.0%. On the question of glow versus full-face, the South was marginally ahead, with 80.9% saying glowy skin feels more powerful, compared with 79.1% in the North and 79.4% in the West.

Gen Z is spearheading the change

Among respondents aged 16–18, 63.0% said the baddie now means something beyond full glam. In the 19–22 segment, that rose to 65.7%. The 19–22 group also showed the strongest preference for glowy skin, with 83.6% saying it feels more powerful than a full face. This shows that the shift may be strongest among the core Gen Z audience shaping beauty culture online and offline. They are not necessarily rejecting glamour. But they are giving equal or greater value to skin, gloss, ease and self-confidence.

Amanda Patjanko, Co-founder, Too Much said, “The biggest shift we’re seeing is that the ‘baddie’ in India is no longer just a makeup look. For many young women today, it’s about confidence, glow and presence. It’s about looking put together without feeling overdone, and feeling good in your own skin rather than looking heavily made up. What’s interesting is that this isn’t a niche trend. We are seeing it across cities and age groups. Beauty is becoming more personal, and less about fitting into one defined look.”