Himalaya Wellness spotlighted its Himalaya Neem Face Wash at its ‘World of Neem’ event in Mumbai on 28 August.

The face wash has long been positioned by Himalaya as teenagers’ first defence against pimples. At the event, Himalaya unveiled a refreshed formulation, signalling a new chapter for its well-known product.

The face wash, in its revived identity, now promises enhanced pimple care while staying true to its gentle, nature-backed roots.

The relaunch is supported by a new campaign, reflecting consumer demand for science, sustainability, and performance.

Timed just ahead of Pimple Acne Positivity Day on 1 September, the move ties neem’s role in treatment to broader conversations on confidence and skin acceptance.

On the sidelines of the event, Manifest chatted with Ragini Hariharan, marketing director – beauty and personal care, Himalaya Wellness, to talk about how the brand plans to keep a heritage product relevant, its festive season playbook, and the strategies it’s using to engage Gen Z consumers with ever-shorter attention spans.

Edited excerpts:

After 25 years of leadership with the Himalaya Neem Face Wash, what does refreshing the formulation signal about how Himalaya balances legacy with innovation?

Face wash has always been the go-to solution for pimple care. But over the years, both consumers and their needs have evolved, and so have environmental factors. To keep pace, we are constantly engaging with consumers. Last year, we carried out extensive research and found something interesting: while people are largely satisfied with solutions that address pimples, what they still struggle with is the recurrence of pimples.

That insight is what set our R&D in motion. We asked ourselves: how can we reimagine the power of neem to go beyond treatment and tackle recurrence? Traditionally, our Neem Face Wash used neem leaves. With the new formulation, we’ve gone deeper into the plant, bringing in neem fruit, stem, and other parts. Each contributes its own properties, making the solution stronger and more effective. And now, it’s clinically proven to reduce the recurrence of pimples.

Himalaya has always balanced beauty with wellness. How do you ensure neem is seen as more than just a cosmetic benefit and as part of a lifestyle?

Today’s consumer trends, especially among Gen Z, reflect a strong shift towards solutions that blend the credibility of science with the authenticity of nature. However, what’s changed today is the consumer herself. Earlier, a pimple might have meant hiding away. Now, life goes on. And that shift has shaped our communication, too. Take our ‘Skip the Pimple Episode’ campaign, which portrays a teenager living her life with confidence. A pimple is, of course, an irritant, but once she finds a solution, the problem is taken care of. That’s where neem fits in. It’s become more than just a remedy; it’s a lifestyle choice. As long as the solution works, today’s consumer is comfortable and carries on with her life.

When you think about campaigns, how do you keep heritage ingredients aspirational for Gen Z and younger buyers who want modern narratives?

A lot has changed in marketing, starting with the consumer. Media consumption has shifted, where TV once dominated, today’s consumer is deeply digital. They trust influencers and engage with them actively, which is why we collaborate with so many. Even at today's event, we have over 100 influencers present. They (influencers) tell our story in the most authentic way to their audiences. Our role is to equip them with the right information and knowledge so they can share our story effectively.

From a festive lens, do you see naturals and wellness products gaining traction in gifting?

It’s great to see the wellness category making a strong comeback, and we are equally excited about the upcoming festive season. Consumers can look forward to a range of product bundles designed as thoughtful gifting options. These won’t just address pimples, but also provide benefits like glow and brightening, exactly what many consumers seek during the festivities. We will have the right bundles to meet those needs.

With cluttered categories, how does Himalaya measure ROI today? Is it still about mass reach, or are attention and engagement now the stronger metrics?

Absolutely, attention should be a key metric. That makes the marketer’s job both more challenging and more exciting. With consumers endlessly scrolling, it’s not enough to just share information; marketers have to deliver it in a way that’s engaging and thumb-stopping. That’s an ongoing challenge we constantly work on. Influencers play a big role here because consumers trust them and are more inclined to listen to their voices. Both our digital video campaigns and influencer collaborations are, I believe, helping us capture attention more effectively and keep consumers engaged.

What’s your media mix? Does print still play a role in credibility, or is digital where the bulk of the spend goes?

Television continues to be effective for categories like face wash, especially since penetration is still low. As market leaders, our role is to grow the category today. Face wash penetration stands at about 30% nationally and only 19% in rural areas. That makes TV the most efficient medium to educate consumers about face wash, and now about its refreshed identity with the advanced properties of neem.

At the same time, digital has become a much bigger part of our mix. It’s taken a larger share of our spending, with influencer-led communication growing rapidly within it. Print, too, still has a role, not so much in the traditional awareness-building sense, but in creating more engaging collaborations. We look forward to exploring more of those as well.

The brand’s strength lies in having both personal care and wellness products. From a brand-building perspective, how do you decide which pillar leads the conversation at different times of the year?

It always comes back to the consumer what solutions they’re looking for at different times of the year. For instance, face washes see higher demand in summer because of heat, grime, and pollution. In winter, body lotions become more relevant. And during the festive season, the beauty and brightening segment of our portfolio sees strong uptake. Since the wellness category doesn’t operate with massive budgets, it’s important for us to focus on being present where the consumer is actively seeking solutions, and that’s exactly what we do.

Lastly, what marketing technique works best for Himalaya Wellness, and a technique that has stood the test of time, that you’d like to eliminate?

Marketing is always a mix of art and science, but one thing that never changes is the importance of knowing your consumer, understanding what they want to hear, and speaking in their language. That’s always worked. The term ‘consumer insight’ can often be thrown around loosely, but for us, it’s very real. Take our latest content piece, 'Skip the Pimple Episodes'. It’s rooted in two layers of insight: first, the recurring pimple problem, which the product addresses; and second, the way young consumers actually speak using terms like 'skipping episodes' to describe everyday irritants. That authenticity is what makes it click. Of course, as we discussed earlier, attention spans are becoming a challenge. So while strong insights remain the foundation, we also need smart tactics to hold attention and keep the communication alive.