Over a decade ago, Johnson’s Baby was almost shorthand for baby care in India, the default name for new parents, with gift hampers built around staple products such as baby powder, shampoo, oil and soap that defined everyday infant care for generations. Today, newer, ingredient-led and dermatology-backed brands have steadily chipped away at that near-monopoly, reshaping Indian parents' expectations for baby products.

The category has become far more crowded and sharply segmented, with brands ranging from Himalaya Baby Care and Sebamed to Mamaearth, Mother Sparsh, and even premium natural entrants like Forest Essentials’ baby line.

Even celebrity-led entrants like Alia Bhatt-backed Ed-a-Mamma have expanded into the baby care space, further intensifying competition in a category now driven as much by trust and transparency as by legacy recall.

The Kenvue-owned baby-care giant has now introduced what it describes as a science-backed extension of traditional Indian nurturing rituals with its new milk- and rice-based "nourishment" range. Framed around “Poshan ka Pehla Sparsh” or first nourishment for skin, the launch also sees actor Parineeti Chopra joining the rollout.

India’s baby-care market, valued at around $5.57 billion in 2026, is projected to grow to nearly $9.72 billion by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 11.78%, according to Mordor Intelligence, a market research and advisory firm.

This makes it one of the country’s fastest-growing consumer segments, with increasing penetration in Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets and growing parental awareness around formulations, ingredients, and dermatological safety.

Why are rice and milk chosen for babies?

Peeyush Unikkat, Group Product Manager at Johnson’s Baby, explains that the milk-and-rice range is rooted in long-standing cultural familiarity.

“For generations, Indian mothers have instinctively chosen milk and rice as nourishment for their babies internally. Johnson’s is now translating that truth into skincare,” he says.

Unikkat emphasises that the formulation is not simply based on natural ingredients but is positioned as a combination of familiar components with scientific validation.

This distinction appears especially relevant as newer brands increasingly market kitchen-inspired or botanical ingredients, often leveraging the “natural equals safe” narrative. Johnson’s, by contrast, is attempting to differentiate by combining traditional ingredients with clinical testing, paediatric validation, and dermatological research.

Not everything edible belongs on skin, especially when it comes to babies

In adult skincare, ingredients like rice, milk, coffee, and matcha have increasingly found their way into face masks, creams, and DIY routines. Brands such as The Body Shop, Plum, mCaffeine, and Quench are tapping into this “food-to-skin” trend. But when it comes to babies, the equation is far more nuanced.

According to Unnikat, the challenge with today’s “natural equals better” narrative is that it often oversimplifies skincare science.

While many new-age brands lean heavily on the idea that natural or kitchen-derived ingredients are inherently safe, he argues that mothers often end up believing this positioning without questioning formulation depth or clinical backing.

He points out that Johnson’s approach is not about introducing isolated ingredients but about combining them within a scientifically validated formulation backed by years of baby skin research and in-house clinical studies on efficacy and safety. The emphasis, he says, is on how ingredients work together for actual nourishment, not just their perceived natural appeal.

The larger shift, he adds, is about moving beyond ingredient storytelling to formulation credibility because while “natural” may be a strong narrative, it is not automatically synonymous with suitability for infant skin.

Peeyush Unikkat, Group Product Manager, Johnson’s Baby

Responding to ingredient-conscious parenting through digital-led initiatives

Today’s parenting landscape has dramatically shifted, with first-time parents relying heavily on influencers, online communities, paediatric advice, and ingredient research before making purchase decisions.

Johnson acknowledges that this hyper-awareness has reshaped its communication and marketing strategies.

Moving towards a digitally driven media mix

Over the past three years, the company says it has increasingly pivoted toward digital-first consumer education, influencer-led trust-building, and search-based discoverability rather than relying solely on traditional mass media.

For this launch, Johnson’s is prioritising influencer and on-ground activations before scaling broader television and digital advertising, suggesting a phased approach designed to first establish category conviction before driving widespread awareness.

Defending leadership amid intense competition

Johnson’s Baby is one of the most historically recognised names in global baby care, with products such as Johnson’s Baby Powder, first introduced in 1893, and No More Tears Baby Shampoo, launched in 1954, forming the core pillars of its identity.

However, the brand’s journey has not been without challenges.

Its talc-based baby powder business faced significant global scrutiny over allegations of asbestos contamination and associated cancer risks. While Johnson’s has consistently denied these claims and maintained that decades of scientific studies support product safety, the controversy prompted major reformulations and strategic shifts, including the move toward cornstarch-based powders in several markets.

In India, where baby powders are still widely used but there are worries about the risks of babies inhaling them, Johnson’s is also expanding its product range to include lotions, washes, oils, and now food products as a way to adapt beyond just baby powder.

Omnichannel presence and hospital trust

Johnson’s continues to leverage one of its strongest competitive moats: institutional trust.

The company remains deeply embedded across hospitals, nursing homes, paediatric networks, and first-touch maternity environments, where early parental decisions are often shaped. Unikkat highlighted Johnson’s continued presence in hospitals across India and pointed to longstanding initiatives, such as neonatal resuscitation awareness programmes in partnership with medical institutions.

This hospital-to-home trust funnel remains particularly important as challenger brands seek market share through digital-native storytelling and premium ingredient positioning.

To acknowledge the competitive landscape, he noted that several brands are building presence in high-trust environments through different activations. For instance, Himalaya BabyCare has set up mother and feeding rooms in public spaces such as railway stations and transit hubs to increase visibility at key touchpoints in a mother’s journey.

Responding to this, Unikkat says that Johnson’s continues to maintain a strong presence in hospitals and nursing homes while focusing on medically anchored initiatives rather than expanding heavily into public infrastructure-led activations.

At the same time, the brand is leaning on long-standing medical partnerships rather than standalone physical touchpoints. This includes its eight-year collaboration with the Indian Academy of Pediatrics on neonatal resuscitation programmes, aimed at training doctors and nurses to handle critical moments immediately after birth.

The focus, he says, is on “protecting from day one” or even the first minute through clinical training and awareness efforts.

Alongside institutional work, the brand is also experimenting with awareness-led consumer engagement, including digital campaigns and content-driven initiatives, to stay relevant in a landscape where newer brands are building presence through digital-first storytelling and premium ingredient positioning.

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