FirstClub Crosses 3.5 Million Orders, Enters Beauty and Personal Care Segment

FirstClub, the Bengaluru-based quality-focused commerce startup founded by former Flipkart executive Ayyappan R, has crossed 3.5 million cumulative orders and expanded into the beauty and personal care market. The company is launching the new category with more than 80 brands and over 700 products spanning skincare, haircare, body care and personal care, with prices ranging from ₹300 to ₹3,500.

The expansion marks another step in FirstClub’s strategy to build a quality-focused commerce platform rather than compete exclusively on delivery speed. The company has introduced an ingredient-screening framework that excludes more than 100 ingredients from its beauty assortment. It aims to attract consumers who increasingly consider product ingredients, safety and transparency when purchasing personal care products. The category is initially available in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, where FirstClub already operates its commerce services.

FirstClub Expands Beyond Grocery Into Beauty

FirstClub started with a focus on quality-checked groceries and has gradually expanded into additional consumer categories.

Its entry into beauty and personal care takes the company’s ingredient-led approach into a market where consumers frequently face difficulties understanding product formulations and ingredient labels.

The new category includes more than 80 brands and over 700 products across four segments:

• Skincare
• Haircare
• Body care
• Personal care

Products are priced between ₹300 and ₹3,500, covering different consumer budgets.

The assortment includes established brands as well as selected newer labels, including The Bare Bar, &Done, Sereko and Manetain. FirstClub is also introducing exclusive offerings such as Chosen by Dermatology, Flout and LNGVTY.

Founder and CEO Ayyappan R said the company wants to combine speed with product quality rather than operate as another conventional quick-commerce platform.

The company expects customers to purchase beauty products independently as well as alongside their regular grocery orders.

FirstClub Bans More Than 100 Ingredients

Ingredient screening is central to FirstClub’s beauty strategy.

The company has developed an ingredient-evaluation framework over the past year, using the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep database alongside international and Indian regulatory standards.

It has excluded more than 100 ingredients from its beauty and personal care assortment, including substances it identifies as carcinogens, hormone disruptors, strong skin sensitisers and allergens.

According to Ayyappan, the platform removes ingredients with an EWG skin hazard score of six or above.

The screening process also considers European Union regulations, opinions of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, Indian regulations and standards followed by international retailers.

The objective is to make product selection easier for consumers who may not have the technical knowledge required to interpret complicated ingredient lists.

However, ingredient screening does not automatically establish that every listed product is risk-free. Product safety depends on formulation, concentration, exposure and individual consumer circumstances.

Product Pages Will Explain Ingredients in Simple Language

FirstClub is also changing how beauty products are presented on its platform.

Instead of relying only on product descriptions and marketing claims, the company plans to provide detailed ingredient information in plain language.

Product pages explain what individual ingredients do and highlight:

• Key or hero ingredients.
• Skin concerns addressed by the product.
• Suitable skin types.
• Customer ratings and reviews.
• Full ingredient disclosures.

The company wants shoppers to understand why a product is suitable for their needs before making a purchase.

It has also introduced a Samples Selector feature that allows customers to try selected products before purchasing full-sized versions.

Another feature, called Complete the Regime, recommends complementary products to help customers build skincare routines.

These features are designed to make product discovery more informative and potentially increase purchases across multiple categories.

FirstClub Targets Younger Beauty Consumers

The company sees younger consumers as an important audience for its new category.

Ayyappan expects women, who already represent the dominant portion of FirstClub’s customer base, to remain an important segment.

He also identified consumers aged 18–25 as a potential growth opportunity because younger shoppers are increasingly interested in product ingredients, new formulations and understanding how products work.

This consumer behaviour aligns with FirstClub’s ingredient-led positioning.

Rather than offering the largest possible catalogue, the company wants to select products based on its quality criteria.

This approach could help differentiate FirstClub from marketplaces that compete primarily through assortment, discounts and delivery speed.

FirstClub Crosses 3.5 Million Orders

The beauty expansion comes as FirstClub reports significant growth in its existing business.

The company has crossed 3.5 million cumulative orders, according to Ayyappan.

Its average order value is already above ₹1,000, giving the company an opportunity to increase basket sizes through additional product categories.

The management expects beauty and personal care purchases to increase the average order value as customers add these products to grocery baskets.

FirstClub also believes its customers are willing to wait longer for better-quality products.

Ayyappan said approximately 50% of daily app installations currently come from cities outside Bengaluru and Hyderabad, even though the company does not yet operate in those locations.

He added that customers may be willing to wait one or two days if they can access products that meet their quality expectations at the right price.

This suggests the company wants to compete on product selection and trust rather than delivery speed alone.

FirstClub’s Funding and Expansion Strategy

FirstClub raised $55 million in a Series B funding round in June 2026, led by Peak XV Partners and Sofina.

Existing investors Accel, RTP Global and Paramark Ventures also participated.

The round valued the company at approximately $255 million, more than double its reported valuation of $120 million in September 2025.

The company planned to use the funding to strengthen its supply chain, expand into new categories and improve its technology infrastructure.

Before entering beauty and personal care, FirstClub had already expanded beyond groceries into areas such as pet care, cleaning essentials and home and kitchen products.

Its business model depends on carefully selecting products rather than offering an extremely large assortment.

The addition of beauty and personal care is consistent with that strategy because the category offers opportunities for curated product discovery and repeat purchases.

Can Beauty Help FirstClub Increase Order Values?

Beauty and personal care could become an important contributor to FirstClub’s future growth.

Unlike many grocery purchases, beauty products often involve brand preferences, specific ingredients and repeated use. Customers who find products that suit their needs may return regularly.

The category also offers opportunities for cross-selling.

For example, a customer purchasing groceries could add skincare or personal care products to the same order. This could increase average basket value without requiring the company to acquire an entirely new customer.

However, beauty products also require careful inventory management because brands offer multiple formulations, sizes and variants.

FirstClub will need to balance product availability with its quality-screening requirements while avoiding excessive inventory accumulation.

The company’s initial presence in Bengaluru and Hyderabad provides an opportunity to test customer demand before expanding the category into additional markets.

The Bigger Picture

FirstClub’s expansion reflects a broader change in India’s quick-commerce market. Platforms are increasingly moving beyond groceries into higher-value categories such as beauty, personal care, electronics and home products. These categories can increase average order values and create additional reasons for customers to use an application regularly.

FirstClub is attempting to differentiate itself through product curation and ingredient transparency rather than competing solely on delivery speed. Its approach could appeal to consumers who want more information about the products they purchase. However, the company will need to establish consumer trust, maintain consistent product quality and manage inventory costs as it expands into new categories.

Looking Ahead

FirstClub will initially focus on building its beauty and personal care business in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The company will monitor customer adoption, repeat purchases and average order value to assess whether the new category can become a meaningful contributor to revenue. Its Samples Selector and Complete the Regime features could also help improve product discovery and encourage customers to purchase multiple products.

For India’s quick-commerce industry, the expansion demonstrates how companies are exploring categories beyond everyday groceries to increase customer engagement and basket sizes. FirstClub’s long-term success will depend on whether its quality-focused approach can attract repeat customers while maintaining sustainable operating economics. The company’s ability to combine product transparency, carefully selected brands and convenient delivery will determine how effectively it competes in India’s growing beauty market.