India, Sept. 8 -- The personal-care aisle has become a more complicated place. A consumer looking for a shampoo today is not necessarily looking only at the price or the brand name. There are questions around ingredients, hair type, formulation, frequency of use and whether the product is actually meant for a particular concern. For some, the first step is a Google search. For others, it is a salon professional, a social-media recommendation or a review from someone who has already used the product.

That change in behaviour is making the Indian beauty and personal-care market a very different business from what it was a decade ago. It is also creating room for companies that are willing to build brands around particular consumers instead...