Rukam Capital Gen Z study: skin and hair top wellness goals

Rukam Capital has released the second part of its study of Indian Gen Z, titled Gen Z: A Deep Dive into India's Most Influential Consumer Cohort, with coverage of the report appearing on Tuesday, 10 November 2026. The survey, run by YouGov with Rukam Capital, questioned 4,002 people aged 18 to 29 across 18 states. Its health and wellness section finds that improving skin and hair is the most common wellness goal, named by 41% of respondents, ahead of fitness and strength at 37%.

A survey of more than 4,000 people across 18 states gives a firmer picture of what young Indians say they are working on than brand campaigns or social media trends do. The answer is not mainly the gym. Looks come first: more respondents are trying to improve their skin and hair than their fitness, and sleep ranks almost as high as strength.

The spending figures add a second layer. Food is the wellness category where most money changed hands: nearly half bought healthy food in the past year, well ahead of gym or fitness services. The study does not say why, but the gap between wanting fitness (37%) and paying for it (28%) is one of the clearest patterns in the data.

The report also shows how much young people now rely on AI for personal decisions. Two in three say they have used AI tools for health and wellbeing recommendations. General-purpose AI tools are not medical services, and the figures describe behaviour, not evidence that such advice works.

The other sections of Part II fit the same picture of a cautious, practical generation. Financial independence is the most common personal goal, with 21% hoping to reach it within three to five years, followed by supporting family (12%) and education or upskilling (11%). Relationships are the topic people most often keep private (14%), with family and money close behind at 13% each.

Peepals calculation: The study offers a clear test of how young people trade money against freedom at work. When asked to choose, 22% would take a higher salary with less flexibility, while only 6% would accept lower pay for more flexibility. That means about 3.7 times as many respondents lean towards pay as towards flexibility (22 / 6 = 3.67). On wellness spending, healthy food buyers outnumber gym and fitness buyers by about 1.7 to 1 (47 / 28 = 1.68). Our calculation from the reported figures.

Short-term: Brands selling skincare, haircare, healthy snacks and supplements are likely to cite these figures in pitches and marketing. The numbers describe what respondents said, not what is good for them.

Long-term: If the gap between wanting fitness and paying for it holds, low-cost options such as public parks, community runs, government programmes and free workout content may matter more to young Indians than paid gyms.

Who is affected: Students and first-jobbers aged 18 to 29, wellness and beauty start-ups, gyms and fitness services, food brands, and families whose young members are making their own health and money decisions for the first time.

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