Colgate takes second swing in India with beauty-driven oral serum

Colgate has launched the Visible White Purple Serum in India to bridge oral care and beauty. 

The whitening booster works on the principle of Color Theory, where purple pigments neutralize yellow tones. The solution is a compact, travel-friendly design made for on-the-go touch-ups. 

“With the launch of Colgate Visible White Purple Serum, our aim is to make oral care meet beauty in the easiest, most effective way,” says Ayan Guha, director of marketing at Colgate-Palmolive India. 

“It’s all about giving people the confidence to brighten their smiles on demand, turning everyday oral care into a fun, enjoyable ritual.”

The oral care brand illustrates that beauty shoppers already have extensive routines for their skin and hair, and the Visible White Purple Serum aims to bring the same curation to teeth. 

Users apply the product after brushing. It is available in mint and yuzu flavors, featuring a smooth, non-foaming texture and an enamel-safe formula. Visible White Purple Serum will be available across e-commerce platforms in 40ml packs, priced at INR 800 (US$9.03).

Mouth full of politics

The launch continues Colgate’s oral beauty journey in India, following the introduction of its Visible White Purple Toothpaste in 2024. 

Colgate describes last year’s release as “successful,” but tensions between domestic Indian companies and the brand recently erupted. 

In September, Indian consumer goods company Dabur launched an ad campaign urging shoppers to pick its “Swadeshi,” or made-in-India, toothpaste over American-owned Colgate. Dabur debuted a front-page ad in the Times of India hinting at Colgate without naming it. The ad featured a toothpaste pack with red, white, and blue font, bearing the line: “Born there, not here.” 

Colgate targets India’s beauty-conscious consumers. The campaign followed the US raising tariffs on Indian goods, sparking calls in India to buy local. Under Washington’s decision, India faces tariffs of up to 50% on its goods. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for citizens to avoid foreign brands.

However, India’s exports to the US rose for the first time in five months in October, increasing 14.5% from September, despite the tariffs in place.

Topping the charts

In another controversy, Colgate-Palmolive recently agreed to change the packaging and marketing for its toothpaste products aimed at children after US Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called its fluoride advertising “misleading, deceptive, and dangerous.”

Starting this month, the oral care company will portray “safe, age-appropriate amounts” of toothpaste on its packaging and advertisements for children under six.

Despite the global turmoil, Colgate was recently named the UK’s top beauty brand. 

According to YouGov UK’s Personal Care Brand Rankings 2025, 44.8% of UK consumers consider the brand for their next personal care purchase. Colagate was number one for both men and women and across all ages, from Generation Z to baby boomers. 

The oral care brand was positioned as the top personal care brand based on consumer consideration in the UK, alongside Dove, Nivea, and Oral-B.