India, Feb. 7 -- Even beauty brands need a makeover. Nykaa started out as an online store - now it's opening bigger, posher shops in Mumbai and Delhi. Tira's own stores have perfume-matching software (and are generous with samples). At Sephora, the bins of little last-minute treats are strategically in grabbing distance as we wait our turn to pay.

Stores have testers. Sites have deals. Stores have annoying assistants. Sites have terrible colour swatches. So, what should you buy online, and what's worth getting IRL? Beauty junkie and content creator Tanishi Ravani Parekh (@TanishiRavani) sorts it out.

If you're starting out. "I'm big on in-store shopping," says Ravani Parekh. "We have so many home-grown and international brands now that ...