From elevated efficacy to pro beauty inspiration to preventative care, Mintel has issued its annual beauty trends, alongside its 2025 consumer trend report. Across trends, a clear picture has emerged of beauty’s future, one shaped by emerging technologies, increasingly educated and demanding shoppers, and an embedding of sustainability concepts within every element of the industry. Below are seven highlights from the reports.
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From elevated efficacy to pro beauty inspiration to preventative care, Mintel has issued its annual beauty trends, alongside its 2025 consumer trend report. Across trends, a clear picture has emerged of beauty’s future, one shaped by emerging technologies, increasingly educated and demanding shoppers, and an embedding of sustainability concepts within every element of the industry. Below are seven highlights from the reports.
1. Escalating Efficacy
Armed with more knowledge, consumers will demand proven efficacy and precision from beauty products, which will require a new generation of biotech ingredients, encapsulation technologies for enhanced delivery and materials that offer aesthetic-grade benefits.Karolina Kaboompics at Pexels
These consumers are being educated by influencers who demystify the inner workings of the beauty industry, including ingredients and manufacturing, turning shoppers into pro-sumers.
Armed with more knowledge, consumers will demand proven efficacy and precision from beauty products, which will require a new generation of biotech ingredients, encapsulation technologies for enhanced delivery and materials that offer aesthetic-grade benefits.
This will impact more than just topical products. Mintel argues that consumers’ awareness of the connections between skin health and gut wellness, for example, will spur a further blurring of beauty and nutrition.
That said, a “focus on ingredient safety will expand,” Mintel argues, “with consumers paying more attention to environmental factors like water and air quality.”
These concerns will make space for sustainably sourced botanicals, the trend report states, as well as bio-identical ingredients replicated via biotech practices without depleting nature.
As with all things, however, proof will be key. Mintel notes, “To build credibility, companies will highlight the efficacy of their products through scientific testing and innovative ingredients.”
2. Proactive Beauty
The demand for proven efficacy fits hand-in-hand with an emerging “mindful, long-term approach to skin care and beauty,” Mintel says, “focusing on prevention rather than constant repair.”
In this new dynamic, shoppers will deprioritize “quick fixes” in favor of “gradual, lasting results” and preventative care.
3. Aesthetic-ization of Beauty
Expect to see rising popularity for lasers and Botox-like treatments among consumers of all ages, as well as increased openness about the use of such services.Jonathan Borba at Pexels
Mintel notes in its 2025 consumer trend report, “[T]he norms around health and beauty will see a notable shift. The use of weight-loss drugs and cosmetic surgery will become normalized. As a result, aspirations about looks and well-being will evolve.”
Expect to see rising popularity for lasers and Botox-like treatments among consumers of all ages, as well as increased openness about the use of such services.
As noted earlier, this trend will also escalate the deployment of aesthetic-grade ingredients in beauty “to deliver clinical-level results and foster consumer loyalty,” per Mintel.
These trends are already shaping major industry deals. For instance, in August 2024, CeraVe parent L’Oréal took a 10% stake in Cetaphil parent Galderma Group AG. The deal included not only an investment, but also a scientific partnership to jointly develop new products across both companies to address the signs of skin aging. For L'Oreal, the deal signaled a significant pursuit of the aesthetics market.
That same month, Crown Laboratories, Inc. and Revance Therapeutics, Inc. announced their intention to merge into a single enterprise valued $924 million. The move unites skin care and aesthetics expertise, bringing together brands such as Daxxify (toxin), the RHA Collection (filler), SkinPen (microneedling), PanOxyl (acne), Blue Lizard (sunscreen) and StriVectin (anti-aging).
This is just the beginning.
4. Simplification
A desire for efficacy fits well with another trend: a desire for minimalist routines and multifunctional products.
This simplification of beauty addresses consumers “weary of complex, multi-step routines and the pressure to follow rigid guidelines,” per Mintel.
Simplified routines are also less stressful than complex, demanding multi-step rituals.
By paring down the consumer experience, brands can reinforce their value to choosy shoppers while ensuring beauty remains an enjoyable, anxiety-free experience.
5. Off-label Beauty
Shoppers and influencers are infinitely creative; use of products in unintended ways could inspire new product innovation as well as novel marketing strategies for existing SKUs.Karolina Kaboompics at Pexels
Via social media, many shoppers are trading tips and tricks, including the use of products for “off-label,” or unanticipated, purposes.
Mintel points to the use of self-tanners as bronzers or Vaseline for skin slugging routines. These types of practices could boost the value of products in the minds of consumers.
Shoppers and influencers are infinitely creative; use of products in unintended ways could inspire new product innovation as well as novel marketing strategies for existing SKUs.
6. Reinventing Sourcing
The demand for efficacy, paired with climate change pressures, will continue to reinvent beauty sourcing.
This will open up advanced agricultural practices, upcycling programs and the production of zero-waste products, Mintel argues.
As noted earlier, it promises increased use of biotech to generate safe, effective and sustainable technologies.
7. Next-level Sustainable Packaging
Alongside more ethical ingredient sourcing, the future of beauty increasingly incorporates sustainable packaging, including biodegradable materials (including cardboard tubes, refillable formats (particularly in China and Japan) and in-store recycling schemes that simplify the consumer experience, particularly for hard-to-recycle packaging components.
Some brands are even tapping home-compostable packaging, Mintel notes, though these efforts aren't yet widespread.
These are just a few highlights from the Mintel reports. Visit the firm’s report site for full details.
