Cosmetics Consumer Insights

Trend - Retailers and brands are embracing dupe culture as consumers seek affordable alternatives to luxury across beauty and fashion; driving demand for products that mirror high-end aesthetics, formulations, and design—from makeup to apparel—at more accessible price points.

Insight - Gen Z and Millennials are redefining consumption by treating frugality as empowerment, using dupes to balance aspiration with financial caution. In uncertain economic conditions, they still seek self-expression and small luxuries without the risk of overspending. As such, dupe-driven shopping can enable experimentation and flexibility, letting consumers engage with high-end aesthetics while maintaining control over budgets.

Trend - Skincare brands are launching grinding cleanser balms that combine physical exfoliation with a solid, balm-based format. These products are designed to gently polish the skin while cleansing, offering controlled application and reduced product waste.

Insight - Consumers are increasingly drawn to multifunctional skincare that streamlines routines while delivering visible results. Demand is also rising for hands-on formats that feel engaging and intuitive, alongside a continued shift toward low-waste, travel-friendly products that reflect sustainability values—fitting modern, on-the-go lifestyles. This evolution reflects skincare deliver efficacy and experience, balancing performance with convenience while supporting conscious consumption.

Trend - Skincare brands are introducing targeted, toner-infused pads designed to hydrate, soothe, or gently exfoliate the skin. Convenient and easy to use, these versatile pads can double as mini masks for dry areas and often feature brightening ingredients such as vitamin C for added radiance and clarity.

Insight - Today’s skincare consumers are more ingredient-aware and results-driven, seeking products that simplify routines without sacrificing performance. Facing concerns like dehydration, sensitivity, dullness, and breakouts—often intensified by stress and environmental exposure—they are gravitating toward targeted solutions that deliver precise benefits. As such, consumers are drawn to single step products that empower users to customize treatments while maintaining convenience and consistency.

Trend - Mung bean, a legume traditionally used in food, is gaining popularity in skincare for its gentle, naturally beneficial properties. Within the beauty landscape, this unconventional ingredient is used to help calm irritated skin, absorb excess oil, and aid in balancing complexions.

Insight - As skin sensitivity rises—driven by environmental stressors, over-exfoliation, and increasingly complex routines—consumers are gravitating toward gentler, food-derived skincare ingredients. Due to these factors and a growing demand for "food skincare," brands are turning to mung bean, valued for its calming, oil-absorbing, and antioxidant properties. Positioned as a mild alternative to harsher actives, mung bean supports skin balance and barrier comfort while aligning with preferences for natural, low-irritation formulations.

Trend - Heartleaf, known as Houttuynia cordata, is a Southeast Asian botanical valued for its hydrating and restorative properties. In skincare, brands are increasingly incorporating it into serums, toners, and moisturizers for its gentle, non-irritating ability to calm skin and visibly reduce redness.

Insight - As environmental stressors intensify—from air pollution and extreme temperature shifts to fast-paced, high-stress lifestyles—sensitive and redness-prone skin is becoming increasingly common. In combination, these factors are reinforcing consumer demand for formulations perceived as more natural and less likely to cause irritation, particularly among sensitive skin users. As a result, brands are prioritizing skincare formulated with calming, non-irritating ingredients like heartleaf that help soothe inflammation, support barrier health, and protect skin from daily external aggressors without compromising comfort or efficacy.

Trend - Brands are releasing two‑in‑one lotions and sprays that pair broad‑spectrum SPF with plant‑based or low‑odor insect repellents; products emphasize sweat resistance, family‑safe ingredients, lightweight textures and travel‑friendly formats for outdoor recreation, daily use and warm‑weather travel.

Insight - People want to enjoy time outside without juggling multiple products, reapplying layers or dealing with strong chemical smells. Parents, travelers and outdoor enthusiasts feel pressed for convenience and safer-feeling ingredients. Brands responded with dual-purpose formulas that cut steps, reduce bag clutter and offer gentler sensory profiles while still promising reliable protection. This approach meets demand for simplicity and comfort, making outdoor care easier and more routine-friendly.

Trend - Skincare brands are increasingly offering gentle, soy-based formulated cleaners to retain hydration, remove impurities, and makeup residue. These targeted products balance effectiveness with gentleness for daily routines to maintain natural moisture barriers without the use of harsh chemicals.

Insight - As environmental stressors such as pollution, climate exposure, and overuse of active ingredients increasingly disrupt the skin barrier, more consumers are experiencing sensitivity or reactivity. In response, skincare routines are shifting toward gentle, plant-derived ingredients that support skin resilience rather than aggression. Soy-based cleansers address this need by offering nourishing properties, since consumers gravitate toward formulations that feel restorative and protective.

Trend - Nail care companies are releasing products that prioritize eco-friendly formulas, recyclable packaging, and reusable tools, aiming to reduce impact. These products appeal to consumers seeking stylish nails without the environmental impact of traditional polishes and single-use acrylics.

Insight - Acrylic and press-on nails are major contributors to plastic waste in the beauty industry, as they are typically discarded after short-term use. Now, nail brands are increasingly developing sustainable alternatives to meet growing consumer demand for eco-conscious products and adhere to evolving environmental regulations. Companies that embrace these sustainable solutions can appeal to a segment of consumers who prioritize environmentally responsible choices and are willing to pay for them.

Trend - The fragrance industry is evolving beyond traditional luxury positioning to embrace functional benefits that target specific wellness outcomes. Brands are launching aromatherapy-inspired perfumes, sleep-enhancing scents, and focus-boosting fragrances that promise measurable improvements to users' mental and physical states.

Insight - Contemporary consumers are increasingly seeking products that deliver multiple benefits rather than serving a single purpose. The wellness movement has trained people to view their purchasing decisions through the lens of self-optimization, creating demand for beauty products that contribute to their overall health goals. This convergence reflects a broader cultural shift where consumers expect their daily routines to actively support their wellbeing rather than simply maintain appearance

Trend - Cosmetics brands are releasing climate‑adaptive skincare solutions such as moisturizers, serums and SPF hybrids that adjust to humidity, temperature, pollution levels and seasonal changes. These formulas use adaptive polymers, barrier‑supporting ingredients and textures to help skin stay healthy.

Insight - Consumers increasingly struggle with skin that reacts to weather swings such as dryness in winter, oiliness in humidity, irritation from heat, or flare?ups during rapid temperature shifts. Many feel frustrated that their usual products stop working when the climate changes, forcing constant trial?and?error. At the same time, people want routines that feel simpler, not heavier or more complicated. Brands respond to these pressures with flexible formulas that adjust to reduce guesswork.