The Major Beauty Trends On The Horizon, According To Market Research

With the revolving door of microtrends and the onslaught of social media "discoveries," making sense of the beauty market is no easy task. Even the most beauty-enthused follower can get exhausted keeping up with the constant aesthetic changes and product launches. 

There have been countless think pieces and trend reports on Gen Alpha's obsession with skin care—so I won't bore you with another one. The kids like Sephora and Ulta, we get it! What I'm more interested in is what this surge of interest means for the beauty market going forward. 

A recent survey of Gen Alpha Americans found astounding insights into the minds of these young, ambitious beauty folk—and one thing is clear: Aging is ever present on their minds, but it's not just about the skin. 

According to Gen Alpha responders, the worst effects of aging are physical limitations and lack of strength (42% say this was their biggest concern), memory loss (38%), wrinkles (31%), and being perceived as less attractive to others (20%).

So, while appearance is certainly a concern for the young generation, mobility and cognition are the most pressing. 

To care for themselves as they age, the generation is turning to the principles of longevity. According to the survey, they are most interested in these steps: Eating healthy and/or exercising (64%), taking supplements (43%), and prioritizing mental health/reducing stress (37%).

But they also love skin care, as has been previously discussed: One out of three respondents said they had a "multistep skin care routine to combat aging," which was more than their adult counterparts.

And finally, they're willing to put money behind it: 51% said they would spend $100 per month, which is more than double the number of millennials who said the same thing. (Take this with a grain of salt, as the different generations are in much different stages in their lives and probably have a much different relationship with money. If it's even their own money they're spending.) 

As Gen Alpha starts to grow up, brands (and media companies) should be thinking about the aging conversation holistically—not just about what "anti-aging" topical ingredients to use but about whole-body health and longevity. 

I also suspect these survey findings means we're going to see a lot of young folks learn a bit too early about the importance of the skin barrier. With preteens using potent acids and retinol well before it's needed for their delicate skin, there'll likely be a rise in reports of sensitivity and irritation. 

"The most common cause [of sensitive skin and a damaged barrier] is over-stripping the skin of its natural oils," board-certified dermatologist and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine Jeannette Graf, M.D., told us about the culprits behind a compromised barrier. "This can be done by washing your face too much and over-exfoliating the skin."

As Gen Alpha continues to grow up, the market may shift further to address barrier damage and barrier strength. While barrier products have been popular for a while now, the market share and interest shows no sign of declining. Interest grew by 35% last year, with over 9K searches a month. 

Spending time in the sun is vital for many reasons, including mental and physical health. However, it's very important that folks are responsible while doing so. Recent surveys show that Millennials, Gen-Z, and younger generations have adopted some troubling sun care habits and opinions. 

According to a survey from the American Academy of Dermatology, Americans aged 18-25 have shown an increased interest in tanning—and a lack of interest in applying sunscreen. 

Providing informed, balanced, and holistic sun care advice is something we're very passionate about at mindbodygreen. Being smart about your time in the sun is ultimately important for skin longevity and overall longevity.

Not only do we regularly offer our favorite SPF recommendations (check out our new favorites here) and sunscreen usage tips, but we also approach sun care holistically: encouraging folks to be smart about their time in the sun, advising people to consume a diet high in photoprotective antioxidants to help bolster the skin's defenses, and advocating for regular derm visits. 

It's not all bad: innovative makeup to the rescue.

Interestingly, we've also seen this interest in tanning come with another beauty trend—his one, however, we get behind. Bronzing drops, tinted serums, and glow-enhancing sunscreens have exploded in popularity. These can offer the glowing sun-kissed aesthetic, sans damage. 

Bronzing drops, in particular, are having a moment: mindbodygreen Beauty Refresh Award–winning product Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops was one of our favorite products from last year.

Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Bronzing Drops with Peptides went viral with rave reviews from users. Typology Paris Bronzing Drops effortlessly blend into any base face cream, offering a very natural-looking, fresh-face tint. e.l.f. Bronzing Drops offer a delightful shimmering finish (in three shades too!).

Skin care tools, such as LED masks, cold lasers, and microcurrent wands, have become the hot ticket item over the last several years. In fact, our coverage is some of our best-performing beauty content on the website. And the market sees the same trend: The global LED face mask market is expected to grow by 11.9% by 2030.

Clearly, folks are interested in how these tools can help keep skin looking healthier for longer. 

While these devices work in different ways, one thing they have in common is that they support mitochondrial health and boost ATP production. And these benefits are at the core of what makes them such powerful regenerative tools. 

The mitochondria exist in almost every cell in our body, where they produce energy. The chemical energy created by the mitochondria is stored in the ATP, which is your body's energy currency. ATP is transported and transferred throughout the body, where it powers up various functions. Yes, this includes cells that make up the skin as well. 

Skin cells require a constant supply of ATP to fuel a variety of functions1: cell regeneration, collagen and elastin synthesis via the fibroblasts2, protein and lipid production, and also powering up the body's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses3. 

Essentially: Healthy mitochondrial function is the basis for healthy skin as we know it. 

But up until recently, the importance of the mitochondria for skin health wasn't a topic widely discussed or understood.

The longevity conversation seems to be changing that. As folks become more educated about the body's regenerative properties and how to optimize them, we'll see the beauty industry begin to embrace talking about the role of the mitochondria in skin health. 

Not only that but because of the growing popularity of regenerative skin care tools (like LED masks and microcurrents), more people will be familiar with their benefits. 

I suspect we'll see topical skin care brands start to harness ingredients that support mitochondrial health.