What’s set to be big in beauty in 2026?
Having worked in this industry for decades, and propelled the growth of some of the most pioneering brands, some might say I have a knack for scoping out the sentiments, trends and purchases people will make.
Here is my glimpse into the future of beauty, showing you what is set to be big in 2026, and hopefully my forecast will spark inspiration and ideation.
Trend one: Blue beauty
Beauty shoppers are becoming increasingly conscious of marine life in tandem with the soil (Image credit: Pexels)
Sustainability has long been on beauty’s agenda, but the soil has always seemed to be more trendy than the sea.
I suspect this will turn on its head in 2026, with more of us becoming increasingly conscious of marine life in tandem with the soil, animals and air.
After a prompting session with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered answer engine Perplexity, which shared that searches for ‘fun blue nails’ are up 260% and ‘blue eyeshadow aesthetic’ 65%, my inkling that there is a penchant for sea-safe products was proved right.
Year-on-year searches for ‘reef-safe SPF’ have risen by 86% since 2024, according to market intelligence company Trendalytics, and TikTok searches for content related to reef-safe products have increased by 355%.
SPF springs to mind when we think about sea-safe products, but in 2026 more brands will commit to less impactful ingredients cross-category.
After all, if there is no blue beauty, there is no green beauty
From nano-particles in deodorants to microplastics in exfoliants, it is time for brands to look beyond SPF as the culprit and offer consumers increasingly sea-conscious products.
After all, if there is no
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