Latest Trends
The beauty industry thrives on innovation and buzzwords, and 2016 was the year that ‘antipollution’ stole the show, as a flurry of lotions and potions promised to protect against skin-damaging micro-sized particles. Meanwhile, we saw a growing interest in natural and organic beauty, thanks to increased curiosity among women of all ages about what exactly goes into our beauty products as we looked for cleaner, greener options. It’s no surprise that Pantone’s colour for 2026 is a tangy yellow-green called ‘greenery’.
Advances in skin technology were also huge in 2016: Panasonic unveiled a prototype for a ‘smart mirror’, which diagnoses skin concerns and prints out 3D slivers of colour matched make-up to mask your imperfections. Google filed patents outlining designs for electricity and pressure sensing mats and colour recognition mirrors: these could track changes in weight, blood pressure and organ health.
But, while these are exciting in terms of technology, neither are likely to make it into your bathroom in the next couple of years. So what are the products that will be filling our cabinets and shelves in 2026? Here is everything you need to know about for the New Year…
High tech masks
Face masks were a defining beauty product for 2016, whether as panda-faced sheets or colourful L’Oréal Paris clays. And the experts predict that their success will continue long into next year.
Look out for: Nannette de Gaspé, which brought us the first dry-textured sheet mask, will unveil a lift-and-plump version for boobs and bums early next year. Incredible coconut-gel sheet masks from cult US brand Farmacy will also arrive here in 2026. Rumour has it that Charlotte Tilbury will be venturing into this genre of skincare, too.
Friendly bacteria
There was a smattering of probiotic-based skincare launches this year and, with more research suggesting that bacteria – including lactobacillus and bifidobacterium – are beneficial to the skin, you can expect this genre to grow. ‘Brands already have us rethinking traditional cleansing and skincare regimes and we expect this category to snowball in 2026 as product innovation continues,’ says Chrissy Hilton-Gee, senior beauty researcher.
Look out for:We know April is a long way away, but Vichy Slow Age, £29.50, will be worth the wait. Targeting ageing concerns and strengthening your skin’s barrier function, the light lotion is packed with antioxidants and probiotics. It has SPF25, too.
Superfood skincare
Given how concerned we are about what we’re putting into our bodies, it was only a matter of time before the beauty industry started to align our bathroom cabinets with those in our kitchens. Expect to see skincare ingredients including algae, moringa and kale.
Look out for:This week sees the launch of the Bobbi Brown Remedies line: Skin Reviver, £25, is especially good. Bare Minerals Eternalixir Skin Volumizing Oil Serum, £38 (launches in January), blends baobab and rosehip seed oil, and Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with Pure Vitamin C 10%, £25 (launches in March), gives a seven day dose of the vitamin.
Plumping ingredients
Water tends to be a key ingredient in most products, of course, but next year the focus will be more fully on hydration. ‘Products will utilise water-based ingredients and jelly textures to provide ultra-light, breathable finishes,’ says Hilton-Gee. After all, the more hydrated your skin is, the plumper, firmer and more radiant it looks.
Look out for: La Mer Revitalising Hydrating Serum, £160, and Elemis Hydra-Boost Serum, £45. Both launch early next year and promise to leave your skin intensely hydrated. In March, Clarins will unveil its revamped Hydra Quench range. The new formulas use water-retaining wonder ingredient ‘leaf of life’.
Face brushing
Dry body brushing has long been championed for helping to gently exfoliate skin, boost circulation and reduce the appearance of cellulite. In Asia, the technique is also widely used to improve the tone and texture of your face. Theresa Yee, senior beauty editor at trend forecaster WGSN, predicts that we’ll follow them. "It gives you an incredible, fresh-faced glow," she says. "In Asia they follow with facial soap rather than cleanser, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the traditional bar makes a comeback here, too."
Look out for: Rather let a gadget do the hard work? The good news is that Clarisonic launches a toning device next autumn. And if it’s anything like its facial and body cleansing brushes, it’ll be a game changer.
Transformative textures
The term ‘K-beauty’ (Korean-inspired beauty) has been around for a couple of years and Asia will continue to influence global beauty trends. Next year, it will all be about products that change texture as you use them: increasingly, we’re after skincare that surprises our senses. "You can expect materials that build intrigue," explains Hilton-Gee. "It’s not just about the product itself, but the whole experience."
Look out for: "In Korea, the latest texture change is cleansing balls that melt into liquid when they come into contact with your skin," says Yee. "They’re colour coordinated by skincare concerns."