Mintel's 2026 Global Beauty & Personal Care Predictions
In its latest global prediction report, Mintel reveals 3 major trends: Metabolic Beauty, Sensorial Synergy and Beyond the algorithm.
The world is moving faster, and with avenment of technology (AI and all the rest of it), consumers are looking for connection, meaning, and experience. We are in a retail renaissance, where spaces, whether online or brick-and-mortar, are not competing but complement each other.
In “Metabolic Beauty” there is a perception that consumers are moving beyond surface-level aesthetics toward measurable, inside-out wellbeing, with metabolic health emerging as the new foundation of beauty.
In “Sensorial Synergy,” there is a breakthrough in functional fragrances, neuroscience, and immersive technologies like VR, ready to transform daily routines into rich, multisensory experiences.
In “Beyond the algorithm”, it’s about the human touch revolution where consumers are pushing back against beauty’s obsession with perfectionism and data-driven conformity, returning to raw authenticity and human creativity.
About “Metabolic Beauty”
2026 marks a critical inflexion point for beauty’s evolution into a health-integrated category. Consumers are moving beyond surface-level aesthetics toward measurable, inside-out wellbeing, with metabolic health emerging as the new foundation of beauty. Advances in biomarker testing, continuous metabolic monitoring, and bio-intelligent technologies are scaling from niche to mainstream, enabling personalised interventions that optimise cellular resilience and energy balance.
The evolution of this prediction
The beauty industry has long played in the space where health and aesthetics overlap, but until recently, this connection was framed more as a marketing story than a scientific reality. Early trends such as Beauty With a Brain and Beauty Round The Clock laid the groundwork by highlighting the mind-body connection and the importance of holistic wellness in beauty routines. While wellness culture and the concept of prevention have existed for a long time, what’s new is the focus on cellular health and the integration of advanced technology.
The rise of ingestible beauty - captured by the Gastronomia trend - and the explosion of wellness culture have trained consumers to expect beauty products to deliver both inner and outer benefits, with collagen powders, adaptogenic blends, and probiotic skincare becoming mainstream. At the same time, the Beauty Rx trend has brought the medicalisation of beauty to the forefront, with diagnostics and personalised medicine reshaping expectations around precision. Consumers now want proof, trackability, and routines that fit their unique biological needs.
The Metabolic Beauty movement is the natural evolution of these converging trends. By positioning skin as the body’s “dashboard,” beauty is entering the preventive health arena. What once began with supplements and superfoods is now moving towards biomarker tracking, personalised subscriptions, and skin-health ecosystems. This is not just a product trend; it is the redefinition of beauty as a proactive healthcare category.
Looking to 2030
By 2030, skin/hair will be recognised as the body’s most accessible biomarker. Beauty brands will compete with health and wellness providers for the role of trusted gatekeepers of preventive care. Consumers will expect their moisturiser, serum, or supplement to act not only as cosmetic enhancers but also as diagnostic tools that reflect inner health. This shift will reframe the role of beauty from indulgence to insurance: proof-driven, personalised, and preventative.
About “Sensorial Synergy”
The heightened need for emotional wellness makes 2026 the perfect moment for beauty’s sensory evolution. Breakthroughs in functional fragrances, neuroscience, and immersive technologies like VR are ready to transform daily routines into rich, multi-sensory experiences. Increasing consumer focus on self-care rituals ensures these innovations resonate deeply now.
The evolution of this prediction
The rise of ASMR on TikTok, the growth of mood-enhancing fragrances, and the reimagination of retail as immersive playgrounds reflect the New Rules of Engagement, where brands connect with consumers through interactive, multisensory, and emotionally resonant experiences. These developments have trained consumers to expect beauty to engage all the senses.
Well-being has taken centre stage, in line with the Evolved Self Care trend. Consumers increasingly use scent, touch, and sound as tools for emotional regulation to reduce stress, boost energy, or anchor rituals. Beauty is becoming less about outcomes and more about experiences - marking the beginning of experience-first beauty, a world where sensory stimulation is not a side effect but the primary driver of purchase.
Beauty has always been multisensory: the fragrance of a lotion, the texture of a cream, the sparkle of color cosmetics. But until recently, sensory was framed as secondary to efficacy. That is changing, as highlighted by the NeuroGlow trend, which champions integrating sensorial experiences and emotional well-being into beauty routines. Consumers are seeking products that make them feel as good as they look.
Looking to 2030
By 2030, beauty will be judged not just on results, but on its ability to regulate emotions and create memorable experiences. Sensory-first design will extend into travel, hospitality, and interiors, with products positioned as daily mood tools. Brands that thrive will shift from clinical efficacy to experiential storytelling.
About “Beyond the algorithm: the human touch revolution”
Consumers are exhausted by AI-driven perfection and crave the creativity of flawed, raw, human expression; reshaping beauty as an artistic, human-led narrative. Imperfection and artistry create unparalleled emotional resonance, driving a new form of authenticity in beauty.
Consumers are pushing back against beauty’s obsession with perfectionism and data-driven conformity, returning to raw authenticity and human creativity.
The evolution of this prediction
The last decade has been defined by algorithmic perfection, with filters, AI content, and hyper-polished marketing reflecting the rise of the Beaut- AI trend. However, consumers are now rebelling against this artificiality, seeking the authenticity, imperfection, and human creativity that underpin the My Beauty, My Rules movement. Early traction is visible in small-batch artisanship, raw, unfiltered campaigns, and grassroots platforms like BeReal, all of which celebrate individual expression and realness.
This counter-movement reframes imperfection as value, aligning with the Beauty [Re]Valued trend, in which handcrafted products, visible flaws, and behind-the-scenes storytelling signal trust and desirability. Just as “farm to table” redefined food, “hand to face” may redefine beauty by elevating transparency and craftsmanship. Importantly, the Augmented Human trend shows that this Human Touch Revolution isn’t anti-technology, but rather a recalibration - celebrating human creativity as the ultimate luxury while leveraging technology to enhance, not overshadow, the personal and authentic aspects of beauty.
Looking to 2030
By 2030, imperfection will be the new luxury. Consumers will pay premiums for products that feel raw, human, and unpolished in a world of AI perfection. Brands that thrive will be those that showcase their makers, processes, and flaws as proof of authenticity.
The copy of this report is available here below.
