The concept of skin longevity has rapidly replaced the outdated narrative of “anti-aging.” Rather than promising to turn back the clock, brands increasingly emphasize maintaining healthy skin function over time, focusing on resilience, prevention, and overall well-being. This semantic and conceptual evolution reflects broader societal shifts: consumers prefer positive framing and are more inclined toward strategies of proactive maintenance rather than correction (2).

From a scientific standpoint, advances in geroscience, an emerging field that seeks to understand the biological mechanisms of aging and how they contribute to age-related diseases (3), have catalysed this trend. The discovery of geroprotectors—compounds capable of extending health span and lifespan in animal models— can present promising implications for human longevity and in cosmetics, and it could lead to longevity cosmeceutical actives and products. Examples of natural-derived geroprotectors that hold greater potential for this category are Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), Astaxanthin and Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) (4).

The regulatory landscape, however, introduces caution. In the EU, claims suggesting that a product could influence biological aging processes risk falling into the medicinal domain. The common criteria for the justification of claims, the related “Technical document”, underlining the importance of substantiation, and the Borderline Manual must be always considered to avoid medical connotations when communicating longevity claims. This means that while the science may be captivating, brands must carefully phrase their messaging—highlighting improved skin appearance, rather than direct intervention in biological aging.

In this sense, despite the improbability of a distinct regulatory category, developing clear guidance remains critical to support responsible innovation and protect consumers (4). The challenge for 2025–2026 will be ensuring that emerging longevity-inspired actives can be validated through robust clinical and instrumental studies, while maintaining compliance with cosmetic definitions. The aim is not to suffocate innovation but channelling it toward realistic and consumer-understandable claims.

The clean beauty movement, once primarily defined by exclusion lists and “free-from” marketing, has evolved into a more nuanced and sophisticated paradigm. By 2025, emphasis has shifted toward transparency and scientific validation, rather than the simplistic avoidance of controversial ingredients. Consumers increasingly expect brands to substantiate their claims rigorously, both in terms of product efficacy and the sustainability impact of their formulations.

A notable evolution is the shift from the assumption that “natural = safe” toward a “science-backed clean” or “cleanical beauty” approach, where ingredient performance and measurable product outcomes are prioritized (5). This trend aligns with findings that consumers with strong environmental values are more sceptical of greenwashed claims (6) and highlights growing demand for beauty companies to deliver solutions that integrate both environmental and ethical considerations (7).

Regulatory frameworks further reinforce this trajectory. In the EU, the implementation of Directive (EU) 2024/825, which empowers consumers in the green transition (8), along with enhanced scrutiny of environmental communications, is compelling companies to provide verifiable evidence for their claims. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed potential updates to its Green Guides, signaling stricter monitoring of potentially misleading environmental claims (9). The convergence of consumer expectations and regulatory oversight is establishing a new benchmark for credibility in clean beauty.

Ultimately, “clean beauty” in 2025 for companies represents both an opportunity to differentiate through authenticity and a challenge to adapt communication strategies in line with evolving regulatory and consumer expectations.

Packaging remains one of the most visible and contested aspects of cosmetic sustainability. In 2025, innovation is guided by two converging forces: consumer expectations for eco-friendly solutions – as shown previously - and regulatory requirements that set precise targets for recyclability and waste reduction.

The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) mandates a progressive transition toward reusable, recyclable, and standardized formats, with deadlines extending into 2030 but requiring preparation today (10). This regulation is not limited to cosmetics, but its impact is particularly strong in this sector given the visibility of packaging and the symbolic value consumers assign to its design and the environmental implications.

Key strategies include refillable systems, mono-material packaging designed for easier recycling, and the adoption of biodegradable or compostable alternatives. Brands also experiment with digital labelling (QR codes) to provide sustainability information (11), aligning with the broader EU’s “digital product passport” initiative under the Regulation (EU) n°2024/1781 on Eco-design (12).

However, challenges persist since refills may not always be compatible with consumer habits, biodegradable plastics may not meet durability needs, and recycling infrastructures vary significantly across markets. Therefore, sustainability in packaging is not just a matter of technological innovation but also of harmonizing claims and practices with regulatory standards, avoiding misleading messages.

Insights from the Zalando 2025 Beauty in Brief report (13) highlight an evolving consumer landscape that is reshaping the cosmetic market. Emotional and functional considerations are increasingly driving purchasing decisions, with trends such as “Energy Reset” reflecting demand for products that support recovery and emotional well-being.

Simultaneously, the “Biohacking Beauty” trend underscores growing interest in biologically aligned solutions, including products designed to work with circadian rhythms or overnight, emphasizing measurable efficacy.

The report also identifies “Real-Life Beauty” as a key driver, where consumers prioritize products that perform under dynamic, everyday conditions, and “True Radiance,” reflecting heightened attention to long-term skin health, hydration, and barrier protection.

These insights underscore a broader shift toward functional, authentic, and data-driven beauty, complementing regulatory and sustainability expectations and highlighting the market’s alignment with scientific validation and transparency.

These consumer preferences, emphasizing authenticity and personalization, intersect with the growing role of AI, which offers new ways to meet such demands. Artificial intelligence (AI) represents one of the most disruptive forces entering the beauty landscape. In 2025, its applications range from formulation design and trend prediction to personalized consumer experiences.

Recent developments include partnerships that make beauty products shoppable directly through AI platforms like ChatGPT integrated with Shopify, adopted by some brands (14). AI is also increasingly used by consumers to ask for real-time personalized advice, challenging traditional roles of beauty advisors and even dermatologists (15).

From a regulatory perspective, AI introduces a new dimension of risk. Data privacy and algorithm transparency become central, especially under the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act (16) and the GDPR framework (17). On the other side, AI-generated claims and recommendations must still comply with cosmetic regulations. As noted by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), generating claims with AI is not an issue per se, as long as the claims do not exaggerate the product’s performance or create a misleading context, for example (18).

Nevertheless, AI holds enormous potential: in R&D, it accelerates ingredient discovery and formulation optimization; in retail, it enables unprecedented personalization (19). In the beauty sector, generative AI finds applications not only in consumer-facing functions but also as a catalyst for efficiency and innovation across the internal value chain (20).

The challenge for 2026 will be to integrate these tools responsibly, maintaining consumer trust and regulatory compliance while harnessing their transformative capacity.

The cosmetic market in 2025 is marked by convergence: science-driven longevity, transparency and clean formulations, sustainable packaging, consumer-driven minimalism, and the rise of artificial intelligence. Each of these dimensions offers opportunity, yet each also carries regulatory challenges that cannot be overlooked.

Far from being obstacles, these challenges represent structuring forces that direct innovation toward credible, safe, and socially responsible solutions. The transition into 2026 will likely amplify this trajectory: sustainability and AI will push the boundaries of what cosmetics can achieve, while regulators will refine frameworks to protect consumers and ensure fair competition.

Ultimately, the winners in this evolving landscape will be the companies able to combine innovation, compliance, and authenticity, delivering products that are not only thrilling for the new generation of 2026 consumers but also scientifically sound and legally sustainable.