According to Andrew McDougall, Director of Beauty & Personal Care at Mintel, it is in luxury beauty where things are really evolving.
"Luxury is increasingly being defined by proof, safety cues and demonstrable results, not just aspiration," he says.
Demand for clinical substantiation and visual proof is becoming a powerful force in beauty innovation, reflecting a broader shift in consumer behaviour. Ingredient research is now mainstream, with consumers actively scrutinising formulations and seeking reassurance before purchasing.
This trend is particularly evident in skincare, where concepts such as skin barrier repair, microbiome health, peptide technology and longevity science have moved into the mainstream.
Few brands have influenced this movement more than The Ordinary. By placing ingredients and transparency at the centre of its communication, the brand helped transform consumer expectations around efficacy and ingredient literacy.
Similarly, SkinCeuticals has demonstrated how scientific validation can support premium positioning through clinically supported formulations, while Drunk Elephant has helped make skin biology and ingredient compatibility part of everyday beauty conversations.
The result is a market increasingly driven by measurable performance rather than promises.