Consumers are becoming edgy while craving a solution because the world feels like everything is wrong. For this reason, brands must create offers with a sense of activism, empathy, and urgency to make it big in this changing landscape.
Inter-Actions emerge this season to inspire products that upgrade the past for a modern era while acknowledging the value of individuality and interconnectedness. On this note, beauty products will satisfy the yearning for flexible product solutions while adopting spikier and harder themes.
Dive into the top Inter-Actions beauty forecast trends for A/W 24/25.
Table of Contents
An insight into the beauty product industry
7 Inter-Actions beauty trends to watch for A/W 24/25
Monitor these trends
An insight into the beauty product industry
Globally, the beauty and personal care product market generated $482.8 billion in 2021, and experts predict it will grow at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2022 to 2030. The market’s primary propellers include increased consumer consciousness regarding appearance and the influx of cosmetics with non-toxic and organic ingredients.
The lockdown restrictions also had an immense impact on the industry’s growth. It cut down the supply chain and pushed demand to a standstill, inflicting a hit on commodity sales for online and offline channels. Regardless, experts believe the market is on a fast track to a full recovery.
Type insights
The standard beauty product segment generated the highest market share (over 84.9%) in 2021. It witnessed more demand due to its low price advantage and availability globally. Nevertheless, these conventional products contain high levels of petroleum-based ingredients, making them harmful to the skin and less eco-friendly to produce. As a result, their demand may dwindle over the forecast period.
On the other hand, the organic segment will register impressive market growth. With more people moving to organically-sourced cosmetics, experts expect the shift to push the market forward over the forecast period.
Distribution channel insights
In 2021, specialty stores emerged with the highest market share of 35.7%. The increasing presence of these stores helped drive the distribution channel’s growth. Interestingly, specialty stores focus on chemical-free and natural beauty products, allowing them to attract consumer attention.
The e-commerce market will not fall behind, as experts predict it will register the highest CAGR over the forecast period. The distribution channel’s primary drivers include increasing business target marketing and internet penetration.
Regional insights
Asia Pacific dominated in 2021, accounting for over 38% of the global market share. Also, experts anticipate the region will register the fastest CAGR from 2022 to 2030. The regional market enjoys impressive growth due to the rising number of working women in countries like India and China.
Moreover, the European market will follow closely behind due to the rising consumer shift toward vegan and organic cosmetics, particularly in France, the UK, and Germany.
7 Inter-Actions beauty trends to watch for A/W 24/25
Emotional beauty
Emotional beauty connects the mind and skin, driving incredible solutions for consumer skin health. The story deals with products focusing on physical and mental well-being, allowing women to build emotional resilience during beauty routines.
Retailers can take this approach by adding books (with daily readings) to their product packaging. Such a shift can help consumers explore the intersections of their physical and inner selves while they enjoy their skincare routines.
Also, sellers can add affirming mantras to every stage of their skincare and make-up products, transforming each beauty moment into a personal ritual.
Businesses can also leverage this trend by adopting a 360o holistic approach for inner-outer solutions. Look into products like adaptogenic skincare, bath/body care, home fragrance, and supplements for each wellness concern.
Emotional beauty also transcends to the inner system, promoting ingestible products to target the gut with nourishments for smoother skin.
Functional flexi-taskers
Who said basic products have to be boring? Functional flexi-taskers update simple beauty items with intelligent designs, supporting consumers with stress-fuelled lifestyles. This trend aims at providing products that can adapt and flex to individual buyer needs, helping them enjoy their routines stress-free.
For example, retailers can invest in balms that provide hydrating, anti-aging, bacteria-fighting, and wound-healing properties. They can also stock up on products that soothe sore muscles and heal sunburn.
Functional flexi-taskers take bulk buying to a new level with upgraded all-in-one formats, helping to improve house proud aesthetics and clean credentials. For instance, businesses can dive into body washes with properties that can remove makeup, control breakouts, and moisturize the skin with natural ingredients.
Consider adopting formulations with developed application tools for intentional and multifunctional self-care moments. Products like a 3-in-1 glow bar are worthy investments in this story. Such products can feature interesting shapes while sculpting, moisturizing, and imparting a subtle glow on the user’s skin.
Chaotic wellness
Recent trends push back against the toxic wellness culture, and chaotic wellness follows suit. Instead, it focuses on products that support more fluid and forgiving beauty routines, helping to attract more Gen-Z audiences practicing self-care based on their rules.
This time, the focus is on accessibility and ease of use. One product turning the tide this season is beauty patches. Retailers can focus on variants that offer a sustained ingredient release over 12-24 hours. The product may also provide focus, sleep, and personal care offerings.
Further, sellers can invest in stress-free skin, hair, and personal care formulas that are also travel-friendly. They should be zero-waste, solid stick products that make beauty-on-the-go an easy venture.
Wellness goes beyond beauty routines, and businesses need to reflect this aspect. For example, they can consider investing in daily mints infused with mushroom blends for quick creativity and focus boosts.
Chaotic wellness aims to make wellness relatable and accessible with reasonable offers, effectively destroying entry barriers. It also embraces humor and haywire aesthetics to appeal to quirky Gen Z consumers.
Third culture beauty
Consumers demand further representation beyond borders, allowing “third culture” beauty to emerge with offerings catering to multicultural concerns. The trend also cooks up new cross-cultural perspectives for beauty care.
Look toward cosmetics with inclusive shades created with undertones and deeper skin tones in mind. Retailers may take it further by addressing brown and black hyperpigmentation concerns through serum sticks and brightening creams.
Third cultural beauty appreciates multicultural differences instead of appropriating them. For this reason, retailers must look at products that respect traditional wellness rituals, acknowledge the source, and amplify the community’s voices.
Pleasure with purpose
Sexual wellness has suffered from the taboo stigma for centuries—but that will change with this trend. “Pleasure” with purpose pushes the sensitive topic from secretive to the mainstream, with products fighting against the oppressive ideas crowding intimacy.
Businesses can action this trend by extending consumers’ interest in inclusive beauty narratives to sexual wellness. For example, consider investing in sex toys for buyers with disabilities, allowing everyone to experience sexual pleasure.
Power of proof
Nothing is certain until proven otherwise in recent times, leading consumers to question everything and guide their choices with positive cynicism. “Power of proof” employs radical honesty and transparent communication to address consumer concerns over claim-washing, pricing, and sourcing.
Retailers can create channels to engage consumers to answer questions and take criticism. Also, they can consider investing in third-party platforms and accreditations to include an extra credibility layer.
In addition, sellers should opt for products with scannable QR codes, allowing consumers to understand the ingredient choices and make informed buying decisions.
Modern heirlooms
Modern heirlooms draw inspiration from myths and folklore to make creative product designs. Luxury will become essential in a product’s background story as more frugal consumers flood the beauty world.
Investing in products with transportive scents, ancient ingredients, and artful packaging will imbue discovery and opulence into the everyday beauty routine. However, businesses must be careful to avoid offending the sensitive consumer base.
Only stock up on items that respectfully reimagine the past and look into archives for long-lost inspiration.
Monitor these trends
In times of stress, consumers will always value kindness and care. Hence, businesses must offer products and services that make life less overwhelming while supporting physical and mental well-being.
Additionally, one size no longer fits all—speak to the person and not the consumers with designs for the individual. Full representation is non-negotiable this time, as consumers need more options that address specific concerns.
These are the Inter-Actions beauty forecast trends to focus on for the upcoming 24/25 A/W season.
