From advanced actives to fragrance rituals: Lookfantastic’s top beauty trends revealed

From innovative actives to fragrance as a wellness tool, Lookfantastic has unveiled the key trends driving change in the beauty industry and redefining consumer behaviour.

In its New Season Trend Report for 2025, the beauty retailer highlights a range of emerging shifts across makeup, skincare, haircare, bodycare, and fragrance. These trends reflect a consumer focus on efficacy, personalisation, and holistic well-being, marking a new era of mindful beauty consumption.

Here's the top trends...

Next-Level Actives

Novel ingredients such as PDRN - a powerful regenerative active - are gaining traction alongside established favourites like peptides and niacinamide, fuelling demand for science-backed skincare formulations.

With the rise of the 'skin-tellectual' consumer, Lookfantastic customers are searching with greater precision, increasingly seeking targeted solutions for concerns such as anti-ageing, hydration, and sensitivity.

The report also highlights exosomes as the "next big ingredient in skincare". Originally developed to accelerate wound healing, exosomes are now being used in skincare to penetrate the skin barrier and deliver regenerative signals for smoother, firmer, and more youthful-looking skin.

This surge in advanced actives comes as dermatological skincare is growing 1.5 times faster than any other type of skincare on Lookfantastic.

Elevated Skinimalism

The research also highlights a growing shift towards viewing beauty less as a trend and more as a personal ritual - an extension of wellness and self-discovery. With trends like ‘glass skin’ evolving into ‘mirror skin,’ there is a move towards consumers seeking a fresher, more natural look.

Searches for "glass skin" are up 186% on Lookfantastic. Shifting focus away from excessive layering, consumers now prefer streamlined routines with fewer, highly effective products that deliver multiple skin benefits.

Commenting on this trend, Lillie Ellis, Buying Director at Lookfantastic, said: "There’s no denying that Korean culture is making an impact on Western audiences through TV shows, pop bands and now skincare with its results-driven appeal, high performance formulas, and innovation.

"Often described as an evolution of the 'glass skin' trend, 'mirror skin' focuses on achieving a smooth, glowing surface through hydration, brightening ingredients, and advancements in skincare technology."

Technological Innovation

At-home beauty tech, such as LED masks and microcurrent devices, are experiencing a surge in popularity as consumers increasingly seek clinic-quality treatments from the comfort and convenience of their own homes.

This trend reflects a broader desire among consumers for personalised, effective skincare solutions that fit seamlessly into their busy lifestyles.

Brands like NuFace, Silk’n, Shark Beauty, and Stylpro have responded by launching advanced treatment masks and devices designed to deliver professional-level results at home. As technology continues to evolve, these devices are becoming more accessible, user-friendly, and effective, further empowering consumers to take control of their beauty routines.

Return of the Gloss

The report notes that the resurgence of lip glosses, oils, and balms reflects a growing desire for playful, expressive beauty products. These products, commonly infused with conditioning ingredients like peptides and hyaluronic acid, often deliver a subtle shimmer and a glazed finish.

In fact, lip care is now one of the top 10 fastest-growing categories on Lookfantastic, expanding 15% year-on-year, with lip glosses and balms driving this momentum. The trend towards juicy, glossy lips, combined with the return of Y2K-inspired glosses, is capturing strong interest.

Additionally, searches for lip stains have surged by 600% year-on-year, as consumers seek long-lasting looks. These products tap into the clean, natural glow trend while offering the versatility to create bolder lip styles.

Fragrance as a Mood Booster

Customised scent layering and mood-enhancing fragrances are transforming the way consumers engage with perfume, turning scent into a personal wellness tool, according to the New Season Trend Report.

Speaking about the rise of mood-boosting scents, Billie Faricey-Hyett, Chief Buying Officer at THG Beauty, said: "I believe wellness fragrances will be a key trend in 2026, especially as customers are starting to shift towards more functional and mood-elevating fragrances with notes such as lavender for calm and relaxation, citrus notes for uplifting, boosted mental energy, and sophisticated gourmand for sweet nostalgia."

Gen Z and millennials are especially drawn to fragrances that support mental wellness. It comes as 83% of this generation wear fragrance at least three times a week, surpassing millennials in fragrance usage.

Fragrance personalisation is also on the rise, with consumers creating their own "cocktail" scents by layering fragrances to craft a DIY scent, with gourmand, vanilla, jasmine, woody, and floral notes surging in popularity.

Hair au Naturel

Lookfantastic customers are increasingly embracing non-wash day products, signalling a shift toward celebrating hair in its most natural form.

Hair serums have seen a 42% year-on-year revenue increase, with stylers and non-wash day products driving much of this growth.

Cold creams and hydrating treatments are also trending as consumers embrace their natural hair textures. Ingredients like argan oil, amino acids, caffeine, and bamboo are among the top performers in haircare products

Searches for these products have surged dramatically, with a 435% year-on-year increase in demand for Color Wow's Money Mist year-on-year.