Revealed: Key trends set to shape APAC’s beauty and personal care landscape in 2025

Merging medical science with skin care

The modern beauty landscape is increasingly shaped by empowered ‘skintellectual’ consumers. These individuals stay informed about the latest trends, ingredients, and innovations in the beauty industry. They take a science-based approach to beauty, often seeking products with proven efficacy to discern the best choices of their skin.

According to Mintel’s 2025 Global Beauty and Personal Care Trends report, 85% of Indian consumers believe beauty brands should provide more scientific evidence to support their claims.

In 2024, CosmeticsDesign-Asia reported on several brands capitalising on this by launching products centred on science-backed ingredients such as retinol and niacinamide. Retinol has been particularly popular this year, showing up in innovative products from brands such as Neutrogena, Clinique, Glow Recipe, Paula’s Choice, and Dr Dennis Gross.

Retinol is often hailed as the gold standard, backed by extensive scientific research and proven efficacy. As consumers evolve, their primary focus on efficacy and results will drive a growing demand for more advanced topical products – especially with medical aesthetic treatments on the rise.

In this landscape, Singapore-based Modern Molecules believes consumers will eventually require more than just retinol to meet their needs.

“We’ve seen quite a number of brands over the past decade or so commercialise and almost commoditise what I would call basic science – ingredients like retinols and niacinamide. But we believe that basic science can only get you so far,” said Tom Reynolds, vice president of marketing at ORA Group, the company behind the cosmeceutical skin care brand.

“With the example of retinol, it’s over 100 years old. That’s such an old technology that we’re still relying on when people’s skin is different now to what it was over 100 years ago.”

Reynolds elaborated that skin today differs significantly from what it was over a century ago, responding differently to environmental factors, stresses, and other influences. Modern Molecules asserts that new active ingredients and advanced technologies are essential to address these evolving changes.

“We live in a strange paradox today, where people are living longer than ever before. Science has enabled us to reach ages that previous generations could only dream of. However, while our life expectancy increases, our cellular age is accelerating faster than our chronological age,” said Reynolds.

Modern Molecules has been incorporating healthcare-derived technology into skin care. In October 2024, the brand launched the REGENEX Renewal Serum.

The firm claims that the serum has been clinically proven to be more effective than retinol. According to an independent clinical study conducted in South Korea, the serum was found to surpass retinol by 7.2 times in wrinkle reduction and 17 times in diminishing pigmentation after just 8 weeks of use.

“Now’s the time for a new generation of actives and technologies, which we believe that we’re doing. It’s interacting on a cellular level, using technology that’s been harnessed from the medical world for unparalleled results that haven’t been seen to this extent in anti-ageing before,” said Reynolds.

The formulation combines exosomes, spicules, and peptides—ingredients initially used to regenerate burnt skin. This complex was developed by the firm’s R&D team led by Seoul-based dermatologist Dr Baek Ji Hwoon, who hailed the technology as a “a significant advancement in anti-ageing”.

“Harnessing this technology once used to regenerate burnt skin, we applied it to aged skin and were amazed to discover that it can trigger skin cell regeneration from deep within, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and pigmentation while improving overall skin texture,” said Baek.

Reynolds told us that the team at Modern Molecules is researching how else it can apply this technology.

“What this technology has done is open the door to potential and possibility. We are already looking at proposals on how this technology can be harnessed for different skin concerns or used in different formats. We’re obsessed with the potential and possibilities of longevity. We’re just getting started.”

Performance makeup

The growing popularity of medical aesthetics has significantly influenced the skin care industry and will continue to do so in the coming years. In skin care, it has driven a shift toward products designed to deliver greater efficacy to keep pace with the advanced results offered by medical aesthetic treatments, ensuring they remain complementary and relevant in achieving optimal skin health.

We can expect the fusion of medical science and skin care to flow over to colour cosmetic products. We are already witnessing a reshaping of the category, with products such as SHISEIDO’s Revitalessence Skin Glow Foundation that infuse skin care benefits into makeup formulations.

Josephine Carbone is a licensed skin and laser technician with over a decade of experience working with clients in beauty clinics. Carbone founded InClinic Cosmetics in 2009, which specialises in mineral makeup for sensitive, post-treatment skin.

“I realised early on that as my clients were spending all this money on advanced treatments to get those fast results, they didn’t think much about the type of makeup they were using,” she told us.

She observed that her clients often used makeup products that were long-wearing, comedogenic, with ingredients that were potential skin irritants for sensitive skin.

“Often, these exacerbated their skin conditioners. Back then, I don’t think people put too much time into thinking about what they were putting on their skin after their treatment. If you were a working woman, you would probably have makeup on your skin 10 hours a day – longer than having your skin care on at night. So, it was obvious to me that my clients needed a better solution,” said Carbone.

To break the vicious cycle, Carbone developed a range of mineral cosmetics, including its signature product, Active Glow Platinum Mineral Foundation. The oil-in-water emulsion contains ingredients such as probiotics, peptides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C and liquorice root.

“We think of makeup as an extension of your skin care. We’re not just a mineral makeup brand. We’ve got all these beautiful ingredients combined with minerals in a makeup,” said Carbone.

According to Carbone, the products have been proven to be safe to use on post-treatment skin. Moving forward, she is keen to send her products in for third-party clinical testing to verify its efficacy.

“We’ve been doing this for 15 years. This has never been about the trends for us, its all about the ingredients and how I could give the best solutions to my clients. I am very interested in doing clinical testing because I think we will do very well.”

In today’s beauty landscape, Carbone believes we may witness a resurgence of mineral makeup, as its skin-friendly properties align with consumer demands for safe and effective products.

“I think customers today are much savvier. They’re well-informed about ingredients, they do their research, and they understand mineral makeup. They know it’s not just a lightweight option—it’s actually a high-performance makeup. In the past, people didn’t know much about mineral makeup, but now they recognise its excellent coverage and skin-friendly benefits.”

She emphasised that this does not mean a return to natural makeup formulations.

“I think the key is that women want makeup that performs—they want it to last. Unfortunately, natural formulations often fall short in this area. I’ve tried, but the stability just isn’t there. You don’t get the longevity; it doesn’t hold up on the skin. It either becomes too cakey or simply breaks down.

“We’ve tried it in the past, experimenting with formulations, but it hasn’t worked out in our favour—the performance just isn’t there. Ultimately, we prioritise creating products that perform well and then refine the ingredient list to align with our goals.”

The science of wellness

Wellness and beauty will continue to converge in the coming years as consumers increasingly seek holistic solutions that nourish both body and mind. As wellness becomes a key component of beauty routines, brands are expanding their offerings to include stress-relieving solutions, happiness boosters, or sleep support.

As this trend intensifies, the need for science-driven innovation becomes increasingly crucial. Consumers are not only looking for products that promise results but also those backed by rigorous research and clinical evidence. Science will play a pivotal role in ensuring that wellness and beauty products meet the highest standards of safety and efficacy.

Marie Drago, founder of microbiome skin care brand Gallinée, believes microbiome science is the key to substantiating wellness claims with scientific evidence.

“The microbiome is the way to show that you can develop wellness products backed by science, not just imagination. The thing with wellness is that claims often feel vague. With neurocosmetics or psychodermatology, I struggle to fully understand them. The claims in wellness can be quite unclear. However, when you look at the gut-brain-skin axis and neuroscience, there is proper science behind it,” she told us.

Last November, Drago was speaking at the INNOCOS Summit 2024 in Singapore, a conference that explored the beauty, health, wellness, and the pursuit of longevity. Her presentation underscored the importance of the gut-brain-skin axis in the wellness discussion.

“We know that 90% of your bacteria are in the gut. And today there’s quite a lot of nice science showing that the gut microbiome can influence the state of the skin. There’s a lot of medical research on how your gut microbiome influences your mood. And there is up and coming research showing how your brain impacts your skin. Everything is a two-way street,” said Drago.

One area that interests Drago is the impact of stress on skin and its relation to the gut-brain axis. She noted how stressed and sensitive skin were becoming “the new standard”.

“Stress is something that we don’t talk enough about in beauty, even if it has a massive impact on skin. What I find interesting about stress is how it’s a whole-body phenomenon. And everyone is stressed now since the pandemic – 41% of the general population is stressed and women are 1.6 times more likely to have an anxiety disorder. We don’t understand totally why. It might be something with the immune system of women. It can also be that women have more stressful lives.”

While the “mechanism of action is very young”, said Drago, the science has been proven.

“Stress on your skin is often caused by over-washing, pollution, lack of sleep, and UV exposure. These factors also impact your microbiome. Sometimes, the stress originates internally, as the brain, skin, and gut communicate and create stress both inside and out.

“We know that when you’re stressed, we can explain why your skin is going to be more red, more inflamed, more irritated, more sensitive, and is going to lack the resilience to take more stress.”

Based on this, Gallinée has launched the Calming Serum and the Calm & Microbiome oral supplement that “address stress inside and out”, said Drago.

“I really was interested in finding the right prebiotics and probiotics to modulate your microbiome. We are using some really interesting algae complexes that are actually activated by your skin microbiome to release soothing things and to help with reconstructing the barrier,” she said.

The serum was clinically proven to soothe the skin and build skin resilience. Furthermore, 86% of subjects said they experienced mind-soothing effects.

“They felt better about themselves, they felt more peaceful, they felt more serene. There was a general feeling of well-being,” explained Drago.

On the other hand, the supplement featured a combination of two live probiotics, lactobacillus helveticus and bifidobacterium longum, which claims to reduces psychological stress by decreasing cortisol.

“These are called psychobiotics, they are a subclass of probiotics that are proven to work on your gut-brain axis. It travels through the vagus nerve and the trigger reactions in your brain. There’s a lot of research on psychobiotics for depression and anxiety and it works really well.

Clinical studies showed that the supplement was able to increase skin resilience, decrease skin redness while soothing the mind.

Moving forward, Drago expressed excitement about new research in this area, emphasising the need for better ingredients in the future.

“Everyone is really excited about probiotics that can prove an effect on mood and skin. But for me, the most important one is prebiotics, so using your own microbiome that is already there. But prebiotic ingredients, it’s really, really hard to find anything geared toward mental wellness. For me, that’s the massive gap.”

Temporary colours: Endless versatility

Growing up in a world of instant communication and access to information, the Generation Z consumers are accustomed to a high-speed environment where they are always up to date with the latest trends. When it comes to fashion, they value versatility as it enables them to keep with ever evolving trends and allows them to personalise their style, which can change at the drop of a hat.

The growing demand for versatility is transforming the hair colour industry and driving innovation among brands like Australia-based MUVO. The professional hair care brand has developed a range of temporary hair colour solutions to meet the evolving preferences of modern consumers who value the freedom to adapt their style without long-term commitment.

“These younger consumers don’t want to be set in their ways. They don’t want to be set into a gender, they don’t want to be set into a subscription, they want to be free to make their choices. They want to be able to pivot and be this one day and that another. They need complete creative freedom,” said Christa Silvia, head of business of MUVO.

Furthermore, issues like the rising living costs are driving consumers to seek more affordable hair care options like coloured shampoos, which offer both value and extend the life of salon colour, leading to cost savings.

Reflecting on the hair colour industry today, Silvia told us that innovation has been at a standstill in the permanent colour category.

“I was in Bologna, Italy, and trying to find out what was the next thing in permanent colour… But I wasn’t impressed by anything. When we spoke to people in the permanent colour space, they said they were getting into temporary colour because temporary is the future.”

In 2024, it launched a new temporary colour shampoo range for multidimensional hair. The MUVO Balayage Shampoo was developed to maintain and refresh hair colour between salon visits.

Temporary colour shampoos are often harsh on hair and often lead to dryness or damage with frequent use. MUVO believes it has overcome this limitation by including Australian native botanicals in its formulas, which cares of the hair while colouring it.

“Putting dye in your hair is never going to be good for it. We attempted to make a really lovely formula that cares for the hair – that’s what people notice about our products. Usually, when you dye your hair hot pink, the hair is left to feel quite wrecked afterwards, but people love our colour so much so that our biggest problem is getting people to not use it,” said Silvia.

The company will focus on enhancing its portfolio of temporary colour shampoos, addressing two major trends in hair care: personalisation and skinification.

With MUVO’s temporary colour shampoo range, Silvia envisions a system similar to that of a typical skin care routine.

“For my skin care, I’m using a retinol serum, but I’m not using it every night. There are some nights when I’m exfoliating and some when I need a rich and nourishing hydration oil. We choose what we need depending on our hormonal cycle for instance.”

“There’s an opportunity to pick and choose what you need on that day, like cycling your skin care, we want to offer those choices in hair care. You can reach for what you need at the time to boost what we have in the core product.”

Silvia believes such as system would appeal to younger consumers which resonate with personalised products.

“What an older person might see as complicated, young people actually see a being able to customise. They can reach for boosters or add-ons depending on the day. Again, like their colour, they don’t want to be locked into one thing.”

Today, MUVO is primarily available in the Western markets. However, Silvia believes Asia holds major promise. The company recently explored an opportunity in China and hopes it will uncover further prospects in the market.

Climate-smart beauty

We have reached a point where sustainability is no longer a trend or differentiating factor. It has become, as Mintel’s 2025 report puts it, a “baseline expectation”. According to the report, 66% of Japanese consumers expressed interest in buying products with environmental or eco-friendly claims. Furthermore, 78% of Thai consumers said they were opposed to supporting companies that engage in unethical practices.

In 2024, we experienced extreme weather events across the globe from floods to landslides. The series of relentless wild weather this year has made consumers’ concerns about sustainability more than just theoretical.

Across Asia, people experienced record-breaking temperatures which were in some cases, fatal. It heightened the need for effective sun protection, prompting a wave of innovation in sun care.

While the importance of sun protection is relatively high across Asia Pacific, haps remain in basic practices like proper application and reapplication. This has prompted brands to develop products that address these shortcomings.

For instance, South Korean beauty brand Franz Skincare developed UV patches to address the challenge of sunscreen reapplication, founder and chief executive Myounghoon Jang told us last year.

“Up to two-thirds of people don’t remember to reapply sunscreen – and the incidence rate of skin cancer is rising. So, we introduced the Naked Sunshield Patch to address the challenge of frequent sunscreen reapplication.

“Unlike traditional sunscreens, it requires no reapplication…you just peel it off when you’re done in the sun… We want it to embody everyday comfort and effectiveness in sun protection.”

And it seems ease of use, seamless reapplication, and portability, are among the key challenges in sun care that brands aim to tackle.

Last year saw the launch of Kahi’s Airy Fit Sun Stick, which is so small it fits into the palm of your hand and can easily be stashed in a small purse to use on the go. The sun stick is backed by the firm’s latest sun care R&D, with a technology that strengthens the formula when the temperature rises or when it gets exposed to water.

We can expect manufacturers to develop products that address broader climate concerns, such as against pollution and other environmental stressors. For instance, Japanese drugstore brand matsukiyo launched a body milk that claims to tackle skin issues caused by external aggressors, such as ultraviolet rays, pollution, and cigarette smoke.

At in-cosmetics Asia last year, we have seen how this shift is increasing pressure on beauty and personal care companies to develop products that directly address these environmental challenges.

For instance, DSM-Firmenich developed the Bi-Phase Thermal Ageing AGELESS Mist to tackle thermal ageing, which on a bronze Spotlight On award at the in-cosmetics Asia awards.

Beyond efficacy, there is a growing need to enhance the sensory appeal of products to better adapt to potentially harsher climates. For instance, Sensient Beauty highlighted Natpure Xco Sapphire GB606, a natural blue colour with antioxidant benefits.

According to the firm, it believes blue is set to become an increasingly popular hue in beauty in this part of the world as it evokes a calming sensation, making it ideal for cooling and calming products.

For more on climate-smart beauty, check out our Beauty 4.0 Podcast post in-cosmetics Asia 2024 report.