2026 is only 2 weeks away! So let’s stir up some magic in the lab with this 2026 beauty brand reset and growth strategy!

This piece is more personal, more reflective and more human than anything I have written before, because this past year, and really the past three years, changed me in ways I never expected. And if you are reading this, I suspect you might be carrying your own stories of change, rebuilding, ambition, heartbreak, growth and hope.

This blog is not just about formulas and manufacturing timelines, even though those things are the heartbeat of MB Cosmetics Lab. This is about what it means to run a cosmetic brand when life is beautiful, messy, unpredictable and deeply human. It is about looking back at everything you have carried, celebrating what survived, and intentionally shaping the year ahead for yourself, your business and the version of you that you want to become.

As we step into 2026, I want to share my own reflections, the lessons that shaped me and the goals we are setting inside MB Cosmetics Lab. My hope is that this article gives you clarity, comfort and direction as you prepare to elevate your beauty brand in a way that feels strategic, authentic and emotionally grounded.

Reflecting On 2023–2025 As A Beauty Brand Founder

These past three years were not gentle. I lost my brother. I ended my engagement to my fiancé. Our new laboratory location fell through. There were moments where uncertainty felt louder than progress. And yet, in the quietest, most exhausted moments, two things kept me standing:

My family.
And you.

Working on your formulas, your launches, your dreams and your brand strategy became the thing that pulled me through. Diving headfirst into client projects gave me the structure I needed when everything else felt unsteady. Researching ingredients, developing new formulas, writing technical blogs and being a part of your journey allowed me to redirect my energy into creating dreams instead of feeling pain.

Diving head first into work, new projects, past projects. Buying way too many books that I still haven’t read. Spending time with family and friends. Re-defining what balance looks like. Throwing out old dreams and creating new ones.

These are the themes I am taking with me into 2026, and the themes I hope will guide you too: resilience, clarity, grounded ambition and deliberately choosing the kind of founder you want to be.

Sometimes the things that save you are things you already built. For me, that was MB Cosmetics Laboratory.

Why 2026 Requires A New Beauty Brand Strategy

Most beauty founders think a new year requires radical change. But if there is one truth I have learned, it is that successful growth rarely comes from reinvention. It comes from alignment.

Realignment means asking:
Who was I this year?
Who did I have to become to get through it?
Who am I choosing to be next year?
And what does my business need to support that version of me?

When you revisit your brand through this lens, the noise disappears. Strategy becomes clearer. Decisions feel easier. And suddenly, your business is not something that pulls energy away from you but something that supports the life you want to build.

To help you apply this, here are reflective questions I use with my consulting clients at MB Cosmetics Lab. These questions are simple but powerful if you take time to answer them honestly.

What worked in your business this year? Not what looked good. What actually worked.
What drained you? What consistently took more than it gave?
What did your customers respond to with the most enthusiasm?
Which formulas felt aligned with your vision, and which felt forced?
Where did you lose time, money or momentum, and why?

When you answer these questions truthfully, your 2026 strategy will practically write itself.

Cosmetic Industry Trends That Will Shape 2026

The cosmetic industry is evolving faster than ever. Consumer expectations around texture, transparency, sustainability and performance are higher than they were even two years ago. Your 2026 brand positioning needs to reflect this shift. Whether you are a skincare brand, a haircare line or a hybrid beauty business, the coming year will reward:

1. Formulas Designed To Influence Well-Being Hormones Through Topical Pathways

2. No-Needle Lift Technology – Ultra-Targeted Treatments Inspired By Aesthetic Procedures

3. Expanded Intimate Wellness and Vulva Care (barrier-support, vulva serums, sexual wellness enhancers)

4. ‘Glass Skin’ Moving Beyond The Face To Hair, Nails And Lips

5. Sensory-Driven Formulas as Brand Differentiators – Textures Become The New Luxury Marker

6. Science-First, Gentle Actives

7. Radical Simplicity in Routines

8. Packaging that is ever-more minimalistic and sustainable

9. Skin Resilience and Stress Biology 

10. Micro-Precision Products for Flash Results (Instant blurring, smoothing, depuffing or brightening effects)

11. Scalp Care Focus

12. Cosmetic Wellness Ecosystems (beauty products coupled with wellness items for a full customer experience)

This is the direction the market is moving toward, and these themes will guide our clients’ 2026 product launches. If you want your brand to stay competitive, these should guide you too!

Our 2026 Growth Plan at MB Cosmetics Lab

Since this blog is more personal, I want to share our internal goals for 2026. These are not polished corporate statements. These are real dreams, real needs and real plans we are bringing to life this year.

1. Moving our lab into a bigger and more efficient space

We have outgrown our current laboratory faster than expected. The volume of manufacturing work and custom formulation projects has increased so significantly that a larger space is no longer a want. It is a necessity. In 2026, we need to make this leap. A bigger space means more capacity, shorter lead times, improved workflow and even better quality control systems.

2. Investing in larger manufacturing equipment

We will always serve small beauty brands. This is the core of our client target. And it is the trust of indie beauty brands that made my dream possible. So if there is one thing that will always remain, it is our dedication to help and accompany small indie beauty brands on their journey in this big beautiful adventure. However, at the same time, our clients are growing too and demand for 200+kg batches has grown exponentially. It is time to invest in bigger, more advanced mixers, homogenisers and filling systems so we can continue scaling your brands.

3. Growing our internal team

Last year, we welcomed a new member in our team, Emili. This year, we plan to expand our technical team again, so we can take on more projects simultaneously and increase availability for consultations. A stronger team means stronger and better client support.

4. Re-opening our internship program

Up until 2 years ago, I used to take between 2 to 4 student interns every summer, to show them the ropes, give them the opportunity to practice what they had learnt and rely on them to help us fulfil your orders! Because of everything I went through, I needed to take a break and this is the area that I decided to cut back on. But I miss teaching the next generation of laboratory technicians. We will start welcoming interns again, hopefully, by end of 2026, offering them practical experience in manufacturing, quality control, GMP and product development.

5. Growing MB Cosmetics Academy

Thanks to you, our courses continue to grow. In 2026, we plan to expand the Academy with advanced formulation modules, more business resources, more herbal science content and specialised tracks for founders scaling from kitchen to lab to manufacturer.

6. Finally starting my Herbalism course

I bought the course earlier this year and still never touched it. This year, I am making space for learning again. Herbalism has always been one of my passions, and I cannot wait to integrate more herbal science into your formulations and educational programmes.

7. Expanding our white label catalogue

Many of you have asked for more ready-to-sell products as part of our catalogue with advanced textures, innovative actives, multifunctional formulas and elegant sensorial profiles. We’ve heard you, and this is coming in the second half of 2026.

These goals are not just growth targets. They are commitments to always serve you better, give you more options and offer you more services!

Some of you have also been asking us about offering storage space, 3PL services and label design ; and while we can’t offer these services right away, we’ve heard you and they are on our list for the near future! 

How To Build Your Own 2026 Beauty Brand Strategy

This is the question at the heart of this entire post. Not the goals you think you should want. Not the goals you think will impress people online. The goals that make sense for your life, your energy, your finances and your brand identity. If you are unsure where to begin, here is the exercise I recommend to every single brand owner:

• Write down where you want your brand to be in December 2026.
• Then write down what your brand needs to look like in June 2026 to make that possible.
• Then identify what you need to do in the next 90 days to make June realistic.
• Break everything into decisions, not dreams.

This approach turns vague aspirations into a roadmap. And once you have your goals, ask yourself the next key question: How can MB Cosmetics Lab support you in those goals? Whether you need a formula developed from scratch, want to scale manufacturing, need help building your product pipeline, or simply want to make better decisions about your brand direction, we can help you build a strategy that feels grounded and achievable.

A Few Things I Want You To Carry Into 2026

As we enter into 2026, it is our time to reflect on the person we’ve been the past year, the person we want to be from now on, and how to bridge that gap. It’s looking at everything we’ve accomplished with our business, congratulating ourselves for the work that we’ve achieved so far, setting new goals for growing our brand with authenticity and breaking them down into digestible and actionable steps from January 1st onwards. 

You do not need to rush. You do not need to keep up with competitors you never asked to race with. You do not need to make yourself small to fit into someone else’s idea of entrepreneurship.

2026 is your year to build with clarity, confidence and kindness toward yourself. The beauty industry rewards brands that know who they are. The same is true for founders.

And if this year has been heavier than you admit to most people, I want to remind you of something:
You made it here. You survived the things you thought would break you. You showed up for your business even when your heart was exhausted.

That is strength. That is resilience. That is leadership.

Everything you need for 2026 is already within you. You just need a plan that matches your capacity, your values and your vision. And for that, I’ve added something extra special in the newsletter this month! If you’re not yet subscribed, I highly suggest you do it now so you can receive the freebie we’ve prepared to help you grow in 2026!

I wish you and yours a beautiful, meaningful and successful New Year!

From My Lab To Yours,

Morgane