Let’s stir up some magic in the lab with today’s hot topic: cosmetic trends among Gen Z and Millennials and what to expect for 2026! The two largest beauty cohorts are not twins separated by a decade. They shop differently, discover differently and judge performance through different lenses. If you try to please both with a single formula and a single message, you usually end up with flat sales and confused customers. In this article, I separate Gen Z from Millennials with practical, lab-to-market advice you can use to brief your next product. Along the way I point to evidence on what is changing in beauty right now so you can design a compelling  campaign for 2026.

What the market is doing right now

The beauty industry is still growing strong, just at a steadier pace. Current forecasts show around 5 % annual growth over the next five years, with skincare remaining the star of the show. It’s not the explosive post-pandemic rush we saw before, but it’s a solid, sustainable growth, which is exactly what you want when planning inventory, packaging or long-term launches.

Gen Z discovers beauty through movement and authenticity. Their main playground is short-form video and live shopping. TikTok has officially become a sales channel, not just a trend incubator. Viral “get ready with me” clips and texture demos now move more units than ingredient lists ever could.

Millennials, on the other hand, drive consistent online sales and love products that earn their loyalty. They shop with intent, value convenience and quality, and reward brands that deliver results without gimmicks.

But one truth connects both generations in 2025: dupe culture rules the feed. Shoppers compare every product to a cheaper twin they found on social media. That can challenge premium brands resting on prestige alone, but it’s a huge opportunity for indie and emerging labels that prove real performance, transparency and value.

Gen Z vs Millennials at a glance

Gen Z lives on speed, novelty and receipts. They want to see what’s inside, why it works and how it looks on real skin in real light. Affordability and values matter, but they will pay for something that feels special and is easy to show and share. Millennials, on the other hand, grew up with long blog posts, derm advice and shelf aesthetics. They seek convenience, proof and sensorial reward. They will finish bottles if the texture delivers, and they are more comfortable in premium and prestige segments when the product earns it. They also buy more steadily online than any other generation in many markets.

A few tensions are worth calling out. Gen Z talks about SPF constantly, yet burn rates and under-use persist in the real world, which means practical, wearable photoprotection still has room to differentiate. Millennials talk about skinimalism and streamlined routines, which means multifunctional formats and elegant textures that layer seamlessly are your friend.

What to build for Gen Z in 2026

Gen Z is split between maximalist play and minimalist sanity. Many feel overwhelmed by choice and conflicting advice, even as social trends push them to experiment. Your best move is to offer streamlined, dopamine-rich products that are visually satisfying, easy to use and priced for repeat. Think cloud creams, water-gel hydrators and clever cleansers that break beautifully on camera, plus SPF that wears like skincare rather than a chore. Back it with plain-language ingredient storytelling and visible proof that is short enough to live on a product page or in a creator’s script.

Shoppable content has to be honest. Viral “hacks” may spike traffic, but the way to keep Gen Z is to be specific about what the product does and for whom. If your hydrating serum soothes redness in a week for oily-combination skin, say that. If your barrier balm is for slugging as an occasional rescue, show that.

Consider a dupe-proof strategy without declaring war on dupes. Offer a transparent performance narrative, useful formats, and a visible sensorial edge that cheap copies struggle to match. You can also design a “hero plus mini” pair for content creators so the moment of use is cinematic and the first purchase is easy. The point is to ride the culture without being held hostage by it.

What to build for Millennials in 2026

Millennials reward elegant textures and calm routines. They also respond to derm-adjacent education, especially when it shortens the path from click to comfort. Build multi-benefit heroes that earn daily use: a lamellar gel-cream that vanishes without residue, a cleansing balm that melts clean, a leave-in that defines without crispness. Give them a clear place in the ritual and design them to layer easily under makeup.

Millennials will pay for quality, but they dislike wasteful complexity. Skinimalism is a sanity saver for them. That supports concentrated actives deployed in a friendly way and formats that combine steps without feeling compromised. If you want a premium tier, make the sensorials and packaging feel generous and reduce micro-decisions at checkout with refills, bundles and a predictable delivery window.

Scent, Skin Feel, Pricing & SPF

Across both generations, fragrance is surging in cultural relevance, but it plays differently. Gen Z uses scent as self-expression and content, including the “smell-maxxing” trend of layering. If you offer fragranced skincare, keep the profile translucent and modern so it does not fight with perfume. Millennials lean toward sophistication and comfort, with luxury fragrances or no fragrance at all.

Gen Z is price-sensitive but will stretch for joy and proof. Keep an accessible entry SKU, then design bundles and thresholds that raise average order value without coercion. Be transparent about usage and expected time to feel the result. Millennials will pay a premium if the experience is premium. It also means a visible quality narrative and how you back your claims.

One reason sunscreen keeps trending is that many people still do not use it daily or apply enough. Surveys have shown persistent gaps in everyday behaviour, especially among younger adults. The commercial implication is simple: make SPF easy to love. Lightweight finishes, no white cast, comfortable wear under makeup, and packaging that encourages the right dose will earn you both generations.

2026 Beauty Forecast: Smart, Simple and Seriously Effective

As we step into 2026, the beauty world is shifting fast with cosmetics that are cleaner, smarter and more personalised than ever. Here’s my two-cents based on studies I’ve read and feedback from the brands I work with as to what we can expect consumer demand to be like in 2026:

Skincare is entering a new era where minimalism meets high science. The days of 10-step routines are gone, replaced by streamlined 3-to-5 step rituals built around multifunctional heroes that actually work. AI-powered skin analysis, microbiome repair, and fermented botanicals are taking centre stage, helping the skin strengthen its own barrier while staying balanced and healthy. This shift ties directly into the growing health-integrated beauty movement, where skin is treated as a reflection of overall wellness and linked to sleep, gut health, immunity and even metabolism. Clean, evidence-based formulations are now the gold standard: no unnecessary additives, just intelligent design and visible results.

Body care is catching up fast and embracing what the industry calls “skinification of the body”. Consumers now expect facial-grade ingredients from their daily body products, which means premium scented lotions, elegant fragrance layering and multitasking SPF body creams are booming. The sensorial experience also matters more than ever. This rise in sensorial synergy is about emotional design and formulas that appeal to sight, scent and touch, turning self-care into an immersive experience. Meanwhile, sustainability has gone from trend to baseline expectation. Upcycled naturals, circular systems, refillable packaging and transparent sourcing are now seen as essential proof points rather than marketing claims.

In hair care, everything starts with the scalp. Scalp health continues to be the foundation of strong, beautiful hair, and microbiome-friendly serums, porosity-specific lines and gentle clarifying treatments are leading the market. Here, technology and personalisation are starting to merge, with smart diagnostics and AI-driven routines helping consumers understand exactly what their scalp needs. At the same time, curly and coily hair is finally getting the attention it deserves. Texture is no longer niche; it’s driving innovation across formulas, tools and styling routines designed to enhance natural curls instead of controlling them. The focus is shifting from repair to prevention. Healthy scalps mean healthy curls, so microbiome-friendly serums, gentle cleansers and moisture-rich treatments are becoming must-haves. Formulas are evolving to deliver deep hydration, bounce and definition without stiffness, all while protecting elasticity.

Across every category, the message for brands and formulators is clear: today’s consumers want efficacy, transparency and a touch of magic in every jar. Both Gen Z and Millennials are gravitating toward minimal formats with maximal impact, simplified routines that reduce decision fatigue but never compromise on performance. In short, 2026 beauty is smarter, cleaner and more emotionally connected than ever before. Built for real life, backed by real science, and designed to feel as good as it performs.

As I leave you for today, let me share some final piece of advice

Trends are only powerful when you translate them into something tangible. For small beauty brands like yours, that can mean several things:

1. To focus on one trend: choose one core benefit, one sensory story, and one ingredient technology that aligns with your audience. You don’t need a 20-SKU range to compete; you need formulas that work, claims that hold up and textures that make people come back.
2. To build a formula that can evolve with trends: instead of launching 5-8 products a year, you can create one well-engineered base that you can adapt seasonally through minor tweaks. This modular approach keeps your compliance fast and cost effective while letting your brand feel fresh and current.

Whichever path you choose, never skip compliance (labelling requirements, claims legalities, test reports, product registration), make smart financial decisions (even if you feel like it slows your growth) and communicate with your heart!

Here’s to formulas that work and brands that thrive!
From my lab to yours,

Morgane