7 beauty and wellness trends that will continue to blossom in 2025

The beauty and wellness boom today is exponential—one look at your Instagram feed and you’ll agree with us. From products selling out the minute they’re in stock (yes, the Rhode lip tints and phone case are hard to cop, but a 100 per cent worth it), to a new brand or ingredient showing up every few days—keeping up with beauty has never been more fun. According to a study by German online platform Statista, the beauty and personal care market in India is projected to generate a revenue of $31.51 billion in 2024 alone. And, of course, we’re all contributors to these numbers as eager consumers, always looking for the next innovation to add to our vanity. Every year comes with its fair share of trends, some with week-long potential and others with long-term, lifestyle-impacting powers. We sift through the clutter to narrow down on the beauty and wellness trends that will create powerful segments of their own in 2025. You heard it here first!

Retinol goes easy (and better) 

2022 was the year of skin barrier damage, thanks to a barrage of skincare advice being doled out all over social media during the COVID lockdown. We don’t blame you for feeling the need to try every serum out there. From 2023 onward, there’s been an emphasis on repair, and for a major chunk of this year, we’ve spotted formulas with acids and renewing ingredients like retinol being blended with skin-soothing ingredients like ceramide and cica. We see this as a way to almost make intimidating ingredients more palatable and safe, laying focus on improving the skin, but gently. “Blending potent, active ingredients like retinol, AHAs, and BHAs with barrier-repairing heroes like cica is all about balancing efficacy with skin health,” says cosmetologist Prachi Bhandari, the co-founder of skincare brand Aminu. “Consumers are now more savvy, demanding potent, yet gentle, formulations that deliver results without compromising their skin barrier. The retinol market is even projected to grow by 4.7 per cent CAGR [compound annual growth rate] by 2028, thanks to these effective, yet skin-friendly, formulations.” The retinol and cica range by Innisfree for troubled skin has become a global phenomenon, with consumers enjoying the product across markets. “Cica is a game changer when it comes to barrier repair, and when combined with retinol it gives exceptional results,” says Mini Sood Banerjee, assistant director and head of marketing, AmorePacific India. “Our Retinol Cica Barrier Defense Cream not only strengthens the skin’s natural defences, but also promotes a youthful complexion.” All of this, without the potential irritation that can come with using retinol? We love this for us!

Will travel for wellness 

While VIVAMAYR in Austria may have put health and wellness-focused travel on the map, thanks to their high-profile clientele (including some of our favourite Bollywood celebrities), travelling for the sole purpose of health and wellness is now something a lot of people are actively considering. Millennials are realising the importance of taking control of their health while Gen-Z is increasingly focusing on better quality of life from the get-go. “This is not a passing fad; wellness getaways will continue to grow amid the chaos of a busy lifestyle. You will always need relaxation,” says Banerjee. From choosing between a three-day and a 14-day itinerary at the revamped Dharana Wellness Retreat at Shillim in Maharashtra, to the ultra-luxe Soneva Group’s annual wellness festival called Soneva Soul that takes place in October, getaways circling around holistic well-being are the new cool. Think a weekend, at least, worth of health consultations, massages, meditation, a tailored diet, and end-to-end focus on physical and mental well-being. Becoming a wellness girlie is where it’s at. 

In our bond repair era 

Olaplex may have brought bond repair to the forefront of haircare a decade ago, but it is not the only player in the market today. While the much-loved K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask promises to heal your damaged strands, brands like Schwarzkopf Professional, Love Beauty and Planet, Aveda, TRESemmé, and Minimalist are also retailing products that vow to nurse the bonds of your hair back to health, making them smoother and stronger. Epres, a recent entrant in the Indian market, created by scientist Eric Pressly, who previously worked on product development with Olaplex, brings bond repair down to a single step with an in-salon and at-home treatment. Considering hot tools and chemical treatments are a mainstay in hair routines today, causing damage consistently, it is not a surprise to see bond repair take over traditional popular concerns like frizz or smoothness—this one helps look after all of these (don’t we all love a multitasker?). According to a consumer preference study on haircare by Indian beauty brand NatHabit, more than 75 per cent of users prefer to leave their conditioner on for less than five minutes in the shower. This need to rush out presents a brilliant opportunity for existing brands like K18 and Epres that are able to offer results quickly. “Your hair strand is made of three layers: cuticle, cortex, and medulla. These three together are responsible for giving your hair its basic strength and structure,” explains Dr Jaishree Sharad, Mumbai-based celebrity dermatologist and medical director of Skinfinitii Aesthetic Skin and Laser Clinic. “Damage to the cuticle and cortex can lead to dull, frizzy hair that can break easily. To maintain these layers, you need amino acids, protein, and conditioning agents, which is what bond repairing agents provide.” Kalpana Semple, reiki master, life coach, and founder of Kaia Skin, believes Ayurveda is capable enough to join the bond repair party as well. “Ayurvedic principles focus on nourishing the hair at the root, using potent botanicals like amla, bhringraj, and vetiver, which strengthen hair bonds from within. Incorporating these natural, yet powerful, ingredients promote holistic hair health, addressing not only the structural integrity of the hair, but also its overall vitality, resilience, and shine,” she says. 

Beauty advice, AI-generated 

The pros and cons of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in beauty continues to be debated, but it is hard to ignore the ways it contributes to decision-making. As we continue to shop for beauty online more than ever, receiving quality advice and direction to invest correctly is key to making sales happen, for the right reasons. “Colour analysis, basal tone analysis, and final product generation are all being done with the help of generative AI to provide a more seamless and objective take on make-up,” believes Dr Sharad. For skincare, a lot of concerns tend to be more than skin-deep, which only means that AI needs to work much harder to consult well. “AI excels in tasks like selecting lipstick shades, but it may not offer the same level of precision when addressing individual skin issues,” says Banerjee. On the other hand, Bhandari has noticed a surge in customer satisfaction, thanks to their skin quiz at Aminu. “Through our Skin Now quiz, we’ve seen first-hand how consumers crave immediate, accurate beauty recommendations tailored to their unique skin needs—whether it is tone, type, or concerns. With AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data, we can provide real-time, expert insights that result in precise, individualised skincare regimens. It is engaging and empowering for users, giving them expert knowledge at their fingertips while revolutionising the way we approach beauty consultations,” she says. Tanya Rajani, principal beauty and personal care analyst, Mintel Reports India, informs us that Indian beauty shoppers favour in-store shopping over online purchases due to the personalised guidance and assistance available in physical stores. “Notably, 29 per cent of metro consumers avoid online shopping because of lack of assistance, according to Mintel research. Generative AI can bridge this gap by enhancing online beauty consultations with personalised, context-driven advice, better meeting consumer expectations. This proactive strategy not only benefits consumers, but also establishes brands as reliable and customer-centric, ultimately boosting sales and brand loyalty across urban and lower-tier markets.” 

Make-up = me = make-up

If there’s a generation that owns self-expression like none other, it is Gen-Z. They don’t prescribe to the 10-step Korean beauty rules or swear by a product that an influencer is convincing them to invest in. Beauty, to them, is about expressing their individuality, and a lot of the creative prowess is visible in the form of bright and bold eye make-up looks. Local names like Zygos Beauty, Nykaa Beauty, and Swiss Beauty are offering expressionists the freedom to create as extravagant a look as they would like to with chrome eyeshadow palettes and holographic eyeliners. “Make-up is all about individual expression, and with holographic trends, people are embracing their creativity and becoming more confident in flaunting all that glitters and sparkles,” says Banerjee. You do you, boo. 

You snooze (right), you lose (read as: win)

Sleep impacts more than we can fathom. It is the most essential to body, mind, and skin recovery, and using products and devices that make this possible is key. Aminu’s Nourishing Sleep Oil helps put your skin and mind at ease, allowing skin recovery to take place at its optimum. “Since sleep directly impacts everything—from skin elasticity to hydration levels—incorporating sleep aids into skincare is not just clever, but essential for holistic rejuvenation,” says Bhandari. Laneige, under Banerjee’s helm in India, has two skincare products in the overnight category that are their bestsellers.“Your skin is more absorptive at night, which means it allows for more effective delivery and utilisation of skincare products. At Laneige, we focus majorly on sleep aid, and our Water Sleeping Mask and Lip Sleeping Mask provide exceptional hydration and plumpness to the skin and lips, respectively,” she says. Wearable health trackers, like the WHOOP wristband or UltraHuman ring, allow you to track your sleep quality, hours, cycles, and body’s recovery patterns to optimise every 24-hour window, sharing actionable advice on how you can do better. “A P&G study examined how sleep deprivation affects facial skin and discovered that both total and partial sleep deprivation increase skin yellowness,” adds Rajani. If you’ve been considering improving your sleep schedule but haven’t come around to it as yet, consider this a sign. 

The new skincare superpowers 

Your skin often reflects the physical and mental state of your health, and this is where alternate sciences, like crystal therapy and reiki, factor in, along with psychodermatology, which addresses the relationship between your mind and skin. “Reiki-charged products infuse energy healing into beauty rituals, harmonising the skin with positive vibrations, reducing stress, and promoting overall well-being,” says Semple. “This blend of energy work and natural ingredients creates a powerful synergy that enhances the skin’s natural healing processes, offering a deeper, more mindful skincare experience.” Often, the belief in an alternate science is enough to instigate a positive effect. “Reiki and crystals do demonstrate some placebo effect to people who believe in their healing energy and thus, might contribute to better skin and mental health by that virtue,” says Dr Sharad. Rajani describes psychodermatology as “an evolving discipline of medicine at the intersection of dermatology and psychiatry that is based on the understanding that biological, psychological, and social factors all play their roles in skin health”. She acknowledges that studies have shown how stress is connected to countless physical ailments, including rashes, swelling and redness, along with skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea. Calm your mind, calm your skin.

All images: Getty Images

This article originally appeared in Cosmo India's September-October 2024 issue.

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