(Left to right: Shayna Hoffman, Strategy & Insights Consultant; Isabelle Peel, Analyst)
Isabelle Peel
Analyst, Beauty and Wellbeing
Beauty New York made its debut this past weekend, bringing together brands, buyers, and beauty professionals to explore innovation, retail shifts, and evolving consumer needs. Part of Kline’s beauty team—including Carrie Mellage, Isabelle Peel, and Shayna Hofmann—attended the show, which featured product launches, sampling, and educational sessions, offering a window into where the industry is heading across key categories. Here’s a look at what stood out:
Targeted Solutions in Retinol and Barrier Repair
Medik8, recently acquired by L’Oreal, showcased its graduated retinol system, Crystal Retinal, featuring various strength levels designed to help users build skin tolerance gradually. This approach reflects a focus on personalized, science-driven skin care, where potent active ingredients are used in a way that adjusts to individual skin needs, reducing irritation. According to Kline + Company’s analysis of the professional skin care market, Medik8 has achieved strong double-digit growth over the past five years, signaling consumers’ rising confidence in high-performance, clinically backed brands.
De:Maf, an emerging Korean skin care brand, introduced a simplified range centered on barrier support, including multifunctional serums, toners, and cleansers aimed at strengthening skin resilience while streamlining routines, a trend increasingly observed amid consumer caution and the desire for practical efficacy.
Hair and Scalp Innovation: Clean, Advanced Formulas Reaching the Retail and DTC Channels
Solshine incorporates its proprietary Solshield Complex, a bond-reinforcing and strengthening biomimetic technology, into every product. Key offerings include the Purely Stellar shampoo and Zero Flocks Given home smoothing treatment kit. Solshine is available through both the professional salon and direct-to-consumer channels. Treatments, in particular, remain a category to watch in professional hair care, witnessing an 8% increase globally in 2024 and far ahead of other segments, according to our latest Professional Hair Care Global Series analysis.
Aliis and Amaxy stood out for their commitment to clean ingredients: Aliis with a full hair care line free from harmful components now entering mass retail through Walmart, and Amaxy with a gel-based dry shampoo formulated without harsh ingredients or aerosols.
K-Beauty’s Expanding Influence
As analyzed in a recent webinar, K-beauty continues to reshape western skin care with innovative ingredients such as Centella Asiatica (Cica) and PDRN, found in products from Dr. Wik (LoHo Global) and Mixsoon.
Cushion foundations, popularized by brands such as TirTir, are going mainstream. As demand grows, shade ranges are expanding to better serve diverse western consumers. K-beauty’s influence continues to rise, setting new standards in skin care and makeup.
Exosomes: A Developing Ingredient Trend
Though still early in research and regulatory review, exosomes—already showing triple-digit growth, according to our professional skin care analysis—underscore the industry’s growing focus on advanced bioactives, extending beyond peptides and growth factors. Korean brands are helping drive this cutting-edge trend to a global audience:
- Allchada’s toner pads and serum utilize botanical exosomes to target skin regeneration and barrier repair.
- Dermafirm offers a wide range of human-derived exosome facial and hair products, along with back-bar treatments.
Fragrance: Rich Narratives and Regional Inspiration
Fragrance selections balanced everyday appeal with cultural depth. Dossier’s seasonal scents, Americana, It Factor, and Winter Time, offered warm, comforting profiles for cooler months. Orientica and Nishane presented spicy, aromatic fragrances inspired by Turkish and Middle Eastern traditions, bringing complex, narrative-driven scents to the niche fragrance market.
Recent brand moves continue to reinforce the category’s growing importance within the beauty and wellbeing industry.
A Fresh Approach to Mineral-Based, Accessible SPF
Spooge is a new SPF brand designed to appeal to a wider consumer audience within the professional skin care channel. With price points ranging from $28 to $34, it offers a more accessible option compared to premium sun care leaders like EltaMD and Colorescience, in a category that has posted double-digit growth in recent years according to Kline’s professional skin care analysis.
Spooge effectively bridges the gap between professional and mass-market positioning, much like how Vacation has gained broad appeal through its vibrant, playful branding and diverse product formats. Despite its approachable price, Spooge maintains strong clinical credibility, having been developed by Dr. Whitney Hovenic (Dermatologist, MD) and Hillary Schieve. Their mission is to make mineral-based, skincare-focused SPF accessible to everyone.
TikTok Selling and Social Commerce Insights
Education was a key focus at the ICED Media Masterclass, Super-Selling Beauty on TikTok, where esteemed industry leaders and digital creators shared insights into the evolving dynamics of social commerce. The session emphasized the importance of staying authentic in an era dominated by paid ads and provided practical strategies for building trust through creators to drive genuine engagement.
Beauty New York revealed an industry focused on innovation that is personalized, inclusive, and authentic. From advanced actives and clean formulas to expanding shade ranges and social commerce trends, the future of beauty centers on performance, accessibility, and genuine consumer connections.
Kline continues to track these developments through its in-depth analysis of the beauty and wellbeing industry, helping brands stay ahead in an evolving market. Subscribe to our newsletter for expert insights into the latest beauty and wellbeing industry dynamics.
