This year's top beauty and wellness trends

1) Tech and AI

We're not always a fan here at AK Original but beauty and wellbeing routines are being supercharged by new technologies, elevating the everyday to ensure totally optimised living.  

• Tech-powered optimisation is going mainstream: innovation in wearable wellness devices is accelerating demand for self-improvement as beauty tech booms.4  

• AI and personalisation reshape how people shop, with 64% of UK adults now using AI search tools to guide beauty purchases, and 82% actively seeking personalised solutions. 

• A rising demand for attainable wellness alongside a 755% rise in searches for electrolytes on boots.com5 fuelled launch of Wellthy by Boots – a new own-brand range focussing on simplified wellness solutions designed to fit effortlessly into everyday life.   

2) A holistic approach to ageing 

A holistic approach to ageing is the new gold standard, as consumers focus on extending youth by future-proofing their health.  

• 60% of consumers report healthy ageing is top priority, whilst 80% of adults are adopting a preventative approach to their beauty routines, prioritising consistent, long-term care and maintenance over reactive solutions.6  

• New research from No7 found the thirties are a pivotal decade as visible aging accelerates by up to 50%7 - with 80% of people in their 40s regretting not using skincare earlier8.  

• As ageing is reframed as modifiable, 43% of consumers no longer view ‘tweakments’ as taboo, alongside a marked rise in ‘treatment tourism, ‘brotox’ and clinic-inspired skincare. 

• Collagen sales are up 62% YOY at Boots9, as searches for ‘marine collagen’ on boots.com grew 277% YOY with collagen among the top 20 most searched-for items10. 

For younger, more nourished-looking hands, you'll love our AK Original hand cream.

3) A more personable approach

In an increasingly digital world, consumers are craving connection and brands with personality are beating the algorithm.  

• Founder‑led and personality‑driven brands are winning trust, with 60% of consumers prioritising brands whose values align with their own, and 43% trusting companies more when founders are active on social media. 

• Real expertise is reshaping influence, as consumers turn to MUAs, dermatologists, trichologists and founders. A third follow beauty experts on social media, and a third have acted on their advice. 

• Shopping has become the new experience economy as 46% of shoppers seek immersive, entertainment-driven retail, including pop-ups, collabs and community-building events.  

You'll find our founder, Anna, at the front of AK Original. 

4) Global inspiration

Global trends and international brands are surging as consumers seek out the best the world can offer.  

• UK consumers are embracing global trends, with 65% purchasing products from an international brand in the past six months. 

• K-Beauty is accelerating fast at Boots, with a fivefold increase in sales and a Korean skincare product selling every 11 seconds last year11. The category is set to expand into new areas in 2026, including K-Fragrance, K-Haircare and K-Pharmacy. 

• Global influences are transforming Brit’s routines, from Ayurvedic-inspired I–Beauty and Scandinavian wellness rituals, to the rise of regional ingredients like Japanese raw honey and Middle Eastern oud.  

You might like these Palestinian-inspired perfumes, for example. 

5) Science meets nature 

Consumers seek emotional uplift through chemical reactions: psychodermatology, neurocosmetics, and micro-moments of joy. 

• Beauty and wellness become tools for mood-regulation: emerging psychodermatology and neurocosmetics is using sensory cues to activate the skin-brain axis – with 1 in 2 people willing to swap their go-to beauty products for mood-enhancing alternatives. 

• Play and sensorial formats are redefining beauty, as whimsical design, transportive scent and collectibles culture drive demand, with 55% of consumers purchasing a beauty collectible or limited edition in the past year. 

• A shift toward authentic, relatable wellbeing is taking hold as consumers embrace brands and rituals that reflect real life, supporting care and recovery over airbrushed ideals. 

You'll love the uplifting scent of our Japanese Pear Shampoo. 

6) Tried and tested routines and ingredients

Beauty and wellness regimes are adapting to help build resilience mentally, physically and dermatologically. 

• Stress regulation is becoming a core focus of modern routines, with consumers opting for adaptogens such as ashwagandha and ginseng, and nootropics like L-theanine, magnesium and lion’s mane. Boots noted a 400% increase in customers buying adaptogens YOY.12 

• Volatile environments are fuelling demand for protective beauty as people adapt to shifting temperatures, pollution and UV levels; with 57% willing to pay more for products offering climate/pollution defence and UV-index content surpassing 315M views on TikTok.  

• Skin stability is front of mind, with 47% of consumers adapting their routine due to environmental factors, and flare-ups reported linked to temperature changes, pollution and high pollen.