The color cosmetics category is searching for its next growth engine.
While mass makeup outpaced prestige in the first quarter of 2026, overall category performance remained subdued, per Circanaa. Dollar gains were modest, unit sales declined—particularly in mass channels—and many established segments struggled to reignite consumer excitement. Yet beneath the soft topline numbers, bright spots emerged, particularly in lip.
Lip treatments and lip liners delivered growth in both dollars and units, reflecting consumers' continued appetite for products that blur the line between makeup and skin care. That trend is accelerating online: according to May 2026 Spate datab, lip serums—a hybrid format combining the hydration of a balm with the shine of a gloss—surged in popularity by 301.7% year over year. While still a relatively niche category, lip serums are gaining traction on TikTok, where the trend grew 273.5% and generated nearly 83,000 average weekly views. Much of the momentum has been fueled by brands such as Laneige, whose expansion beyond overnight lip masks into tinted lip serums demonstrates the growing consumer demand for multifunctional, treatment-oriented color cosmetics.
Elsewhere in the lip sector, color-changing lipstick is making a comeback, with search interest surging 265.3% year over year, per Spate, as consumers rediscover personalized, pH-reactive beauty. TikTok is fueling the trend's momentum, driving 58% of total interest and 344.6% growth through influencer content, tutorials and product hacks. While skepticism around shade accuracy remains, strong engagement and rising interest in adjacent formats like color-changing lip oils suggest the category has room to grow beyond novelty.
Meanwhile, per Circana, blush and bronzer continue to benefit from consumers' preference for healthy, skin-enhancing beauty looks, suggesting that complexion-enhancing and care-infused products remain among the category's strongest growth opportunities.
The mixed results highlight a category at a crossroads. Consumers are still engaging with makeup, but they're becoming more selective about where they spend, gravitating toward products that offer self-expression, added benefits or clear differentiation. For brands, the challenge is to create compelling reasons for consumers to rediscover, repurchase and reengage with color cosmetics.
From hybrid beauty concepts and sensory innovation to novel textures with emotional impact, industry innovators are exploring new ways to bring energy back to the makeup aisle. The question is: what will it take to turn isolated bright spots into sustained category growth?
We’ve gathered some ideas.
Skin-First Makeup: Mood + Function
“Makeup is evolving beyond only focusing on the visual results into a more holistic, skin-first and experience-driven category,” says Michelle Chavez, chief commercial officer at Accupac, a contract development and manufacturing organization. “For brands, this means formulating color cosmetics that actively support how consumers want to feel—energized, calm or restored—while still delivering performance.”
Sensorial design has become a key differentiator in beauty, with texture, scent and application playing a central role in the consumer experience. Pixel-Shot at Adobe Stock
She adds, “From a formulation standpoint, this starts with incorporating ingredients traditionally seen in skin care, such as adaptogens, nootropic-inspired botanicals and clinically studied actives that help support the skin under stress. When paired with tone-evening pigments or complexion-enhancing technologies, these ingredients help products like foundations, skin tints, and concealers to deliver real skin care benefits and visible results.”
Hannah Kohl, marketing associate at ingredient supplier Croda, concurs, noting, “One aspect of how ‘treat culture’ manifests in color cosmetics comes from the multifunctionality of products and the additional benefits of actives acting as that “‘sweet treat’ or cherry-on-top. When it comes to makeup, many consumers are already using these products daily (mascara, foundation, blush, etc.), so adding in any actives with added skin benefits is an extra treat that boosts mood for those consumers. For example, if I’m already using foundation daily, adding in some sort of anti-aging active feels like a little extra way to treat myself and prioritize self-care through personal care routines.”
Sensorial design has become a key differentiator in beauty, Chavez adds, with texture, scent and application playing a central role in the consumer experience. Features such as cooling sensations, skin-care-infused formulas and mood-enhancing sensory cues can elevate makeup from a functional product to a more engaging, wellness-oriented ritual.
“For brands,” she concludes, “the opportunity lies in designing products that perform instantly on the skin while delivering a more immersive, mood boosting experience that consumers can feel in real time.”
Croda’s Zenakine fits neatly into this rising trend. The neuroactive ingredient helps mitigate the effects of stress on the skin by supporting natural melatonin production, improving sleep quality, enhancing emotional well-being and promoting skin regeneration, with clinically measured benefits for both sleep quality and duration.
“In a world filled with daily stressors, any means of relief can be welcome and that relief could even come from cosmetics,” says Jaemi Ong, market applications specialist at Croda. “Zenakine is an active that can be used in hybrid makeup formulations to elevate relaxing emotions. It increases melatonin production by skin cells. Under high cortisol levels brought about by stress, this biofermentation extract stimulates the production of ‘feel-good’ hormones like oxytocin and dopamine. Not only does Zenakine improve mood, it also helps smooth out wrinkles. In fact, Croda has clinical data demonstrating the measurable positive effects of Zenakine.”
Hybrid Color Cosmetics Redefine Performance: Where Makeup Becomes Skin Care with Dual-Action Benefits
“The future of color cosmetics is increasingly hybridized—delivering immediate aesthetic benefits alongside measurable skin health improvements,” says Chavez. “This is particularly important for aging and menopausal consumers, whose needs center around hydration, barrier support, tone uniformity and comfort.”
She notes, “Products like serum foundations, treatment concealers and active-infused primers are leading this shift.”
Ilia's Skin Blur Serum Concealer, launched earlier this year, typifies the rising interest in serum makeup formats.Ilia
In March 2026, Spate reported that serum concealer is surging on digital channels, with 167% year-over-year growth in popularity and TikTok driving 88.2% of the conversation, alongside 2.5M weekly views despite relatively low search volume. While still an early-stage trend, strong brand clustering in search behavior and expanding interest in serum foundations point to accelerating adoption of skin care-forward makeup formats.
Chavez notes, “These formats can incorporate clinically supported ingredients such as peptides, ceramides, niacinamide and low-level retinoid alternatives to target concerns like fine lines, elasticity loss, and uneven tone—while still delivering coverage and finish.”
She adds, “Equally important is delivering both immediate and long-term results. Consumers expect to see visible improvement—whether through instant radiance smoothing, or plumping—while also trusting that continued use contributes to skin health over time. This dual benefit reinforces product value and supports simplified routines, where fewer products are needed to achieve both cosmetic and treatment outcomes.”
Finally, she says, “For brands, success lies in combining proven actives, advanced delivery systems and high-performance pigments into formats that seamlessly integrate into daily routines—making makeup not just a finishing step, but a functional part of skin care.”
Pure Blur Skin Prep | Redness Reset, a concept product developed by Cosmetic Group USA, is a color corrector that specifically targets redness while reinforcing the skin barrier. Cosmetic Group USA
Bringing that functionality to life is the Pure Blur Skin Prep | Redness Reset, a concept product developed by Cosmetic Group USA, a California-based contract manufacturer. This color-corrector specifically targets redness while reinforcing the skin barrier with Lipoid Kosmetik’s PhytoPreserve. Integrating this rich, lipid-replenishing active into a lightweight, blurring primer offers a unique user experience.
“The strategy is to place those barrier-supportive lipids into a very light, modern gel-emollient base, then balance them with fast-spreading esters and a dry-touch blurring system,” says Mat Rashidi, executive director of R&D, Cosmetic Group USA. “That gives the skin the comfort and replenishment it needs, but without the residue people tend to associate with richer corrective products. We also paired that nourishing base with a precise pigment blend and dual-silica blur system, so the formula feels airy and elegant on application while still giving visible redness reduction and a smooth primer finish.”
The primer also incorporates Givaudan’s Neurophroline to combat the skin’s biological markers of stress. This extends a neurocosmetic benefit to a product format that is typically viewed through a purely color-corrective lens.
“That is where the story becomes much more elevated,” Rashidi says. “Traditional redness correction is usually framed as a visual fix, but consumers are increasingly aware that reactive skin often reflects more than surface color alone. So we position the product as doing two things at once: it immediately neutralizes visible redness, but it also supports skin that looks stressed or easily triggered. That gives the consumer the instant payoff they expect from a color-corrector, while introducing a more sophisticated skin-wellness story that feels very current.”
Univar Solutions’ Interstellar Glowing Highlighter is another relevant example. The fresh, cushiony cream highlighter was designed to enhance natural features while elevating mood and self-perception through the lens of psychodermatology. More than just glow, the highlighter imparts a sensory beauty experience that supports confidence as it illuminates.
Users can apply a single dot and watch as an ultra-fine shimmer melts into a seamless, long-wear luminous veil that lasts from day to night. Powered by a skin-loving combination of dsm-firmenich’s Quali B Niacinamide PC and Oxy229, the formulation reportedly helps boost radiance while supporting a healthy-looking complexion.
“This radiance enhancing highlighter is powered by the synergistic blend of Quali B Niacinamide PC and OXY 229CB, two clinically recognized ingredients that work together to help promote a brighter, smoother and more revitalized complexion,” says Claudia Barba, technical services manager, beauty and personal care, North America, Ingredients + Specialties at Univar Solutions. “Niacinamide PC, a gentle and highly stable form of vitamin B3, supports sensitive skin while improving elasticity, refining texture and supporting skin tone. OXY 229CB, a post-biotic rich active containing fermentation-derived components and skin respiration enhancers, helps boost oxygen uptake, stimulate cell vitality, and increase turnover to refresh dull looking skin.”
Barba continues, “When combined, these actives complement each other to help support surface renewal, balanced tone, and a healthy, luminous glow. This synergy makes the highlighter ideal for helping enhance the natural radiance of both the face and décolletage, delivering a smooth, light reflective finish supported by skin-beneficial science.”
Skin-forward color cosmetics offer opportunities to better serve consumers.
“More people have heightened skin sensitivities so brands should consider using ingredients suitable for sensitive skin and those that nurture skin health,” says Croda’s Ong. “Surfactants tend to remove beneficial oils from the skin therefore using milder cleansing systems is recommended. Adinol CT30 DS and Natrafusion SL HA are two Croda surfactants that have data to show they effectively cleanse without irritating the skin. Supporting the skin’s natural microflora is essential to skin health. BB-Biont is a skin care active that protects the skin’s microbiome and smooths blemishes. HydroAvena HpO is a plant-based protein and oat-derived polysaccharide complex that balances bacteria and fungi present in the skin while also bolstering skin moisturization. Using ingredients with proven efficacy will allow brands to create impactful skin-friendly products.”
Kohl adds, “The proof is in the pudding! Clinical trials, social media virality videos, or really any sort of visual, measurable proof is the best way to support skin-friendly claims. Consumers today hav a hard time trusting just words, they want to see action and real results in the palm of their hand.”
Airy Texture, Dual Finish: How Formulas Balance Aesthetics and Performance
“Texture and wear are critical,” says Chavez. For example, she explains, “Mature and menopausal skin often experiences dryness and sensitivity, so formulations must prioritize breathable coverage, flexible film formers and long-wear hydration. The goal is to create products that move with the skin, rather than sit on top of it.”
Cosmetic Group USA’s Matte + Glow/Matte + Glow Souffle TouchUp, a dual concept product, addresses the #cloudskin aesthetic and a dewy look. Cosmetic Group USA
Textures shifts can also support category shifts. For instance, structuring agents can help brands transition from traditional powder formats to high-growth complexion stick and jelly formats.
“Use of structurants and oil gellants help create stick and jelly formats,” says Jaemi Ong, market applications specialist at Croda. “Most of Croda’s Syncrowaxes will create sticks with strong structure and suspension but if the stick is too strong, you won’t get the desired payoff. Adding some Syncrowax HRC, which is a soft wax, will reduce stick rigidity and it will help with smooth application. Oleocrafts thicken oils which can create formats ranging from viscous oils to solid clear anhydrous sticks. How well the structure is formed will depend on compatibility of the oils in the formulation with the Oleocraft product used.”
Ong adds, “Water-based jelly creams can be made with rheology modifiers like Volarest FL. Volarest FL is easy-to-use, has suspension properties, and allows for processing without heat.”
Of course, textures can also deliver on experiential fun.
Cosmetic Group USA’s Matte + Glow/Matte + Glow Souffle TouchUp, a dual concept product, addresses the #cloudskin aesthetic and a dewy look. Key ingredient technologies ensure both soufflé textures are identical—air-whipped, lightweight and smooth—while still allowing for opposing final visual effects.
“The common thread is a very airy gel-emollient matrix that gives both formulas that whipped, soufflé-like feel from the very first touch,” says Rashidi. “Once that texture is established, we can fine-tune the final visual effect by adjusting the ratio of soft-focus powders to glow-supporting emollients and film formers. That is what allows both textures to feel equally plush, smooth and lightweight, while still giving two very different complexion finishes: one more diffused and cloud-like, the other fresher and more radiant.”
Notably, the formulas claim 24-hour moisturization and blurring without caking.
“With a touchup formula, it is not enough for it to feel good in the jar,” says Rashidi. “It has to perform beautifully on the skin and over makeup. We focused on building a stable, uniform texture with enough flexibility to spread evenly, enough powder balance to blur, and enough emollient support to keep it from breaking apart or looking patchy. That is what allows the formula to refresh the complexion instead of disturbing it, so the finish stays soft, smooth and hydrated-looking without caking.”
Sustainability Goes Inside the Formula: Where Performance, Simplicity and Climate-Ready Beauty Converge
“Sustainability is increasingly being addressed at the formula level, not just through packaging claims,” says Accupac’s Chavez. “In color cosmetics, this creates strong opportunities to rethink how products are developed without compromising quality or performance.”
She adds, “Waterless and low-water formulations are a key area of innovation. Concentrates and hybrid powder-serum systems can significantly reduce water usage while helping to enhance pigment intensity and shelf stability. These formats also lend themselves well to complexion and lip products, where performance and portability are critical.”
In addition, Chavez says, “Upcycled ingredients present another high-value opportunity. Many byproducts—such as fruit extracts, seed oils or biomass-derived actives—can be refined into efficacious ingredients that help support skin barrier health, hydration, or antioxidant protection. When incorporated into color cosmetics, these materials can elevate both formulation story and functional benefit.”
The Pure Canvas Priming Stick—Hybrid Color from Cosmetic Group USA is billed as a streamlined, “accountable sustainability” answer to multi-step routines.Cosmetic Group USA
An example of sustainable makeup in action is the Pure Canvas Priming Stick—Hybrid Color from Cosmetic Group USA. The stick is billed as a streamlined, “accountable sustainability” answer to multi-step routines.
“The message is really about intelligent simplicity,” says Rashidi. “This stick gives you the smoothing and grip of a primer, but also delivers a soft wash of tone-balancing color in the same step, so you can streamline your routine without giving up performance. For consumers who are embracing skin streaming, that is exactly the kind of product they are looking for. It feels edited, modern and efficient, while still giving the complexion that polished, refined look.”
Achieving a smooth, non-dragging application in a stick format, especially when incorporating oil-absorbing silica and blurring powders, is difficult, of course. Global Cosmetic Industry asked Rashidi what combination of emollients ensures a velvet-soft touch that avoids the fibrous or dusty perception consumers sometimes associate with natural powders.
“That sensorial balance comes from suspending the powders inside a very glide-friendly gelled emollient system,” he explains. “We used a mix of soft-touch esters, lightweight oils, squalane and a structured oil gel to keep the formula creamy and flexible on contact. That way, the powders can deliver blur, oil control and soft-focus payoff without dominating the feel of the stick. The result is a velvet-soft application that feels smooth and cushioned on the skin, never dry, fibrous or dusty.”
The squalane and natural emulsifiers in the formulation are sustainably sourced. This is intentional. Rashidi explains, “Consumers today want to know that ingredient choices are thoughtful, not incidental. We communicate that by showing that materials like squalane and naturally derived structuring ingredients were selected not only for their elegant skin feel, but also for the sourcing philosophy behind them. When those choices are directly tied to product performance, the sustainability story feels much more credible. It becomes part of how the formula works and feels, rather than just a message layered on afterward.”
Formulas aren’t only addressing sustainability on the sourcing and production fronts. They’re also addressing the realities of a changing climate.
“Climate-adaptive beauty products need to perform well under changing environmental conditions, such as air pollution, extreme heat and temperature fluctuations,” says Croda’s Ong. “These products might feature ingredients that protect against oxidative stress and maintain skin hydration in varied environments. Examples from Croda Beauty include Fibrashield, a multi-peptide that works to protect hair from environmental damage, and our Sphingocare line of ceramides that reinforce the skin barrier to prevent water loss.”
Kohl adds, “Some great climate-ready elements sure to stand out in color cosmetics are anti-humidity claims and staying power for makeup longevity, especially in setting sprays. We’re also seeing a lot of cooling technologies in skin care products now have potential to make their way into color cosmetics, as these cooling textures work great in heat, and sensoriality is key to makeup trends today as lines continue to blur between skin and makeup. As always, any SPF claims in makeup also create a stand-out product, and that’s through all categories of color cosmetics, from blushes to concealers to lip care with SPF claims.”
There are additional considerations, of course, beyond the formula.
“Packaging must evolve in parallel and be aligned to best serve the formula,” says Chavez. “Highly concentrated products enable smaller pack sizes, reduced material use, and lower transportation impact. The most successful approaches integrate formula efficiency, ingredient sourcing, and packaging design into one cohesive system—ensuring that sustainability enhances, rather than detracts from, product performance.”
Ingredient Toolbox: Next-Gen Pigments and Active Beauty Systems Redefine Performance Color Cosmetics
Beyond Sparkle: Synthetic Mica's Functional Edge
Unlike natural mica, synthetic mica (synthetic fluorphlogopite) is manufactured through a controlled industrial process rather than mined, offering a range of performance and formulation advantages, argues Rebecca Vaiarelli, strategic marketing manager, Susonity. Its inherently whiter, cleaner and brighter appearance makes it particularly valuable in cosmetic applications, while its lower heavy metal content helps reduce risk in sensitive products such as eye makeup.
In formulations ranging from eyeshadows to shampoos, synthetic mica delivers versatile performance: fine-particle silver-white grades provide a clean, bright appearance with soft luster and opacity, while larger particles create brilliant sparkling effects.Beauty Agent Studio at Adobe Stock
Synthetic mica also features a highly uniform platelet structure, enabling more intense, consistent color and visual effects across a wide variety of formulations. This consistency extends from batch to batch, helping manufacturers achieve reliable shade matching at scale while reducing production variability, time and costs.
In formulations ranging from eyeshadows to shampoos, synthetic mica delivers versatile performance: fine-particle silver-white grades provide a clean, bright appearance with soft luster and opacity, while larger particles create brilliant sparkling effects.
Iron oxide-coated versions produce rich, natural-looking earth tones, especially reds, while interference pigments offer high chroma, striking optical effects and a smooth skin feel. As a functional filler, synthetic mica can also enhance whiteness, opacity and overall sensory performance.
“We have several syn mica pigments that act as ‘functional fillers’ so not only can they act as a talc replacement they can also offer additional functional benefits such as improved skin feel, enhanced texture, increased luminosity and transparency,” says Vaiarelli. “Formulators can also combine both natural and synthetic mica or any other materials such as silica, etc., depending on the ratio you will achieve a varying degree of effects.”
Science-Driven Lash Density and Follicle Care in One System
SymLash XTreme by Symrise delivers a holistic eye beauty approach that combines visible lash enhancement with long-term follicle care. Built on a patented lipopeptide and troxerutin complex, it targets key biological pathways linked to keratin expression and follicle protection, supporting improved eyelash density and overall lash quality in a short timeframe.
SymLash XTreme by Symrise delivers a holistic eye beauty approach that combines visible lash enhancement with long-term follicle care. Symrise
The ingredient is designed to address both aesthetic performance and underlying lash health, aligning with growing demand for care-centric eye products. Its water-soluble liquid format allows easy, heat-free incorporation and uniform dispersion in formulations, making it highly practical for formulators. Backed by science-led substantiation and quantified performance claims, SymLash XTreme enables brands to deliver measurable results while supporting lash resilience over time.
Hydrophobically Treated Pigment Dispersion for Next-Gen Hybrid Color Care
Covamic AS from Sensient is a ready-to-use dry dispersion combining mica and mineral pigments, engineered with AS surface treatment (triethoxycaprylsilane) to deliver a superior sensory feel and enhanced hydrophobicity. Industrially processed for easy dispersibility, it is designed to streamline formulation in facial makeup and hybrid color-care products where performance and skin feel are equally critical. Its adaptable technology allows customization of pigment, substrate, and surface treatment to meet specific formulation needs, enabling brands to fine-tune payoff, texture, and compatibility across a range of modern complexion and hybrid skin care-makeup systems.
FOOTNOTES
ahttps://www.circana.com/post/us-beauty-market-delivers-steady-first-quarter-growth-circana-reports
