The K-Beauty World platform, from Landing International, is led by Landing CEO Sarah Chung Park, who has helped launch more than 180 K-beauty brands in the U.S. market since 2007. With a high-profile partnership with Ulta Beauty, the appetite for K-beauty will be tested in the year to come.
K-Beauty World
Beauty is in a curious moment. Skin care’s prestige sector is losing the battle against mass and masstige brands that deliver elevated value, while consumers are all too happy to splurge on prestige hair care, particularly those that offer skinified benefits (treatments, scalp care, etc.). Fragrance is still growing strong, but mass and value formats such as minis are experiencing the fastest growth by far. And makeup? Aside from a few superstar categories like lip liners, growth in mass and prestige is largely elusive. At the same time, many multinational legacy brands are shuttering or being reviewed for potential divestment, while far too many legendary indies have closed their doors.
Beauty is in a curious moment. Skin care’s prestige sector is losing the battle against mass and masstige brands that deliver elevated value, while consumers are all too happy to splurge on prestige hair care, particularly those that offer skinified benefits (treatments, scalp care, etc.). Fragrance is still growing strong, but mass and value formats such as minis are experiencing the fastest growth by far. And makeup? Aside from a few superstar categories like lip liners, growth in mass and prestige is largely elusive. At the same time, many multinational legacy brands are shuttering or being reviewed for potential divestment, while far too many legendary indies have closed their doors.
Where does that lead us as we head into a new year?
As we do every year, Global Cosmetic Industry is using its November issue to decode some of the trends we can expect to see in the next 12 months. Our range of experts, including ingredient, packaging, product development, marketing and manufacturing specialists, have unearthed a range of consumer, market, R&D and innovation opportunities for 2026. But, before you dive into these expert insights, I wanted to share my own predictions for the year to come.
- K-beauty reckoning: The rapid expansion of Korean beauty brands across major Western retailers will begin to reveal just how much appetite the world’s shoppers have for the country’s brands.
- Regionalized manufacturing: Expect to see more facility openings and manufacturing M&A around the world as companies seek to minimize the impacts of tariffs and trade disputes.
- A race toward the middle: As consumers face growing debt and economic uncertainty, and with innovation and claims advancing across mass and masstige brands, the market is evolving. Mass brands are elevating their offerings, while prestige brands are beginning to compete at the more affordable end of the price spectrum.
- Standout longevity: As ingredient suppliers and brands increasingly target the mechanics and hallmarks of biological aging, the field is growing crowded. Brands will need to stand out with proven clinicals and unique ingredients to avoid being seen as just another longevity play. Expect to see more topical-ingestible matchups in the space.
- Aging up: With Gen Alpha moving into its teen years and the oldest Gen Z consumers nearing 30, youth-oriented brands will continue to find ways to grow with their consumers. As we saw with millennial brands, aesthetics, product formats and claims will evolve to fit the changing life stages of their core shoppers. Also expect to see beloved Gen Z brands make an argument for a broader consumer base—both for younger and more mature shoppers.
Whether or not these predictions come true, my greatest wish—as always—is that all of you have a happy, healthy, peaceful and successful new year.
We’ll see you then.
