Consumers & Markets

The raise builds on the firm's successful first fund, which delivered exits including Touchland, acquired by Church & Dwight, Billie, Coterie and Hims.
Align Ventures Raises $125M Fund II, Signaling Strong Investor Appetite for Next-Generation Beauty Brands
Align has also already warehoused an investment in California Naturals ahead of Fund II and recently participated in the brand's Series B round.
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Precision Systems: Closing the Efficacy Gap through Functional Packaging Architecture
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Precision Systems: Closing the Efficacy Gap through Functional Packaging Architecture
From passive packaging to precision delivery, discover how beauty brands are closing the “Efficacy Gap” with smart microneedling, integrated LED therapy, and next-gen skincare technology designed to maximize real results.
May 18th, 2026
K-beauty's impact is firmly rooted in international markets, as shown by Olive Young's U.S. expansion.
Why K-Beauty's 53% Growth Is Forcing Beauty Brands to Rethink Innovation
Ingredients such as snail mucin, Centella asiatica and PDRN demonstrate how science-backed actives can quickly transition from regional specialties to global demand.
Jul 21st, 2026
July/August 2026
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Top Headlines
Notably, 32% of millennials and Gen Z claim to have had procedures in the past five years, compared to 28% of those in the Gen X generation and 18% of baby boomers.
The Procedure-to-Product Pipeline Is Growing: New Consumer Survey Data
Jul 6th, 2026
A staggering 56% of consumers say beauty brands explain the science of aging unclearly or not at all; a meager 12% state it is explained 'very clearly.'
The Longevity Illusion: FIT’s 2026 Think Tank Exposes the Credibility Gap in Beauty Innovation
Jun 29th, 2026
'We founded Innovist on the conviction that Indian consumers deserve beauty products built on real science with full transparency on formulation, and that these products could be made in India to global standards”, said Rohit Chawla, CEO and founder of Innovist. “This partnership with L'Oréal brings together a deep alignment in this vision and product philosophy, with the global scientific innovation resources to grow this ambition. Together, we see a significant opportunity to build the next generation of beauty brands.'
L’Oréal Deepens India Push with Stake in Digital Beauty Challenger
Jun 18th, 2026
Precision Systems: Closing the Efficacy Gap through Functional Packaging Architecture
Sponsored
Precision Systems: Closing the Efficacy Gap through Functional Packaging Architecture
May 18th, 2026
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Precision Systems: Closing the Efficacy Gap through Functional Packaging Architecture
Sponsored
Precision Systems: Closing the Efficacy Gap through Functional Packaging Architecture
From passive packaging to precision delivery, discover how beauty brands are closing the “Efficacy Gap” with smart microneedling, integrated LED therapy, and next-gen skincare technology designed to maximize real results.
May 18th, 2026
A sampling of 5,000 Reddit posts and nearly 700K comments found that consumers are prioritizing unique scents/distinctive olfactory experiences. Often, this gives an advantage to indie brands, which are often freer to push the envelope with novel notes and combinations.
Beyond the Boom: Strategic Growth in the Era of Fragrance Normalization
From longevity to functional fragrances, consumers want brands to push the envelope in scent innovation.
May 1st, 2026
Lower-income consumers are more likely to prioritize products tailored to their skin type or concerns (40%), while higher-income shoppers lean more heavily on brand trust (43%).
Consumers Are Buying Less but Expecting More. Here's What That Means for Beauty.
Spending expectations diverge by 15–20 percentage points between high- and low-income households.
Apr 28th, 2026
By 2034, older adults will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history. Declining populations under 18 and rising life expectancy will drive this aging trend.
Beauty’s Demographic Destiny: Aging, Autonomy, and the 2040 Pivot
Population shifts are opening new avenues for growth as purchasing power redistributes across age cohorts, rewarding brands that strategically embrace these demographic transformations.
Apr 22nd, 2026
Hair thinning (77%) and hair loss/shedding (80%) are the top two negative hair changes women experience since perimenopause or menopause (up sharply from the 2021 study results, where hair thinning or shedding were negative effects hovered around 50% for menopausal women).
Beyond Quick Fixes: Women Embrace Science-Backed, Life-Stage Hair Care
Most women don’t currently use a hair longevity approach to their own hair, but there is strong interest.
Apr 9th, 2026
Urban Decay spent four years developing its Tube Job Tubing Mascara, which features an 89% serum-infused formula.
The Performance Pivot: Stains, Serums and the Science of Life-Proof Beauty
The makeup sector's 2026 outlook centers on advanced lip technologies, mature skin solutions, high-performance tubing mascaras and all-things hybrid.
Apr 9th, 2026
Debut is backing the launch with sample-ready concept formulations featuring EDL, giving industry players a tangible way to evaluate performance firsthand.
Debut Puts Samples First to Prove Its Post-Procedure Skin Care Vision
By registering for the on-demand session, participants can access these sample concepts—bridging the gap between innovation story and real-world application.
Apr 8th, 2026
By combining fMRI data with consumer testing and market insights, the system reportedly enables brands to directly link formulation choices—such as texture or scent—to how a product is perceived, experienced and ultimately valued.
Can Sensory Neuroscience Rewire Cosmetic Product Development
The company’s research is claimed to reveal that sensory experiences can have deeper and more lasting neurological effects than previously understood.
Apr 6th, 2026
Today, many consumers recognize functional ingredients—niacinamide, ceramides, peptides—and have a working understanding of what they do. This shift has changed the rules of brand communication. It’s no longer enough to reference “advanced botanicals” or “proprietary complexes.” Consumers want specifics.
Building a Science-Forward Beauty Brand Is Harder Than Ever. Here’s What I've Learned.
The companies that will thrive in the coming decade are those that treat science not as a decorative flourish but as a foundational element of their identity.
Mar 30th, 2026
'The most valuable thing we can do with this capital is remove the operational friction, focus the best talent in the business on the work they are genuinely brilliant at which will unquestionably unlock innovation adding more value to our clients and our community—that is truly where the magic happens,' says Jane Walsh, CEO, SEEN Group (at center, pictured with the company's management team). 'No one tool or one capability in isolation, but in the compounding effect of a team that is operating at its fullest. Clients feel that. The community feels that. The quality of the work reflects it.'
Micro-Creators, Macro Growth: SEEN Group Scales Its Influence Engine
The centerpiece of this next phase is Community X SEEN (CXS), the group’s proprietary influencer platform dedicated to micro- and nano-creators.
Mar 25th, 2026
Prestige beauty outperformed the market, despite average price increases, buoyed by emotionally driven, want-based shoppers.
Beauty Holds the Line as Resilient US Consumers Keep Spending
“There is a growing divide between industries where consumers feel value aligns with pricing and those where elevated costs are dampening demand.”
Mar 20th, 2026
DUA, a skin care line created by Dua Lipa and Augustinus Bader Science, targets consumers on the upward arm of the K, particularly those who continue to invest in high-performance, science-led skin care as a form of long-term self-maintenance rather than discretionary luxury.
The K-shaped Skin Care Market Playbook
As inflation fatigue, selective splurging and value-conscious upgrading converge, American beauty shoppers are no longer trading strictly up or down.
Mar 9th, 2026