Brands & Products > Color Cosmetics | Global Cosmetic Industry

Prestige makeup sales rose just 3%, while unit demand softened slightly. The category is therefore generating modest dollar growth without expanding its unit base. Yet pockets of the category are thriving: bronzer and blush posted double-digit gains. Pictured is Charli XCX with YSL Beauty's powder-based Make Me Blush.

Beauty’s 2026 Growth Story Is Strong, but Increasingly Selective

The data suggests that beauty consumers are becoming more selective about where they spend.

MOON: mascara in glass by Lumson and Ponzini

MOON: mascara in glass by Lumson and Ponzini

MOON is the first glass mascara created by Lumson in collaboration with Ponzini. This Made in Italy design elevates the formula, transforming the mascara into a luxury object. The bottle comes with three applicators for a tailored, premium performance

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Rare Beauty Brands and JCPenney Reopen Applications for 2026 Lift Beauty Accelerator to Support Underrepresented Founders

July/August 2026

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July/August 2026

MOON: mascara in glass by Lumson and Ponzini

MOON: mascara in glass by Lumson and Ponzini

Makeup emerged as the fastest-growing division, surging 9.1% on a like-for-like basis to €359 million as Charlotte Tilbury continued to gain market share and deliver strong sell-out performance.

Puig Outpaces Premium Beauty Market as Makeup and APAC Fuel First-Half Growth

Dermatological Beauty returned to mid- to high-single-digit growth, powered by La Roche-Posay, a reaccelerating CeraVe business fueled by its core moisturizers and new suncare launches, double-digit gains for SkinCeuticals, and continued momentum for Vichy's Dercos hair care range.

L'Oréal Builds Momentum With Record Margins as Dermatological Beauty, Hair Care and E-Commerce Lead Growth

The launch also underscores a broader shift in consumer behavior. As minimalist beauty continues to gain momentum and consumers seek lower-maintenance alternatives to frequent salon appointments, Buff is betting that healthy natural nails can become a beauty statement in their own right rather than simply the stage beneath polish.

Buff Beauty Bets the Future of Nails Is Bare

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.

MOON: mascara in glass by Lumson and Ponzini

MOON: mascara in glass by Lumson and Ponzini

MOON is the first glass mascara created by Lumson in collaboration with Ponzini. This Made in Italy design elevates the formula, transforming the mascara into a luxury object. The bottle comes with three applicators for a tailored, premium performance

Merit Expands Growth Strategy with SEMCAP Investment, First Ritz-Carlton Partnership

SEMCAP managing partner (and former Unilever executive) Vasiliki Petrou will join Merit's board of directors.

While skin care rewards multi-SKU routine building, the hair care surface heavily rewards single-hero product positioning.

The Top 15 Brands & Retailers Dominating Beauty AI Citations

PLUS: 4 Actionable Takeaways for Product R&D & Marketing

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?

Color Cosmetics at a Crossroads: the Categories and Strategies Set to Restart Growth

Industry innovators are exploring new ways to bring energy back to the makeup aisle.

e.l.f. Cosmetics has engaged in a partnership with Survivor with the 'e.l.f.ie Advantage,' a vignette series airing surrounding the live broadcast starring content creator Delaney Rowe and Survivor contestant Tiffany Ervin.

e.l.f. Beauty Delivers 35% Q4 Growth, Tops $1.6B FY Sales as rhode & Naturium Drive Portfolio Surge

e.l.f. Beauty is forecasting 2027 net sales of $1.835-1.865 billion (12–14% growth).

Charlotte Tilbury Renegotiation Emerges as New Wrinkle in Puig–Estée Lauder Talks

Tilbury wants to revisit contractual provisions linked to the remaining 21.5% stake she still holds in Charlotte Tilbury.

The relaunch of Marc Jacobs Beauty is “a joyful, maximalist celebration of color and creativity.'

Marc Jacobs Beauty Returns With Maximalist Makeup Push, Sephora Rollout and Coty Prestige Ambitions

Coty executives are framing the return as a major prestige growth driver at a time when makeup momentum continues to rebound globally.

Ilia Beauty’s Sun Serum Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 further underscores how sunscreen is being redefined through the rise of hybrid formats that merge protection, skin care treatment and sensorial experience into a single step.

The Innovations Tackling the SPF Confidence Gap

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MOON: mascara in glass by Lumson and Ponzini

MOON is the first glass mascara created by Lumson in collaboration with Ponzini. This Made in Italy design elevates the formula, transforming the mascara into a luxury object. The bottle comes with three applicators for a tailored, premium performance

“Mass and prestige beauty are growing at nearly the same rate for the first time in five years,” said Larissa Jensen, global beauty industry advisor at Circana.

Prestige and Mass Beauty Converge as Premiumization, Selective Spending and Digital Commerce Reshape Growth

In mass hair care, shampoo and conditioner combo pack sales gains signaled value-seeking by consumers.

Prestige, which accounts for roughly two-thirds of total sales, remained relatively resilient, with flat reported revenue in the quarter.

Coty Stabilizes Profit, Boosts Cash Flow as Strategic Reset Takes Hold

The company is reducing the number of smaller product launches, streamlining operations, and increasing investment in core brands and consumer engagement.