Beauty Trend Forecast 2026: Macro Trend 02 - Holistic Self-Care
- Jennifer Carlsson
- Jul 9
- 4 min read
Where Function Meets Feeling in Everyday Beauty
Holistic Self-Care reflects a growing consumer desire for beauty rituals that nurture both skin and emotional well-being. The focus is shifting from results-driven routines to experiences that feel good—prioritizing ease, enjoyment, and multi-sensory design. Products are expected to be intuitive, mood-boosting, and comforting to use, transforming even the most mundane steps into moments of personal reset.
This trend celebrates a more holistic and wellness-aligned approach to beauty, blending affirming messages, soothing textures, and uplifting scents. It’s not just about looking polished—it’s about how beauty fits into daily life as a tool for self-connection. With playful branding, positive messaging, and a broad embrace of feel-good functionality, Holistic Self-Care redefines beauty as a form of emotional support.
This is one of the 7 macro trends featured in our free Beauty Trend Forecast 2026. You can download the pdf for the free report right now or get a broader overview in our previous blog post.
To dive deeper into this and other trends shaping the industry, explore the full Beauty Trend Forecast 2026 reports—dedicated to Skincare, Makeup, Haircare, and Fragrance. These comprehensive reports offer category-specific insights, strategic recommendations, and in-depth analysis not available in the free version.
Key Points
Enjoyable Routines
Easy to use
Multi-Sensory Experiences
Scent Options
More about feeling good than looking good.
Holistic approach to beauty
Beauty as Self-care
Playful and Fun Branding
Positive Messaging
Age
Millennials
Average Price Point
$ 30
Trend Phase
Rising
Brand Archetype
Brand Examples
Amika
Cut By Fred
Dae Hair
DIBS Beauty
Hanni
Inde Wild
Kopari
Kosas
Kulfi
Mermade Hair
One/Size
Sol de Janeiro
Sundae
The Skinny Confidential
Tocobo
Touchland
Tower 28
Ultra Violette
Making Beauty Enjoyable
As self-care becomes more deeply integrated into everyday life, consumers are seeking products that are both enjoyable to use and easy to fit into busy routines. Time-saving formats, mess-free applications, and multi-tasking formulas help remove friction from the experience, making beauty feel more intuitive and less effortful. When combined with sensorial elements and thoughtful design, these practical innovations ensure that daily care can be both accessible and emotionally rewarding.
Multi-Sensory Experiences
Multi-sensory design is at the heart of holistic self-care. From whipped creams and cooling gels to soft-touch packaging and plush applicators, brands are curating tactile moments that elevate everyday use. Scent plays a central role—consumers increasingly expect a range of fragrance options that suit different moods and personal preferences. These immersive elements heighten the overall product experience, turning routine application into something more indulgent and emotionally resonant.
Feeling Good
The focus of beauty is shifting away from perfection and toward emotional well-being. Today’s consumers are prioritizing how products make them feel rather than just how they make them look. This has paved the way for a more holistic approach—one where skincare, body care, and even makeup serve as tools for stress relief, grounding, and self-connection. Beauty is reframed as a form of self-care, valued for its ability to soothe, reset, and nurture both skin and state of mind.
Positive Messaging
Visual identity plays a powerful role in reinforcing the emotional intent behind self-care-driven beauty. Brands are embracing playful, upbeat aesthetics—mixing cheerful colour palettes with approachable design details that signal joy and ease. Paired with positive affirmations, friendly product names, and encouraging language, this branding approach creates a sense of warmth and optimism. It’s not just about what’s inside the bottle—it’s about the experience of using it.
Brand to Watch
Sundae
Sundae turns everyday body care into a joyful, sensorial experience with whipped shower foams, dessert-inspired scents, and playful pastel packaging. Founded in Australia in 2021, the brand champions light-hearted self-care that feels indulgent yet approachable, pairing gentle, skin-friendly formulas with nostalgic design. Sundae stands out by making routine moments feel special, offering a fresh, feel-good alternative to traditional body care.
New Brand - Joonbyrd
Launched in 2024 by dermatologist Dr. Alexis Granite, UK-based Joonbyrd combines clinically backed body care with a cheerful, inviting aesthetic. The brand blends luxurious, sensorial formulations with colourful packaging and uplifting scents, making skin health feel like a treat instead of a task. With premium pricing and retail placement in Harrods and Space NK, Joonbyrd offers a vibrant, dermatologist-founded take on everyday self-care.
Kosas
Kosas bridges the gap between makeup and skincare with active-infused formulas that prioritize comfort, skin health, and easy wear. Its bestsellers, like the Revealer Concealer, deliver natural coverage with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and peptides. Known for its clear, ingredient-forward messaging and playful yet minimal design, Kosas embodies beauty that feels as good as it looks—perfectly aligned with a holistic, feel-good approach to cosmetics.
Mermade Hair
Mermade Hair reimagines heat styling as fun and effortless, gaining a cult following with its pink waver tool that creates beachy waves with ease. The brand has since expanded into styling tools, accessories, and haircare products that support quick, salon-worthy results at home. With bold, pastel branding and a social media-savvy aesthetic, Mermade blends performance with playfulness—making hairstyling part of a joyful, self-care ritual.
