Beauty consumers prefer shopping in-store for cosmetics, demand for international beauty products is surging, and 39% of parents have taken skincare advice from their children. These are a sample of findings from retail giant Boots’ latest annual Beauty Trends Report.

The trends “set to shape the industry in 2025 and beyond” and taken from over 16.9 million active Boots Advantage Card customers, combined with 1,300 of its specialist in-house expert trend analysis reveal six themes “set to take the beauty industry by storm in the year ahead”. They include:

Under the heading ‘URL to IRL: Beauty without borders’, the report says digitally native beauty brands are quickly gaining viral fame online and making their way to high street stores at unprecedented speed.

Demand for international beauty products is surging, with one Korean skincare product selling every 30 seconds at Boots, and it now represents over 10% of the retailer’s ‘Everyday Skincare’ category’s sales.

Although social media platforms remain popular for product discovery, 94% of beauty consumers prefer shopping in-store for cosmetics.

The ‘Intergenerational Beauty’ category shows a flow of beauty advice reversing with 39% of parents having taken skincare advice from their children. Spending over eight hours a day online, Gen ‘Zalpha’ is “shaping industry trends and influencing purchasing decisions beyond their generational bounds”.

Meanwhile, more men are exploring the beauty category, with a 14% increase in men shopping for beauty products at Boots in the last year alone, the report says. 

Under the ‘Science of Slumber: Beauty Sleep Elevated’ header, tiredness is ranking as the highest factor for negatively impacting skin and consumers are investing in their night-time routine to unlock their skin’s full potential. 

Driven by trends like #morningshed and #sleepmaxxing on TikTok, consumers are seeking beauty hacks and wellness practices to optimise their beauty sleep. And its No7 brand scientists and the University of Manchester have discovered novel insights into skin cell rhythms at night, emphasising the importance of supporting skin during sleep.

Under the ‘High/Low Beauty’ banner, it says shoppers are investing in classic, luxury staples while simultaneously experimenting with fleeting trends and affordable brands.

More than a third of Boots Advantage Card members shopped both budget-friendly make-up and premium cosmetics in 2024, with a 14% year-on-year increase in premium beauty sales at its stores. Consumers are also seeking budget-friendly beauty to help their money stretch further, with one product from Boots’ own-brand skincare range selling every two seconds. 

‘Moonscapsing: Scent as Self-Care’ shows fragrance “is becoming a powerful tool for self-care, mood enhancement and an expression of identity”. The survey reveals 78% of UK consumers believe that fragrance can improve mental wellbeing, highlighting the growing awareness of the mind-body connection. Boots Advantage Card data also reveals 42% of shoppers bought more than one type of fragrance in a year, as opposed to opting for just one signature scent. 

Finally under ‘Enter the Health Hackers’, the healthcare and aesthetics industries are merging, with Med Spa-inspired technologies and ‘prejuvenation’ practices influencing beauty routines. Some 78% of consumers believe prevention is better than cure and are actively seeking to improve their health. 

And there’s an increasing demand for advanced beauty devices led to a 536% spike in sales of LED masks at Boots in 2024.