Skincare is everywhere now. The hashtag #SkincareRoutine has over 23 billion views on TikTok. What was once a quiet corner of beauty has become a global cultural movement, with brands competing for attention, trust, and loyalty. Research into the skincare market, valued at $133.9 billion in 2018, is forecast to reach $198.35 billion by the end of 2025.
But this growth isn’t only about more moisturisers on the shelf. Consumers are more informed, socially connected and selective than ever. Social platforms have turned ingredient labels into mainstream conversation. Shoppers, men and women alike now look for sophisticated formulas that meet their specific needs, feature elegant, transparent ingredients and align with personal values.
Authenticity has become the defining word of the decade. As knowledge spreads, consumers hold brands and their ambassadors accountable. “Greenwashing,” where companies exaggerate eco-friendly credentials, has eroded trust. Gen Z, in particular, demands honesty. According to TelmarHelixa’s Gen Z Insights Report, 40% of this generation expect the brands they buy to actively support social causes, while Deloitte data shows that 64% will pay more for products that are safe for the environment.
To reach them, skincare brands must go beyond marketing slogans; they must live their values and prove their purpose.
TelmarHelixa Discover provides a detailed view of today’s skincare audience, combining demographic, psychographic and lifestyle data to reveal the mindsets behind the market.
Top States
At first glance, the skincare audience appears youthful, but interest spans every generation. Each age group grew up with different hero products and develops loyalty accordingly.
For skincare marketers, this diversity highlights opportunity. Generational preferences reveal not only brand affinity but also messaging nuance: younger buyers respond to community and inclusion, while older audiences value efficacy and longevity.
The most popular buzzwords in skincare marketing are everywhere — “vegan,” “sustainable,” “organic,” “clean,” “hypoallergenic,” “natural,” “cruelty-free,” “dermatologist-tested” — and the list keeps growing. Retailers such as Sephora even dedicate entire categories such as “Clean at Sephora,” highlighting products that exclude parabens, sulfites, mineral oils and other harmful chemicals.
But while these words dominate packaging and social media, modern consumers are far more discerning. They don’t just look for the right labels; they want proof behind the promise. Education, transparency and ingredient literacy have made it easier for shoppers to spot empty claims. Buzzwords once used to signal trust now risk losing meaning if they aren’t backed by genuine action.
Sunscreen has become one of the most talked-about skincare products this year, and not just because of its health benefits. It’s an example of how a simple item can carry cultural and environmental significance. According to data from Telmar Helixa’s partnership with MRI-Simmons Total Consumer View, 60% of women use skincare products that contain sunscreen and 52% follow a consistent skincare routine.
This growing attention has made sunscreen a symbol of conscious beauty. From reef-safe formulations that protect marine life to sunscreens designed for melanin-rich skin tones, brands are expanding inclusivity and responsibility in equal measure. For many consumers, protecting their skin now also means protecting the planet, and that dual awareness has reshaped what it means to be a modern beauty brand.
Key takeaway:
Buzzwords can open the door to awareness, but authenticity keeps it open. Skincare brands that back their claims with transparency and meaningful action build credibility that lasts longer than a marketing trend.
The skincare market has matured alongside consumer consciousness. More people now weigh both personal wellbeing and planetary impact when choosing products. According to Total Consumer View, 57% of skincare buyers choose natural products out of concern for personal and family health, while 54% do so because of environmental concern.
These behaviors reflect a shift from luxury to literacy. Consumers research, review and reward transparency. Brands perceived as performative risk being filtered out.
TelmarHelixa identifies a Health-Conscious and Social-Activist Audience that is 2.5× more likely to engage with skincare content. These individuals expect alignment between product performance and purpose.
New entrants are capitalising on these expectations. Glow Recipe, founded in 2015, exemplifies the modern skincare success story. By 2021, the Korean beauty brand had surpassed $100 million in sales, fueled by social-media virality, colorful packaging, and a mission grounded in sustainability and positivity.
Glow Recipe’s philosophy, never using words like “poreless,” “perfect,” or “flawless”, positions the brand as a champion of realistic skin goals. Using TelmarHelixa’s audience-intelligence data, we find that Glow Recipe appeals across generations:
This even distribution demonstrates that authenticity transcends age. When values are visible and consistent, they create intergenerational loyalty, a key insight for marketers seeking long-term brand equity.
The skincare audience is vast and varied, but united by the expectation that brands must do what they say. Transparency, high-quality ingredients and measurable impact are non-negotiables.
Traditional market research provides a snapshot; audience insights provide a story. With TelmarHelixa Discover, marketers can explore not only who their audiences are, but why they behave the way they do, connecting social behaviour, cultural trends and lifestyle motivations into one actionable view.
Unlike basic social listening, Helixa transforms raw signals into enriched insights, revealing the multiple dimensions of human intent. In just a few clicks, marketers can see how their target audiences feel, what they care about and which topics will shape next quarter’s campaigns.
The skincare category is no longer defined by demographics, but by depth of purpose, transparency and connection. As consumer expectations evolve, marketers must evolve too, using data to listen, adapt and communicate authentically.
TelmarHelixa’s insights reveal that the future of skincare belongs to brands that balance innovation with integrity. When marketers use intelligence not only to target but to understand, every campaign becomes more human and every message more meaningful.
Our latest market research report "Mapping the Modern Customer: Gen Z and Millennials in Focus", evidences meaningful differences between GenZ and Millennials, market by market, platform use, creator ecosystems, values alignment and purchase pathways, helping marketers to do just that - understand. The outcome is strategy that travels globally and flexes locally, with the granularity to act in each market.
Download your copy of TelmarHelixa's Gen Z and Millennials in Focus Research Report here.