By Covalo

From the surge in hyperpigmentation solutions to the mainstreaming of biotech actives, new data patterns are reshaping the personal care landscape. Explore the signals behind the trends, and what they mean for R&D, sourcing, and sustainability strategies in 2026.

Predicting 2026’s beauty breakthrough through real search behaviour

The cosmetic industry is evolving faster than ever, with new ingredients, actives, and formulations emerging almost daily. But in an era of hype-driven trends, how can brands separate short-lived fads from innovations with staying power?

The answer lies in data-driven insights.

At Covalo, we monitor real-time ingredient searches, formulation interests, and campaign-driven behaviuor across the beauty ecosystem.

By analyzing these patterns, we can better understand what’s trending today and anticipate which ingredients and categories may influence skincare innovation in 2026. By analyzing these patterns, we can identify not only what’s trending today but also which ingredients and categories are likely to shape skincare innovation in 2026.

We’ll explore the top searched ingredients of the last few months, uncover the signals behind sudden spikes versus steady growth, and tie these insights to lessons learned from our campaigns.

Data speaks: The ingredients driving beauty’s next chapter

When it comes to predicting where beauty innovation is heading, ingredient search behaviour offers an unusually clear window into the industry’s mindset. Over the past few months, certain keywords have stood out on Covalo, signalling the actives and benefits that are capturing most attention.

Among the most-searched ingredients we have exosomes (consistently on the top spot since the beginning of summer), retinal, collagen, caffeine, urea, niacinamide and ceramides. Alongside these, there has been a dramatic spike in searches related to hyperpigmentation, which jumped nearly 1.000% in September.

This sudden surge suggests that interest in hyperpigmentation isn’t following a steady, long-term curve, but rather a pattern of even-driven or campaign-influenced attention – possibly linked to seasonal launches, social conversations, or emerging claims around tone correction and photoaging.

In contrast, peptides, like peauforiaᵀᴹ by Core Biogenesis or Cellaigie by LipoTrue, tell a different story. Their steady growth since August reflects consistent, sustained interest. The kind of interest often seen when an ingredient moves from “trending” to “trusted”. Peptides have become quite a powerhouse for skin longevity, barrier reinforcement, and repair, underpinning a new generation of functional anti-ageing formulations.

Together, these patterns highlight the dual nature of today’s beauty innovation landscape: fast-reacting and content-driven on one side, yet steadily grounded in proven, science-based actives on the other.

Trends steering 2026 innovation

If 2025 was the year beauty embraced biotech buzzwords, 2026 will be the year the science actually lands on the shelf. Industry forecasts and ingredient search data point toward a convergence of clinical performance, skin resilience, and transparent sustainability – a new standard where innovation must prove both its efficacy and its ethics.

1 – Biotech becomes everyday beauty

According to Mintel’s 2026 forecast, “Metabolic Beauty” will define next year’s innovation pipeline. Actives such as exosomes, peptides and fermented polysaccharides, are transitioning from niche clinical ingredients to accessible daily skincare.

Covalo’s search data echoes this shift. Steady interest in peptides and continued curiosity around exosomes suggest R&D teams are moving beyond traditional retinoids to explore how cellular communication and regeneration can be optimized. 2026 will reward brands that can translate biotech sophistication into clear, results-driven stories consumers can trust.

2 – Precision care

The sharp surge in hyperpigmentation-related searches reveals a renewed obsession with targeted correction. At the same time, consistent searches for ceramides, niacinamide, and urea show that barrier care remains a bedrock of formulation strategy.

Together, these patterns suggest that skincare in 2026 will be both precise and protective, addressing tone irregularities and visible photoaging while reinforcing the skin’s natural defences.

As seen with Covalo’s longevity campaign, there’s a shift from “anti-ageing” to “longevity” – meaning preserving skin health, boosting resilience and barrier strength rather than just reversing damage. The future of corrective skincare lies in pairing visible transformation with long-term barrier support.

3 – The Blue Shift: From sustainability to accountability

“Blue Beauty” is evolving from a marketing term into a measurable practice. Reports from Cosmetics Design, Vogue, and Covalo’s own data, highlight ocean-safe formulations, traceable marine sourcing, and regenerative seaweed farming as rising expectations for 2026.

Search and formulation data indicate growing interest in marine-derived polysaccharides and algae extracts, confirming that the sea remains one of beauty’s most promising frontiers. In your ingredient story, emphasise provenance, ecosystem impact and traceability. Bring in real supply-chain details and metrics (farmer partnerships, regenerative practices) to reinforce credibility.

Clearly, traceability and circular sourcing are no longer optional, they’re proof points that earn consumer and regulatory trust.

4 – Personalisation meets the senses

Beyond efficacy, next year’s innovation wave will focus on how skincare feels and fits into daily life. Mintel’s “Sensorial Synergy” trend highlights the growing importance of texture, scent, and emotional engagement, while advances in AI are pushing hyper-personalized formulations to mainstream routines.

Search behaviour from brands already hints at this evolution, consumers are ready to explore ingredients that promise not only results but comfort, calm, and pleasure in use.

Turning data into strategy

Identifying a trend is only the first step, the real value lies in how you act on it. The ingredient search patterns and broader forecasts for 2026 highlight an important shift: the beauty industry is no longer driven by inspiration alone, but by interpretation.

Formulators and brands are learning to read signals the way investors read markets, balancing short-term momentum with long-term fundamentals. A sudden surge in “hyperpigmentation”, for instance, might point to a marketing opportunity or an emerging need for new brightening actives. In contrast, the steady climb of peptides or ceramides shows where R&D investments will continue to pay off over time.

The industry’s most forward-thinking players are already combining market data, search behaviour, and sustainability metrics to guide early-stage innovation. By treating ingredient data as a predictive tool, beauty brands can move from reactive formulation to proactive creation.

Conclusion – Reading the signals of 2026

As the data shows, 2026 won’t be defined by a single “it” ingredient, but by a new mindset shaping how industry approaches formulation. The next generation of beauty will blend biotechnology and biology, precision and protection, science and sustainability. All guided by a deeper understanding of what consumers truly value: proof, purpose, and performance.

Behind every spike in search interest lies a story of curiosity, innovation, and opportunity. Some peaks hint at short-term buzz. Others, like the steady rise of barrier-strengthening and longevity actives, signal where lasting investment is headed. The brands that can read these shifts early and act decisively will set the pace for the year ahead.

Stay ahead of the curve and explore Covalo’s trend filters to track ingredient movements in real time, and uncover the signals shaping skincare’s future.

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L’Oréal research underlines benefits of ceramides in UV protection skin care

A team of researchers from L’Oréal’s R&D centre in Clark, New Jersey has published a peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology that highlights the efficacy of ceramide formulations for the enhancement of UV protection in skincare products.

According to the research, a skincare regimen that includes a moisturizer and sunscreen formulated with ceramides can serve to protect against UV-induced skin barrier damage from sun exposure. The study evaluated how UV exposure can impact the skin barrier by using the equivalent of two hours of UV exposure during the peak of summer in New York City.

The L’Oréal team decided to demonstrate the impact of a ceramide-containing skincare formula by using CeraVe, the company’s own brand that is a combined sunscreen and moisturising product. The study found that the skin barrier cells that were UV-exposed and treated with the ceramide-containing moisturiser and sunscreen were preserved and mimicked the skin barrier cells that were unexposed to UV. This compared to untreated skin barrier cells, which when exposed to the same amount of UV showed significant damage.

According to the L’Oréal team, the study findings reinforce the benefits of ceramide-containing skincare formulations in helping to protect against UV-induced skin barrier damage, which can lead to barrier compromised eczema outbreaks.

“As the leader in therapeutic skincare, we at CeraVe are committed to working with dermatologists to better understand the skin barrier and develop efficacious formulas with critical ingredients for healthy skin, like ceramides, that deliver therapeutic solutions for all skin needs,” said Tom Allison, SVP and global head of professional marketing at CeraVe.

“We are proud to be a part of the L’Oréal Research and Innovation team that continues to lead the industry in scientific developments that help improve patient outcomes by providing safe and effective therapeutic skincare.”

Aqdot launches molecular capture and release technology

UK-based Aqdot has launched AqFresh; a multifunctional ingredient with a broad range of claims including capturing bad odours, making fragrances last longer and neutralizing viruses.

The technology is based on cucurbit(n)urils (CBs), which are barrel-shaped molecules that act as hosts to target guest molecules and form a supramolecular complex. CBs cover a wide range of molecules, including VOCs and proteins, which the technology has been developed to capture using either sprays or solution.

The development team at Aqdot says that because many allergens are small proteins, the CBs in Aqdot can inhibit allergens from binding to antibodies, while many viruses, SARS CoV-2 pseudovirus, have spike glycoproteins that can effectively be inactivated by the CBs. With respect to allergens, Aqdot says that Aqfresh can remove up to 100% of allergens, a claim that is validated by clinical data. On top of this, it is also non-toxic, safe for the air, soft furnishings, pets and children.

Aqfresh is also said to be up to100% effective in capturing and eliminating malodours without having to rely on fragrance to mask those odours. For this application it is also effective in solid and liquid formulas and works with a wide pH range, to deliver an instant and long-lasting effect.

The technology is also said to be effective against a broad range of indoor pollutants, including BTEX, chlorinated compounds and formaldehyde. For this application, cucurbit(n)urils can bind both sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides.

AqFresh has also been independently tested by the Virology Department of Cambridge/Addenbrookes Hospital to prove its effectiveness against viruses, thanks to the use of protein complexation. This makes it a safe alternative to biocidal technologies.

When formulated with fragrance, AqFresh can also deliver a longer-lasting fragrance experience, prolonging fragrance release by up to 24 hours, while also significantly improving fragrance intensity.

Sabinsa patent count reaches 308

With the addition of two new patents for its Nigellin and Sabroxy ingredient offerings, Sabinsa says it has now reached a grand total of 308 separate patents.

Its collection of patent grants includes various established category-leading ingredients, including LactoSpore, Digezyme and Curcumin C3 Complex, as well as the addition of a growing number of new patents, as the company continues to ramp up its portfolio.

Sabinsa, which serves the cosmetics, supplements and nutrition industries, filed its first patent back in 1996 for its black cumin ingredient, which has a broad range of beneficial properties, underlined by a US patent to register the ingredient’s use for reducing blood glucose levels.

“I’m very proud that Sabinsa has reached the milestone of over 300 patented grants worldwide, and more are coming,” said Dr. Muhammed Majeed, founder and chairman of the Sami-Sabinsa Group.

“Our motto ‘Our Innovation is your Answer’ truly reflects the new products, nutritional supplements and formulations we develop in accordance with global standards to cater to the growing needs of the industry, and consumers.”

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Watch LCS Biotech unveil EcoCeramides, next generation ceramides. Catch up with Chang Seo Park Ph.D., CTO’s Ingredients Showcase session which explains how EcoCeramides strengthens the skin barrier to mimic what happens in the human epidermis.

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​Learn how Stratum Corneum lipids affect skin health and possible treatments against the depletion of these lipids.

The skin is the largest organ of the human body whose main function is to protect it against the loss of physiological components and against harmful environmental conditions. It is divided in three layers: epidermis, dermis and hypodermis.

The epidermis, the most superficial layer of the skin, is subdivided into four other layers: stratum corneum, stratum granulosum, stratum spinosum and stratum basale. The barrier function mainly occurs in the outermost layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum.

This stratum corneum is composed by cells called corneocytes that are embedded in a lipid matrix existing in the form of lipid bilayers. Lipid bilayers are the only way through the stratum corneum and are responsible for the formation and maintenance of the skin barrier function. Therefore, any depletion or disturbance in the lipids that make up the stratum corneum can impair its barrier function.

Similarly, some diseases are associated with the depletion of these lipids. Consequently, the replacement of absent lipids can be exploited as treatment of affected skin.

The lipid layers are composed of ceramides, free fatty acids and cholesterol specifically organized in the lipid matrix at concentrations of 40-50, 20-33 and 7-13%, respectively. However, these concentrations vary according to sex, age, individual’s condition and seasons.

In addition, there are other external and internal factors that can modify the organization and composition of lipids in the stratum corneum. Studies have shown that exposure to some chemicals used in cleaning products and sanitizers, environmental pollutants, pharmacological ingredients and some physical adversity can affect the stratum corneum.

It has been proven that the application of acetone and ethanol to the skin can cause disruption in the skin barrier due to the removal of part of the lipids from the stratum corneum. The same happen with the application of a 5% solution of sodium lauryl sulphate that has also been shown to affect intercellular lipids such as cholesterol, free fatty acids and sphingolipids.

The level of the skin barrier disturbance depends on the nature of the chemicals and the level of exposure to them. Internal factors such as inappropriate diet, ageing and high levels of stress can also alter the levels of lipids in the matrix.

Depletion or disturbance in the lipids of the stratum corneum is known to be the main cause of dryness and rupture of the skin. As a result, it loses water, becomes dry and cracked. The cracks allow the entry of allergens, toxins and microorganisms that can cause inflammation and irritation. The inflammation may cause even more disturbances in the stratum lipids, forming a vicious cycle.

This situation can result in other conditions such as severe dryness of the skin and itching, and its consequences can lead to secondary infections caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. Other diseases may be associated with depletion of stratum corneum lipids, such as eczema, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis, xerosis, among others.

Under normal circumstances, if the skin barrier function is compromised, a repair sequence is rapidly initiated by increasing the synthesis of all lipids in the stratum corneum in order to restore homeostasis. However, under abnormal conditions, the rate of synthesis of these lipids is impaired and a rapid reestablishment of depleted lipids may not be possible, impairing the barrier function of the skin. Studies show how the function can be restored and the main approaches include restoring lost lipids or administering agents that facilitate the production of these lipids.

Several studies have demonstrated that the application of lipid mixtures containing ceramides, cholesterol and free fatty acids in an adequate proportion facilitates the process of skin barrier recovery in skins that suffered extraction from lipids by acetone, petroleum ether or some detergents. Even so, the application of these lipids was not effective in skins treated with some detergent agents such as sodium lauryl sulphate. The negative result was attributed to the protein denaturation effect of the surfactants used and their penetration into deeper layers of skin.

Some researchers suggest that for lipid treatment to be effective, these lipids must cross the stratum corneum and reach the interface between the stratum corneum and the stratum granulosum (a layer just below the stratum corneum). Therefore, efficient diffusion between these layers is an important variable for treatment.

Besides to the stratum corneum lipids, attempts to administer their analogues were made. At a university in the Czech Republic, researchers found that a cream containing ceramide analogue (N-tetracosanoyl- (L) -serine tetradecyl ester) showed an excellent result in repairing the cutaneous barrier in skins that underwent lipid extraction in vivo tests and ex vivo. Unlike natural ceramides, the analogue was synthesized by a low cost, with two-step method that offers the advantage of minimizing enzymatic inactivation.

Ceramides are synthesized and transformed into keratinocyte differentiation process. Synthesis involves precursors of ceramides and various enzymes such as serine palmitoyltransferase. Components that may increase the activity of these enzymes increase the level of ceramides in the stratum corneum. On the other hand, ceramides can be degraded by enzymes called ceramidases, so components that inhibit these degradative enzymes may produce an increase in the concentration of ceramides in the stratum corneum. Some of these components are:

Nicotinamide and his derivatives have been shown to increase the synthesis of ceramides, glucosylceramides, sphingomyelin, free fatty acids and cholesterol. This result was attributed by a positive regulation of the serine palmitoyltransferase enzyme. Ursolic acid has also been classified as an agent capable of increasing the production of ceramide in the skin.

An American study showed that lactic acid significantly increased the level of ceramides in the stratum corneum that was associated with the transformation by the metabolism of lactic acid in Acetyl CoA, which is a source of carbon for the synthesis of lipids. However, another study has proved that the application of eucalyptus extract has improved the skin barrier, which is associated with macrocarpal active A. Macrocarpal A is one of the main active ingredients of the eucalyptus extract. According to the authors, this active increases the amount of ceramides by stimulating the expression of enzymes that stimulate their synthesis, for example serine palmitoyltransferase, glycosyltransferase, sphingomyelinase, and glucocerebrosidase.

Sodium dl-α-tocopherol-6-O-phosphate, a stable derivative against oxidation of vitamin E is another component that increases ceramide levels, as it induces the differentiation of keratinocytes by increasing the entry of calcium into their cells and stimulates expression of the genes that perform the synthesis of ceramides. Besides having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect that reduces lipid degradation in the stratum corneum.

The skin has great importance to protect the human body and the barrier function is mainly due to the stratum corneum, more specifically to his composition and organization of the lipid matrix. Therefore, depletion of the stratum corneum lipids, which can occur due to a variety of reasons, such as the use of certain chemicals, alters their functioning and can lead to different diseases and infections. Studies show that the replacement of these lipids directly or increasing their synthesis indirectly, are effective treatments.

Did you like this article? I hope you did and we would love to hear your opinion! Leave your comment below whether you liked it or even some criticism about it.

The aim of this article is to contribute to the elevation of the technical level of professionals in the area. For any orientation always look for a qualified professional like a dermatologist or pharmacist.

References:

Sahle F.F; et al. [Skin Diseases Associated with the Depletion of Stratum Corneum Lipids and Stratum Corneum Lipid Substitution Therapy]. Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2015;28:42-55. Available:

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