Can skincare brands prove their claims?

Products using an ingredient common in aesthetic treatments are gaining ground.

Skincare brands are shifting towards clinically tested ingredients and delivery technologies as consumers demand treatment-like results and greater proof that products work.

“Consumers are more sceptical of overclaiming, more fluent in the language of skin biology, and increasingly holding brands to clinical standards of proof,” Mintel Group Ltd., a market research company, said in a June 2026 report.

Almost half of women in South Korea and Brazil consider noninvasive cosmetic procedures acceptable, raising expectations for products that can deliver similar results at home, Mintel said.

Mintel’s Global New Products Database showed launches containing polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), an ingredient used in aesthetic treatments, have accelerated since 2024.

Exosome-based technologies are also appearing more often in products targeting skin repair, barrier strength, and post-procedure recovery.

Brands are shifting attention from the concentration of active ingredients to how they reach the skin. Face and neck care launches featuring microneedles increased from 2021 to 2025, according to Mintel’s database.

Spicules and encapsulation systems are also being used to improve absorption and target specific skin layers.

Consumer scrutiny is rising alongside the trend. More than eight in 10 women in China think excessively high concentrations of active ingredients can damage skin, Mintel said.

The shift is also reaching Asia-Pacific markets, where consumers are seeking products based on scientific evidence and tailored to individual skin concerns.

The region’s skincare market is projected to grow from $2.15b in 2025 to $3.48b by 2035, according to Market Research Future data updated in June.

Demand for personalised products, clean ingredients, and formulations targeting ageing and skin health is expected to support growth. Brands are also investing in artificial intelligence-powered skin analysis and personalised skincare technologies.

Longevity science is adding another layer to product development. Brands are studying biological processes linked to skin ageing, including inflammation, metabolism, mitochondrial function, and the buildup of ageing cells.

In South Korea, 44% of women associate longevity with reversing signs of skin ageing, whilst more than a third of women in China think mitochondria-targeted delivery improves skincare efficacy.

Mintel said brands combining clinic-inspired ingredients, delivery systems, and longevity research need credible evidence to support efficacy claims as consumers become more demanding.

Questions to ponder

1. Can skincare brands provide enough evidence to justify treatment-like claims?
2. Will delivery technology matter more than higher concentrations of active ingredients?