Clean beauty market set to soar to $23.7b as demand for safer products rises

Retailers now serve as educators, curators, and trust-builders.

The global clean beauty retail market, valued at $8.3b in 2024, is projected to reach $23.7b by 2033, growing at a 12.2% compound annual growth rate, according to research by Intelo.

The growth is driven by rising consumer demand for eco-friendly, non-toxic, and sustainably sourced products, alongside increasing ingredient transparency.

Asia is at the forefront of this shift, where clean beauty combines heritage ingredients, holistic wellness, and ethical commerce.

Regional perspectives vary across the continent. Japanese consumers value precision and minimalism, Koreans focus on skin barrier health and fermentation, Indians rely on Ayurveda and botanical balance, and Southeast Asians prefer climate-adaptive, lightweight formulations.

The report also said that clean beauty retail in Asia has also evolved from simple product placement to educational and experiential spaces.

Stores now act as educators, offering ingredient-first merchandising, QR codes for sourcing transparency, skin diagnostics, and experience-led retail with skin diagnostics, ingredient labs, and consultation corners

Meanwhile, online platforms provide long-form ingredient explanations, community reviews, and tools for personalized product discovery.

Consumers are highly research-driven, reading full ingredient lists, avoiding vague “green” claims, and seeking brands aligned with their values. Younger buyers are science-backed, rejecting unnecessary chemicals rather than scientific innovation.

Asian clean beauty consumers are amongst the most research-driven in the world.

They read full ingredient lists rather than relying on front-label claims, avoid products with vague “green” or natural marketing, and look for alignment with a brand’s philosophy in addition to product efficacy.

Younger consumers, in particular, are science-backed, rejecting unnecessary chemicals rather than scientific innovation, and increasingly demand transparency and evidence behind every product claim.

Asia’s competitive advantage lies in indigenous ingredients like fermented botanicals, herbal extracts, marine actives, and rice- or tea-based compounds.

Digital adoption is also critical, with mobile-first shopping, social commerce, AI skin diagnostics, and regional e-commerce platforms driving growth.

Moreover, sustainability expectations extend beyond packaging to ethical sourcing, energy efficiency, and refillable systems.

Key market players include Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Credo Beauty, The Detox Market, Bluemercury, Cult Beauty, Mecca Brands, and Glow Recipe.

The next phase of growth will be smart and precise, featuring personalised retail, traceable ingredients, regional brand expansion, and integration of wellness and preventive skincare.