The 5 biggest beauty trends we saw at Cosmoprof 2026

Every July for the past 23 years, the beauty industry has descended on Las Vegas for Cosmoprof North America, the largest beauty trade show in the Americas. There are more than 1,000 brands and exhibitors from more than 100 countries, spanning skin care, nails, hair care, makeup, wellness, packaging and more. The event offers an early look at new brands, new products and some of the biggest innovations in the world. Needless to say, it's where many beauty trends are born.

While it's hard to meet every brand and founder in the massive Mandalay Bay Convention Center, we did our best and clocked 20,000+ steps a day going up and down the aisles, swiping on serum, spritzing perfume and getting to the bottom of all the industry chatter. These five trends stood out from the crowd and seem poised to make a big impact over the next year.

Skin Healing

Numerous brands this year focused less on aesthetics and more on healing diseased skin, including scaly patches and persistent redness from psoriasis or eczema. They focused more on solving a problem, rather than just smoothing wrinkles. For example, Labrains, a Latvia-based, women-led research and manufacturing company, creates skin care for sensitive skin and conditions like rosacea, acne and dermatitis, all free from preservatives, alcohol, irritants and solvents.

Now, if dryness is your main concern, Dr. Brid C is your brand. The "cosmeceutical" skin-care brand is backed by Hyundai Bioscience, a South Korea-based biotechnology company known for its pharmaceutical research and drug delivery technology. The line is focused on supporting the skin's moisture barrier with a patented collagen-signal peptide delivery.

Another standout brand we have our eye on is Alice Cress, which launches this fall with its Restorative Serum. It's specifically formulated to improve touchscreen responsiveness for those who have chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and other skin conditions, which can affect sensation and finger pressure.

Patches

Everywhere you looked at Cosmoprof, there was a patch. Some deliver vitamins, others help heal scars and one even claims to diminish the look of cellulite. When it comes to wellness, BonWellness stood out as an emerging brand of wearable supplement patches. The Australian company is the brainchild of Nicole O'Neil, a former Miss Australia and star of "The Real Housewives of Sydney," and hawks supplements for menopause, sleep issues and more.

For scars, wounds and acne, convention-goers flocked to Everaid, a South Korean medical device and dermatological manufacturer specializing in hydrocolloid technology. Dallas, TX-based Make It Skin also makes hydrocolloid patches, but with a bit of style. Cute green bug bite relief patches contain skin-calming centella asiatica, and colorful mini patches and waterproof strips have been accepted by the National Eczema Association and the National Psoriasis Foundation.

PowerfulX, a South Korean company known for its muscle recovery cream, is also coming out with patches, but these focus on pain relief and even fat reduction and cellulite.

Nostalgia

Hello Kitty, Strawberry Shortcake, Peanuts — the list of nostalgic collaborations goes on and on. We spotted entire beauty lines dedicated to the beloved characters from K-beauty brands Célavi and ByUR. Impressions Vanity Company — known for its mirrors, chairs and more — expanded on its popular collaborations with Hello Kitty and Friends, Care Bears and Disney.

Curl Care

There were more curl-care brands at Cosmoprof than ever before, from all over the world, showing a shift towards embracing your natural texture. Established indie brands made a splash, such as As I Am, a 15-year-old brand for curly and coily hair by cosmetic chemist Dr. Ali N. Syed. It's still family-owned and operated out of Illinois.

Mass market Brazilian brand Skala Brasil, founded in 1986, had one of the biggest booths in the convention, showcasing its four hair treatment lines for all hair types, including kids. Lola From Rio, a Brazilian indie brand, also created buzz with its bold and colorful branding and vegan formulas.

Toronto-based hair-care brand Curl Keeper, known for its water-based styling products, showed off its recent brand refresh with streamlined packaging and reorganized product collections. And California-based newcomer Shirley Jane shared its minimalist, clean hair care focused on self-care rituals and embracing your natural texture.

Beauty Tech

The beauty tech world has been growing and growing, and that was evident by the innovation at Cosmoprof. Chinese beauty device manufacturer Oren Medical showcased its latest LED-powered skin care and wellness technologies, including red-light therapy panels, LED rollers and light therapy for lip rejuvenation.

South Korean skin-care and beauty device brand Thome (above) combines topical products with at-home ultrasound devices, which they claim are gentler — but just as effective — as products that use electrical current. And Israeli technology company iRomaScents created an AI-powered device to help shoppers choose a fragrance they're sure to love. The company, which won the 2026 Cosmetics Business Innovation Award, is looking to be in retail stores to help increase sales conversion.

Disclosure: Cosmoprof paid for Fashionista's travel and accommodations to report this story.

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