Body care is reshaping the beauty market as consumers apply the same ingredient knowledge and performance expectations they use for facial routines to their skin below the neck.
Market momentum and consumer expectations
“For years, facial skin care has dominated the beauty conversation,” says Grace Vernon, Director of International Retail Partnerships at Boots Ignite and Trends. “What we’re now seeing is that same level of interest extending beyond the face.”
Prestige sales data for Europe, supplied by Circana, show body care grew 11% in value to €523 million in the year ending September 2026, with unit sales up 8%.
In the United States, the first half of 2026 recorded a 16% rise in the segment’s sales, confirming the category’s expanding share of beauty spend.
Industry analyst Mathilde Lion of Circana notes that “today we are seeing body care becoming an extension of their beauty and wellness routines, so they are looking for products that combine efficacy, sensorial pleasure and self-care.”
Product launches surged 62% in 2026 compared with the previous year.
New entries include fragrance brand Kayali with its Yum collection, and NYX Professional Makeup debuting a glow-enhancing Fat Oil Body Collection after 27 years in colour cosmetics.
e.l.f. Cosmetics added the e.l.f.
CEO and co-founder Kathy Widmer explains, “After years at the forefront of skin care innovation, I saw a gap that needed to be addressed: while facial care had advanced dramatically, the rest of our skin had been left behind.”
Sales of body serums rose 16% in Europe and 27% in the UK, according to Circana, highlighting growing demand for treatment-style formats.
Unilever’s Vaseline introduced Gluta Hya Smoothing Serum Burst Lotion, a serum-to-water texture with a triple-acid complex, 4D hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, clinically proven to refine texture in seven days.
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Dove launched a Body + Mind Serum Body Wash, pairing a skin-care-inspired texture with mood-boosting fragrances; the range has generated ÂŁ2 million in sales and ranks tenth in the UK health and beauty NPDs.
Face-grade actives drive body-care growth
Consumers seek the same benefits, with acids, peptides and barrier-supporting actives becoming more popular, says Vernon.
Growth comes from brands that deliver face-grade benefits drugstore lines, focused on basic moisture and fragrance, cannot. Discovery is no longer controlled by a few big brands, so consumers can find what works and leave what doesn’t. Winners will be brands that solve real problems, prove it on the skin and earn a place in everyday routines.
Trend 1: Body contouring in the GLP-1 era
Consumer interest in firming creams and lotions is accelerating. Spate reports that searches for “body firming cream” were up 45% year-on-year through August 2026, while “firming body lotion” rose 31%.
Searches for “body contouring” and “cellulite” also climbed, reflecting concerns about skin quality as appetite-reducing GLP-1 drugs become more common.
These products are becoming more sophisticated, with brands incorporating face-grade actives and clinically tested formulas.
Body care trends for 2027
The key to success will be to balance the range of benefits that consumers are looking for, while bringing in sensorial elements that make the market an experiential step in their beauty and wellness routine.
Trend 2, the skinification of nail care, explores the connection between the rising demand for natural and healthy-looking nails and the growth of skin-care-inspired products in the nail category.
Grace Vernon, Director of International Retail Partnerships at Boots Ignite and Trends, explains that the body glow trend is about making that coveted all-over glow more achievable through products that are both effective and enjoyable to use.
The body milk format is gaining traction, with brands exploring the intersection of efficacy and experience, and creating lightweight, fluid products that make moisturising feel less like a functional step and more like a daily indulgence.
As the market continues to grow, brands will need to stay ahead of the trends and consumer demands, incorporating new ingredients, formats, and technologies into their products to meet the evolving needs of beauty shoppers.
