Olive Young reveals K-Beauty trends for 2026
Key takeaways
- The pursuit of a “complete self” is shaping K-beauty trends for 2026.
- Millennials and Gen Z are leading the “early wellness” trend and seeking convenient, enjoyable beauty routines.
- Makeup is increasingly seen as an extension of skin care with hybrid products.
CJ Olive Young has named the pursuit of a “complete self” as the most impactful trend in K-beauty for 2025 and 2026.
South Korea’s leading health and beauty retailer says the wellness trend has become more pronounced around the world. It names the US, UK, and China as major consumer bases that prioritize wellness in their daily lives. Olive Young partially attributes this to the global rise of Korean beauty principles.
The company also selected FULL MOON as a keyword that will proliferate through the K-beauty and wellness industries this year and next. The acronym stands for Feel-good wellness, Unwind to win, Lifestyle shift (climate), Layered K-routine, Medical-home loop, Over the makeup, One bite luxury, and Next-gen beauty concierge.
Olive Young’s 2026 Trend Keywords report presented various beauty shifts such as K-beauty in global daily life, pro self-care that connects beauty treatments and home care, GenZ luxury beauty, and AI hyper-personalization.
“This report shows that many new trends are occurring in the K-beauty and wellness fields, and at the same time, the tendency to consume ‘hyper-personalized’ value is gradually intensifying,” says an official from Olive Young.
Generational wellness
Olive Young has experienced double-digit growth in the number of customers aged 15–24 purchasing wellness products annually since 2022.
The company states that millennials and Generation Z want to take care of their appearance and well-being. It dubs this the “early wellness” trend, signaling a growing trend of taking care of one’s health from the early 20s.
Wellness trends are shaping the future of K-beauty. For example, Olive Young found that these generations engage in wellness practices through a “healthy pleasure” method. This customer base prefers routines that are convenient and enjoyable to incorporate into their daily lives, rather than a heavy and burdensome self-care regimen.
The retailer identifies consumers’ favor for convenience through the increasing launch of beauty-from-within solutions, such as wellness snacks.
Sleep care becomes personal care
Consumers’ incorporation of wellness practices into their daily routines is increasing.
Olive Young notes that beauty shoppers are interested in skin care, body care, and hair care products that contain melatonin, magnesium, and vitamins. These solutions are touted as wellness practices that do not require extra time from users’ daily schedules.
The retailer reports that the high interest in wellness is also leading to the trend “recovery care.” The company states that GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), niacin, and pantothenic acid, which are known to help relieve stress, have emerged as new wellness ingredients.
This year, Olive Young’s sleep-related health food sales increased by more than 300% compared to the same period last year. Melatonin ingredients are said to be leading the trend, with an increased demand for sleep care.
Olive Young also predicts that wellness will be expanded beyond nutrition-oriented practices to life-oriented care tailored to individual lifestyle patterns.
Makeup–skin care convergence
Makeup trends are also tapping into Olive Young’s concept of a “complete self.” The “skin care makeup” trend has spread, with there now being a growing tendency to recognize makeup as an extension of skin care.
Gen Z and millennials are driving the shift toward wellness practices in personal care.
Olive Young says that as a result, color products containing high-performance care ingredients and skin care products with added color are being released, and the hybrid product line is rapidly expanding.
The cosmetics retailer asserts that consumers also consider color, coverage, and durability, alongside ingredients, when purchasing makeup products. It reports that this year, the number of searches for skin care keywords such as soothing, barrier, and moisture in the makeup category surged on their platform by over 150% compared to the previous year.
Olive Young says that as a result, beauty brands are creating color products with naturally derived ingredients and securing patents for related technologies. This shift is identified in its “derma shades” trend, detailing makeup solutions that cater to consumers’ skin concerns.
