Kyra

Your skin barrier is the new status symbol. A decade ago, beauty signalled aspiration through transformation. Full coverage. Contour. Visible artistry. Today, the signal has shifted. For Gen Z, healthy skin has become a form of cultural currency. Luminous, resilient, well-maintained skin increasingly communicates knowledge, discipline and taste. This isn’t just an aesthetic change. It reflects a deeper behavioural shift. Consumers have become more fluent in ingredients. More sceptical of surface-level claims. More drawn to proof, performance and routines that compound over time. Terms like ceramides, peptides and barrier repair have moved from specialist language into everyday beauty culture. Dermatologists and cosmetic chemists have become creators. Educational content has become commercial influence. And the data reflects it. In Kyra’s State of Beauty 2026, skincare sits at the centre of Gen Z beauty routines, while conversations around hydration, microbiome health and barrier repair continue to gain momentum across creator ecosystems. What looks like a trend is often something more structural. When healthy skin becomes aspirational, beauty starts moving away from transformation and toward maintenance. Away from performance and toward proof. That changes how brands build relevance. The winners understand the behaviours, rituals and signals shaping what beauty means next. https://lnkd.in/dGz-MWDh

This week, Kyra brought State of Beauty 2026 to Soho House New York. We convened senior leaders from L'Oréal, TikTok, Lancôme, alongside teams from Bvlgari, Parfums Christian Dior and SharkNinja, for a conversation about the forces reshaping beauty. The session was hosted by Marina Mansour, whose depth of expertise brought real substance to the discussion, connecting cultural shifts, consumer behaviour and the realities brands are navigating on the ground. The conversation was shaped by a belief at the heart of this year’s report: beauty has entered its proof era. That thinking emerged through months of analysing creator signals and consumer behaviour, then working to interpret what sat beneath the data. Not simply what was trending, but what looked structural. Writing the report and keynote was about turning those signals into a clearer point of view. One idea kept surfacing: Influence drives discovery. Proof drives decisions. That idea framed the discussion in the room, from trust and efficacy, to the growing gap between what performs in the feed and what wins in the cart. What stood out most was the quality of the dialogue. It felt less like presenting findings and more like testing ideas with people actively shaping the category. Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to such a thoughtful exchange. For insights what's trending for Gen Z. Download the State of Beauty: https://lnkd.in/evvk8bzw

Gen Z beauty doesn’t behave the same everywhere but the pattern underneath is strikingly consistent. In the UK, discovery is fast, social, and highly visual. In the US, scale amplifies that effect. But in both markets, the same truth is emerging: virality might spark demand but proof is what sustains it. It's time you read the State of Beauty 2026, Kyra’s analysis of the brands, behaviours, and cultural forces shaping the next phase of the industry across the UK and US. Built on the analysis of billions of creator-led beauty videos, alongside proprietary audience data, this year’s report identifies the brands genuinely winning with Gen Z. The shift is clear: Beauty has entered its proof era. Influence drives discovery. Performance and credibility drive conversion. Across both markets, a distinct set of leaders is emerging brands that balance cultural relevance with functional authority. Names like Cerave, Dyson, Dove, Parfums Christian Dior, CHANEL, and YVES SAINT LAURENT PARFUMS are visible and validated by behaviour. Alongside the data, the report features perspectives from some of the most respected voices in the industry, including Celia Ellenberg, Laura Steffanut, Annie Probert, Dina Fierro, and Chris Jackson. Inside The State of Beauty 2026: – The brands winning Gen Z attention and loyalty in the UK and US – Category leaders across skincare, fragrance, haircare, and beauty tech – Insights drawn from billions of creator signals – Expert commentary from global industry leaders – Predictive indicators shaping what comes next Download The State of Beauty 2026: https://bit.ly/4dIznMD

We’re hosting the first US session for The State of Beauty 2026 in New York this Thursday, a focused keynote unpacking the shift shaping the category right now. We launched the report last week in London with a small preview for partners and friends of Kyra. It moved quickly. Strong attendance, sharp conversations, and a level of engagement that made it clear this isn’t your standard trend report. Demand for the New York session has been high enough that we’ve already had to move to a bigger venue. We have a handful of seats I’d like to open up here. If you’re in NYC this week, working on a beauty brand with Gen Z in mind, and want to find out the brands and trends redefining the category please send us a DM.

Some of the most powerful beauty brands right now aren’t what you expect.... Think devices.... Once a tool enters the routine, everything else becomes modular around it and that’s why trust is so concentrated in this category. Based on Kyra’s Predictive Index, analysing billions of creator posts and brand mentions, a small group of tech brands dominates both preference and attention. Top beauty tech brands in the UK Dyson Philips SharkNinja FOREO The Beauty Tech Group (CurrentBody, ZIIP, Tria) BaByliss Paris Revlon Braun Remington This category behaves differently: the device stays, the products rotate. More in the State of Beauty 2026 UK and US editions 🔗 https://lnkd.in/evvk8bzw

Beauty Has Entered Its Proof Era. On Tuesday, we hosted an exclusive preview of State of Beauty 2026: Beauty After Virality. Our definitive analysis of the brands, behaviours, and cultural forces shaping the future of the industry. Held at Soho Works 180, the event brought together leading voices from across the beauty landscape to explore how Gen Z is redefining influence, credibility, and loyalty. Hosted by Marina Mansour, the session unpacked the central finding of this year’s report: virality may drive discovery, but proof drives purchase. Built on Kyra’s analysis of billions of creator-led beauty signals alongside proprietary Gen Z research, State of Beauty 2026 reveals a decisive shift. Beauty is no longer driven by hype alone, it is shaped by routine, repetition, and measurable performance. Key Insights from the Report: - Nearly 80% of Gen Z say influencers and social platforms shape their purchasing decisions. - TikTok drives almost half of beauty discovery. - Despite digital influence, the majority still prefer to purchase in-store. - Reviews, tutorials, and wear tests outperform aspirational content, signalling a move toward evidence-led consumption. These findings mark a structural evolution in the industry one where credibility, consistency, and creator trust define success. We were delighted to welcome an exceptional group of brands in attendance, including: Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, L'Oréal, Jo Malone London and more. Due to overwhelming demand, we are expanding capacity for our New York event next week. If you are a beauty brand interested in attending, please send us a DM. 📩 Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/evvk8bzw #StateOfBeauty2026 #BeautyAfterVirality #GenZ #InfluencerMarketing #BeautyIndustry #CreatorEconomy #MarketingInsights #Kyra #BeautyMarketing

Haircare is starting to behave like skincare: purchase decisions are led by concerns rather than aesthetics. Results take time, that’s why the brands gaining ground are showing up consistently in routines. Going viral is no longer a prerequisite for an effective strategy. Based on Kyra’s Predictive Index,  analysing billions of creator posts and brand mentions alongside our Gen Z survey, a clear pattern is emerging: repair-led, treatment-focused brands are consolidating attention. Top haircare brands (Gen Z preference & creator momentum): OLAPLEX K18 Hair Redken Kérastase Moroccanoil OGX Color Wow Briogeo Hair Care Ouai amika Haircare doesn’t reward virality in the same way. It rewards continuity. More in the State of Beauty 2026 download here: https://lnkd.in/evvk8bzw

Gen Z sees thousands of beauty products but they buy very few. The clearest example are the top brands in skincare in the UK: Cerave Nivea (Beiersdorf) Simple (Unilever) Neutrogena® Professional Aveeno® Professional La Roche-Posay Laboratoire Dermatologique The Ordinary (DECIEM | THE ABNORMAL BEAUTY COMPANY) Clinique Olay (Procter & Gamble) ELEMIS A clear pattern is emerging: derm-coded brands are dominating. CeraVe alone holds a significantly larger share than any other brand. Clinical language. Ingredient transparency. Efficacy proof. In Gen Z beauty, science beats theatre. More in the State of Beauty 2026 UK and US editions 🔗 in comments

Gen Z has rewritten the rules of beauty. This report reveals the winners. Today, we’re proud to launch The State of Beauty 2026 Kyra's definitive analysis of the brands, behaviours, and cultural forces shaping the future of the industry. Built on the analysis of billions of beauty videos and Kyra’s proprietary creator intelligence, this year’s report ranks the top-performing brands across key categories for Gen Z. The findings confirm a decisive shift: beauty has entered its proof era, where influence drives discovery, but performance and credibility determine long-term success. From skincare to fragrance and beauty tech, category leaders including Cerave, Dyson, Dove, Parfums Christian Dior, CHANEL, and YVES SAINT LAURENT PARFUMS emerge as defining forces capturing the attention and trust of the next generation. The report also features expert perspectives from some of the most influential voices in the industry, including Celia Ellenberg of Vogue, Laura Steffanut of Giorgio Armani Beauty, Annie Probert of Marc Jacobs, Dina Fierro of K18 Hair, and Chris Jackson of Starface World. Inside The State of Beauty 2026: - The top-ranking beauty brands among Gen Z - Category leaders across skincare, fragrance, haircare, and beauty tech - Insights drawn from billions of creator-led beauty videos - Expert commentary from global industry leaders - Predictive signals shaping the future of the industry Download The State of Beauty 2026 UK and US editions here:: https://bit.ly/4dIznMD Interested in a deeper dive? DM Marina Mansour, President of Beauty and Luxury at Kyra.

We recently hosted our State of Beauty 2026: Beauty After Virality masterclass at Shoreditch House. Hosted by Louise Whitbread (Vogue Business, The Future Laboratory, The Independent), alongside: • Sarah Saunders (Head of Strategy, Kyra) • Ciara Lynott (Global Marketing Director, TYPEBEA) • Natalie O’Neill (beauty creator, 1M+) Together, we previewed the insights set to be released this week. The core theme: Beauty has evolved. Virality is not enough. An engaged audience, thought-provoking questions, and a room filled with industry leaders made for an energising discussion on the future of beauty and influence. We’ll be bringing State of Beauty 2026 to London and New York through a series of exclusive industry events. Keep an eye out for your invitation. The State of Beauty 2026 report drops this week. Comment below, and we’ll send it through 👇