Body Care 2026 Trends
In 2026, we're talking body.
Over the last year, we saw brands build multi-step body care routines with elevated, skincare-grade formulas. In 2025, the soap, bath, and shower market was valued at a whopping $10.3B and shows no time of slowing down. With "exfoliating" and "moisturizing" as the top purchase drivers, 2025 was the year of enhancing skin texture. Although multi step routines are on the rise, there are certain formats that consumers are saying goodbye to in 2026:
Greasy Body Butters
While hydration is a hot topic, especially in extreme climates, heavy butters with greasy residue are totally out. With so much innovation in moisturizer textures, consumers are shifting towards brands that can replenish dry skin with nourishing benefits to sensitive skin as well as leave a desirable finish. Or, best case scenario, offer additional benefits like firm skin, even skin tone, or offer a natural, high end fragrance.
Artificial Fragrances
We're at the height of a fragrance renaissance, harkening back to our days at the mall layering body mists, scented body lotion, and perfumes. In the last year, we've noticed a shift away from gourmand, towards unscented and naturally derived fragrances. We see this shift as part of the multi-tasking trend where consumers want their products to do more than one thing. Because artificial fragrances can be irritating to the skin,
Hard Core Scrubs
Microdermabrasion has developed a bad rap in 2025, consumers are shifting away from irritating procedures and products and leaning towards gentler approaches. AHA and chemical exfoliants as well as natural, more gentle buffing ingredients are on the rise.
Basic Shower Gels
A classic shower gel just isn't cutting it these days. While the consumer gets busier and products become more dimensional, multi-tasking formats are on the rise. The everything shower movement is the practice of building out a body care routine to achieve more than just a great cleanse. In 2026, we're seeing more Body Washes that feature additional claims like evening skin tone and texture, pre and post shave, and various hydrating textures for layering.
The sunset of these formats comes at the heels of some new and innovative formats.
Here’s what Body Care innovation will look like in 2026:
Body Serums and Actives
The skinification of body is all about building out classic body products with innovative viscosities, textures, ingredients traditionally seen only in facial care. Body formats usually have a one-dimensional marketing story. Here are some additional benefits we’re seeing emerge: hydration (hyaluronic acid and glycerin), firming (retinoic acid boosting ingredients), exfoliation (AHAs and BHAs), redness, and soothing (niacinamide and peptides).
Barrier Boosting Formats
The skin barrier is the outermost layer of skin which maintains the skin’s integrity and prevents moisture loss. Important for skin sensitivity, extreme climates and for both face and body, skin barrier claims are up 50% in the last five years. Ceramides, squalane, niacinamide, colloidal oatmeal and humectants are the most popular ingredients that support the skin barrier. The top three trending textures for these ingredients and claims are cream, serum, and gel.
Body and Scalp Care
An emerging and very niche new trend is body and scalp hybrid products. Oils and scrubs are the top formats for this category, speaking to consumer needs for exfoliating and hydrating claims. As consumers demand more from their products, brands are turning to muti-tasking innovation.
SPF
There is no sign of SPF development slowing down. With bemotrizinol being proposed as a new UV filter, we foresee some exciting suncare innovation in the US. In the last few years, we’ve seen new SPF textures like spray, serum, powder, and highlighter sticks. The SPF category has felt stale for years, and the recent push for innovation is a great sign that these essential products are only going to get more interesting from here.
If your brand is looking to reimagine some older formats or to develop the next viral trend, your Twincraft team has you covered from start to finish. Reach out to a member of our sales team to get things rolling.
