Panel discussion on...

Beauty from within and holistic trends

Alison M. Winger, PhD
Chief Executive Officer,
Key2Biotics

Member of AgroFOOD Industry Hi Tech's Scientific Advisory Board

Beauty From Within: The Emerging Landscape of Nutricosmetics

3) The beauty from within category is undergoing a significant shift from surface-level beauty toward systemic skin health. Historically, beauty was largely dominated by topical products and cosmetic positioning. Today, consumers increasingly understand that skin health is deeply connected to physiological wellbeing, including gut health, sleep quality, stress, inflammation, hormonal balance, and healthy ageing.


This growing awareness is reshaping the category, with visible appearance increasingly viewed as a reflection of internal physiological health rather than purely external care. Topical products remain important, but consumers increasingly see them as only one part of the equation. There is a much greater appreciation that supporting the body internally through areas such as gut health, sleep, stress management, and healthy ageing may have profound effects on skin quality, resilience, and long-term skin health.


One of the most important areas driving this shift is the gut-skin axis. The microbiome is increasingly recognised as playing a role in inflammation, immune signalling, skin barrier integrity, and overall skin appearance. As a result, probiotics, prebiotics, and microbiome-supportive ingredients are becoming increasingly relevant within nutricosmetics and beauty from within formulations.


At the same time, the category is expanding beyond traditional beauty ingredients alone. Consumers increasingly understand the relationship between stress, poor sleep, and visible skin outcomes, including dullness, impaired skin recovery, inflammation, and accelerated signs of ageing. This is driving demand for more holistic formulations that bridge beauty with mood support, relaxation, sleep quality, and overall wellness.


Importantly, the conversation is also shifting away from traditional anti-ageing positioning toward healthy ageing and skin longevity. Consumers are increasingly focused on ageing well rather than simply looking younger. The emphasis is moving toward maintaining healthy skin function, vitality, resilience, glow, and confidence throughout life.


This is particularly relevant in areas such as perimenopause and post-menopause, where skin dryness, reduced elasticity, changes in barrier function, and visible ageing become more pronounced due to hormonal changes. Consumers are increasingly seeking integrated solutions that support both wellbeing and skin health during these life stages rather than products focused solely on cosmetic outcomes.


As a result, ingredients and concepts traditionally associated with other health categories are now moving into the beauty space. Adaptogens, sleep-support ingredients, probiotics, prebiotics, magnesium, mood-supportive botanicals, and broader healthy ageing ingredients are increasingly appearing alongside collagen, ceramides, antioxidants, and traditional beauty actives.


At the same time, consumers are becoming significantly more educated and science literate. They are looking for evidence-based products with credible positioning, thoughtful formulation strategies, and multifunctional benefits rather than trend-driven marketing claims. The future of beauty from within will likely be defined by products that bridge beauty, wellness, microbiome science, healthy ageing, and overall quality of life within a single holistic framework.


11) One of the biggest shifts happening within the beauty from within category is the growing focus on women’s health, particularly around perimenopause and post-menopause. However, these stages are often grouped together despite representing very different physiological experiences and consumer needs.


Perimenopause is the transition phase where hormonal fluctuations begin to intensify and many women first experience changes that impact both wellbeing and visible appearance. Sleep disruption, stress sensitivity, mood changes, inflammation, and metabolic shifts may all influence skin health during this stage. Consumers increasingly recognise that skin appearance is closely connected to broader wellness factors, particularly sleep quality, stress resilience, and gut health.

Post-menopause presents a different challenge, where many skin-related changes become more sustained and physiologically pronounced due to the long-term decline in oestrogen levels.


Reduced collagen production, lower skin hydration, decreased elasticity, impaired barrier function, and increased skin sensitivity are all commonly observed. Hair and nail quality may also change significantly. These are not simply cosmetic concerns, they are highly tangible quality-of-life issues that affect confidence, comfort, and overall wellbeing.


This is where beauty from within solutions can play a particularly meaningful role. The category is moving beyond traditional anti-ageing positioning toward broader healthy ageing and skin longevity support. Consumers are increasingly looking for solutions that help maintain healthy skin function and overall wellbeing throughout these stages of life rather than products focused purely on appearance claims.


At the same time, there is growing recognition that skin health during perimenopause and post-menopause cannot be viewed in isolation. The gut-skin axis is becoming especially relevant, with emerging research suggesting that microbiome changes during these stages may influence inflammation, skin barrier integrity, and overall skin quality. Poor sleep and chronic stress may also contribute to visible skin ageing and impaired skin recovery, further strengthening the connection between wellness and appearance.


This is creating opportunities for more holistic formulation strategies that combine traditional beauty ingredients with probiotics, prebiotics, adaptogens, sleep-support ingredients, and broader wellness actives. The convergence of nutricosmetics, healthy ageing, microbiome science, and women’s health is likely to become one of the defining trends within the category over the coming years.


Importantly, consumers in this space are highly engaged and increasingly science literate. They are seeking credible, transparent, and evidence-based solutions rather than trend-driven marketing language. Scientific substantiation, thoughtful ingredient selection, and realistic positioning are becoming increasingly important differentiators.


There is also a major opportunity for more personalised approaches. Not every woman experiences perimenopause or post-menopause in the same way. Some may primarily struggle with skin dryness and elasticity, while others may prioritise sleep quality, stress resilience, healthy ageing, or overall wellbeing. The future of the category will likely involve more targeted and holistic solutions designed around specific needs rather than generic menopause products.


Ultimately, the conversation is shifting away from narrow anti-ageing claims toward a much broader healthy ageing and healthspan perspective. Beauty from within is increasingly about supporting skin health, confidence, and wellbeing in a way that reflects the complexity of these physiological transitions and the evolving expectations of today’s consumer.




Panelists

Vincenzo Zaccaria

Bionap (Active Group)

Trisha Sugarek MacDonald

Akay Bioactives, an Oterra company

Benny Antony

Arjuna Natural

Carlos Morales Ruiz

Aurora Intelligent Nutrition

Juliane Hellhammer

DAACRO

Franziska Schmitt

DAACRO

Annie Liu

DolCas Biotech

KG Rao

DolCas Biotech

Zachin Rao

DolCas Biotech

Miri Eliyahu

Euromonitor International

Magda Starula

Euromonitor International

Aarthi Janakiraman

Everest Group

Dieter Bracke

Fermedics BV

Mike Hughes

FMCG Gurus

Katia Merten-Lentz

Food Law Science and Partners

Oliver Wolf

Gelita

Silvia Pisoni

Gnosis by Lesaffre

David Foreman

Herbal Pharmacist Media

Lucilla Caricchio

Hylobates Consulting

Johanna Maukonen

IFF Health

Arthur C. Ouwehand

IFF Health

Serena Tongiani

Indena

Volker Spitzer

IQVIA Consumer Health

Stephanie Krammer-Lukas

IQVIA Consumer Health

Tyler Holstein

Kemin Human Nutrition and Health

Alison M. Winger

Key2Biotics

Karen E. Todd

Kyowa Hakko

Celia Martin

Lallemand Bio-Ingredients

Elodie Aragon

Lallemand Health Solutions

Chris Kilham

Medicine Hunter

Greg Cumberford

Natures Crops International

Pauline Cox

Sow & Arrow

Sybille Buchwald-Werner

Newday

Laetitia d’Ursel

People Science

Belinda Tan

People Science

Colleen Quinn

Colleen Quinn Consultancy

Matevž Ambrožič

PharmaLinea

Maja Orešnik

PharmaLinea

Lucia Barra

Probiotical

Annalisa Visciglia

Probiotical

Walter Fiore

ROELMI HPC

Florencia Moreno Torres

Rousselot

Shaheen Majeed

Sabinsa

Ilaria Campestri

B2B Health & Beauty,
ESG Industrial Processes Expert

Kelly Dobos

Consultant, Cosmetic Chemist

He Li

School of Food & Health
Beijing Technology & Business University

Claire Liu

Seppic

Suyin Perret-Gentil Robespierre

Suannutra

Jennifer Toomey

TopGum Industries

Inbal Nahmias

TopGum Industries

Anu Turpeinen

Valio