The European beauty and cosmetics market continues to grow, driven by more targeted formulas, concentrated active ingredients, and stricter regulations on environmental claims. Since September 27, 2026, the European ECGT directive prohibits generic ecological claims on cosmetic products sold in the European Union. This framework fundamentally changes how brands communicate, formulate, and certify their products.
ECGT Directive and Cosmetics: What the September 2026 Regulation Changes
The directive 2024/825, known as ECGT (Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition), applies without a transition period since September 27, 2026. Its principle: generic environmental claims are now prohibited unless they are based on verifiable performance through an official label or recognized standard.
The targeted terms are broad: “natural,” “green,” “eco-friendly,” “biodegradable,” “clean beauty.” A brand claiming an environmental benefit for an entire product when only the packaging or a specific ingredient is involved is in violation.
For consumers, this directive changes how they read labels. For brands, it imposes a fundamental effort on certification and traceability of ingredients. Formulas must be documented, and each claim must be linked to a specific element of the product (sourcing, manufacturing process, packaging).
This regulatory tightening also affects online retailers and platforms. Following the news from Annuaire Beauté helps identify which brands are adapting their communication to this new framework and which ones maintain vague formulations.
Editorial Makeup and Fall Trends: Beyond Minimalism
The so-called “editorial” makeup, long confined to backstage at fashion shows, is making its way to the streets. Intense palettes, saturated colors, and visible textures on the skin are gradually replacing the discreet aesthetic that dominated previous seasons.
This shift is not limited to eyes or lips. Makeup products now incorporate skincare actives into their formulas: hyaluronic acid in foundations, vitamin C in highlighters, niacinamide in primers. The boundary between skincare and makeup is blurring, changing consumer expectations regarding composition.
Fall 2026 also marks the return of glossy textures on eyelids and satin finishes on cheeks. Available data does not yet allow for measuring whether this trend will last beyond the season, but online searches for these terms have significantly increased since spring.
Concentrated Formulas and Reduced Beauty Routines
The trend of skinimalism, which emerged in South Korea, is taking a more radical form. Consumers are seeking short routines with multifunctional products. Three to five products are sufficient to cover hydration, protection, and correction, whereas routines previously sometimes included ten steps.
This demand is pushing laboratories to formulate serums and creams with a high concentration of actives. Marine ingredients, probiotics, and fermented formulas are increasingly found in a growing number of references. However, field feedback diverges on the actual effectiveness of “all-in-one” products compared to specialized treatments applied separately.
- Fermented actives (yeast extracts, lactobacilli) aim to strengthen the skin barrier without layering multiple products.
- Formulas based on marine ingredients (algae, thermal spring water) focus on a high concentration of trace elements to reduce the number of steps.
- Bi-phase serums combine an oily phase and an aqueous phase to address multiple issues in a single application.
Social Media and Beauty: TikTok Shop as a Trend Accelerator
TikTok Shop is changing the speed at which a cosmetic product goes from being niche to viral. The beauty sector represents one of the most active categories on this integrated sales platform. A product can reach a peak in demand within days and then drop just as quickly.
This mechanism creates pressure on brands: to adapt stock, accelerate launches, and monitor consumer feedback in real-time. Trend cycles are shortening, raising questions about the sustainability of formulas rushed to market.
Content creators play a role as direct influencers. Their recommendations weigh heavily on purchasing decisions, sometimes more than traditional advertising campaigns. This phenomenon is prompting some brands to reshape their development strategy around community feedback rather than traditional panels.
Certification and Transparency of Cosmetic Ingredients
The combination of the ECGT framework and social media pressure creates a converging effect: consumers demand concrete evidence regarding the composition of cosmetics. INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) lists are subject to closer scrutiny.
Several ingredients are also undergoing re-evaluation at the European level. The cosmetic regulation EC 1223/2009 continues to evolve, with restrictions on certain substances and strengthened requirements for safety documentation.
- Official labels (Cosmos, Natrue, Ecocert) are becoming increasingly important as self-declarations of “clean” or “green” are no longer legally sufficient.
- Traceability of ingredient sourcing is becoming a verifiable commercial argument, not just narrative.
- Brands that anticipate these requirements gain a competitive advantage on platforms where consumer reviews quickly penalize unfulfilled promises.
The year 2026 is not just about new lipstick colors or viral haircut trends. The beauty sector is undergoing a phase where regulation, sales technology, and transparency expectations are reshaping the rules of the game. The brands that adapt to this triple movement are the ones that will remain visible in the coming months.
