Beyond Hybrids: the New Era of Skin-Care-First Makeup

Recently, BiotechBeauty debuted at Credo Beauty, delivering “science-backed, skin-improving makeup” that is both acne-safe and microbiome friendly. BiotechBeautyA September 2025 analysis by Circana’s Natallia Bambiza noted, “In the past few years, we witnessed a shift from makeup products featuring skin care benefits to products that are true hybrids, with skin care benefits and color being equally important. Lately, skin-care-first brands have expanded into makeup by launching products where skin care ingredients and benefits take priority, while color plays a supporting role.”

This shift is already being seen in the market. Recently, BiotechBeauty debuted at Credo Beauty, delivering “science-backed, skin-improving makeup” that is both acne-safe and microbiome friendly. 

"What excited us about BiotechBeauty is how it brings real science into everyday makeup,” said Credo Beauty VP of brands Jessica Treiber at the time. “The products are fun and effortless, yet backed by research that supports the skin’s microbiome and barrier. It's that rare mix of innovation, performance, and joy that we know our clients will connect with.”

This opens opportunities for cross-innovation, delivering pigmented products featuring hot ingredients such as peptides—as seen with Doll 10’s Peptide Bounce Balm foundation and Danessa Myricks Beauty’s Yummy Skin Soothing Serum Skin Tint Foundation with Peptides + Ceramides—as well as exosomes and PDRN, for which there are currently no examples on the market.

This could be a particularly timely innovation shift, especially in light of the flat U.S. prestige facial makeup sector. 

Here’s what that might look like in practice.

Beauty with Benefits: The Rise of Skin-Forward Makeup

“Hybrid makeup has quickly shifted from a trend to a standard product offering, as consumers expect foundations, powders and highlighters to deliver both flawless color and measurable skin benefits,” says Irena James, senior business development manager, beauty and personal care, ingredients and specialties at Univar Solutions. Twinkles_Photos at Pexels“Hybrid makeup has quickly shifted from a trend to a standard product offering, as consumers expect foundations, powders and highlighters to deliver both flawless color and measurable skin benefits,” says Irena James, senior business development manager, beauty and personal care, ingredients and specialties at Univar Solutions. “Multifunctionality is no longer optional—it’s the new baseline for innovation. This need for multifunctionality stems from lifestyle shifts, time-pressed routines, the wellness-driven focus on skin health, and a growing desire for fewer, smarter products that will still deliver visible results. For today’s consumer, every step in the beauty care routine is expected to do more.”

Provital’s Sculpup, for instance, points to the possibilities of reshaping facial makeup. The blackberry-derived active ingredient is designed to naturally plump and lift cheeks by boosting collagen production, protecting the skin with antioxidants and enhancing adipocyte activity. Its pro-adipogenic and firming properties promote volume, firmness and definition without the need for invasive procedures. With its ability to improve skin texture and radiance, Sculpup is ideal for hybrid makeup products like blushes, tinted moisturizers, or foundation balms, delivering both cosmetic color and skin care benefits for a youthful, sculpted appearance.

A number of ingredients on the market offer benefits, says James, including dsm-firmenich’s Pepha-Tight CB, which reportedly delivers instant smoothness and tightening, giving visible results quickly—while being versatile for primers and tinted products. The company’s Alpaflor Sebum, meanwhile, can help balance the skin's microbiome, reducing shine and breakouts and purportedly extending makeup wear.

Functional ingredients offer benefits as well, says James. For instance, Dow’s DowSil 1686 Resin can extend shine, radiance and coverage, maintaining makeup's cosmetic impact, while its DowSil EP-9801- Hydro Cosmetic Powder offers a soft feel and masks imperfections, enhancing the sensory experience in makeup applications.

A Perfect Moment for Hybrid SPF Products

Beyond actives, makeup has an opportunity to expand its reach with SPF-forward products.Vikto at Adobe StockBeyond actives, makeup has an opportunity to expand its reach with SPF-forward products.

"Sun protection is essential, and consumers are increasingly looking for SPF products with formats that feel elegant, deliver hydration and integrate seamlessly into beauty routines," says James.

She adds, "This has fueled the rise of hybrid SPF products, daily moisturizers, tinted sunscreens and foundations with built-in UV protection, that combine skin benefits with beauty performance. The goal is to make SPF or sunscreen not just a necessity, but a product that people genuinely enjoy using every day.”

Ingredients are driving the evolution of SPF into multifunctional hybrid beauty products that offer both protection and cosmetic benefits. For instance, dsm-firmenich’s Pentavitin provides long-lasting hydration, while DL-α-tocopherol ensures a smooth application and strengthens the skin barrier. Meanwhile, the company’s Syn-Coll CB helps protect skin’s structural proteins from UV damage, maintaining firmness and elasticity, making it ideal for SPF-infused makeup with anti-aging benefits. 

Sustainable ingredients like Syensqo’s DermalCare LIA MB and Dow’s SunSpheres Bio SPF Booster enhance spreadability, sensory appeal and SPF efficiency while supporting eco-conscious formulations. In addition, Dow’s DowSil EP-9801 Hydro Cosmetic Powder adds a velvety finish, while its DowSil EL-8052 Silicone Organic Elastomer Blend improves smoothness and filter compatibility. Together, these materials position hybrid SPF products as the perfect fusion of protection, skin care and beauty.

Skin-Care-Forward Inspiration: New Concept Products

Recently, GPI Beauty developed a range of concept products highlighting the movement toward more sophisticated skin-friendly makeup. GPI BeautyRecently, GPI Beauty developed a range of concept products highlighting the movement toward more sophisticated skin-friendly makeup. Its Dance Floor Flush Cream Blush offers a lightweight, long-lasting wear with a buildable formula that melts into the skin. Key ingredients include sunflower seed wax for a smooth glide and locked-in color, silica for a blurred effect, vitamin E for antioxidant defense, and microcrystalline wax for supporting long-wear.

The company’s Hit Replay Cream Eyeshadow is a buildable pigment with crease resistance that can pair with other shadows. Its key ingredients include nourishing jojoba esters, synthetic beeswax for adherence to skin, trimethylsilioxysilicate for long-wear performance and blurring silica.

Its Lash Out Loud Mascara is smudge-resistant, delivers easy length and lift, conditioning effects (thanks to shea butter) and layerability. Key ingredients include panthenol for protection and strengthening of lashes, lengthening myristoyl pentapeptide-17 and hydrating sodium hyaluronate.

5 Skin-First Makeup Strategies 

1. Hybrid Products are the New Standard: Consumers now expect makeup to deliver both flawless color and measurable skin benefits. Products that combine skin care ingredients (like peptides, exosomes, PDRN) with color are no longer a trend but a baseline expectation.
2. Skin-Care-First Approach: The market has shifted towards "skin care-first" makeup. Prioritize skin care ingredients and benefits, with color playing a supporting role. Products that are acne-safe, microbiome-friendly, and barrier-supporting resonate strongly.
3. Multifunctionality is Key: Due to lifestyle shifts, time-pressed routines, and a wellness focus, consumers seek fewer, smarter products that deliver visible results. Every step in a beauty routine is expected to "do more," creating opportunities for innovative multi-functional ingredients.
4. Embrace Functional Ingredients Beyond Actives: Beyond traditional "active" skin care ingredients, functional ingredients (like those from Dow) can extend wear, enhance shine, provide a soft feel, or mask imperfections, significantly improving the user experience of makeup.
5. Capitalize on SPF Integration: There's a strong demand for SPF products in elegant, hydrating formats that integrate seamlessly into daily beauty routines. Hybrid SPF products, tinted sunscreens, and foundations with built-in UV protection offer significant market potential.