Last week, LOOKFANTASTIC handed out its AW ’26 Trend Report at its Fresh Cycle pop-up in London which means one thing and one thing only – it’s time to embrace the cooler, shorter evenings, the rich creams and hot teas. Building on social media data and the brand’s own buying team, we got a full data-backed rundown of what to expect in the next months – and what you absolutely need to know before you restock your bathroom cabinet.

Based on the brand’s report, here’s a quick overview of the AW2026 trends you’ll be seeing everywhere.

1. One perfume for life is over

Forget finding “your scent” and sticking with it forever. Data shows shoppers are now building fragrance wardrobes – rotating between several scents depending on mood, occasion or season, and increasingly layering them to create something that’s entirely unique to them. Reddit backs this up: the community r/perfumesthatfeelslikethis has seen over 60% growth in UK views across the past six months.

On the note front, vanilla remains the reigning favourite, but cherry is the one to watch this season. We’ll see more sophisticated gourmands with notes of caramel, vanilla, patchouli, chocolate, fig, and even whisky. And of course, lest we forget, the A-lister pistachio.

2. Maximalist makeup is back

The pared-back “clean girl” era is loosening its grip. LOOKFANTASTIC’s search data shows a clear swing back toward colour, texture and personality-led makeup: brow searches are up 25.3%, eyes 19.3%, and lips 11.7%, with MAC, NARS and Huda Beauty leading the charge on artistry-driven looks. LOOKFANTASTIC Expert and Makeup Artist Jeyaney said:

“As a makeup artist, I’m seeing a demand for more polished, glamorous makeup looks. While clients still want skin to look fresh and modern, there’s been a shift towards more definition, structure and impact. I’m also noticing differences across markets, with many international clients being more open to experimenting with bold colours and trend-led looks.”

Bronzer in particular is having a resurgence, and that’s partially thanks to makeup brands stepping up their bronzer game. Not only are formulas more blendable and wearable, shade ranges are far more inclusive, so there’s now a product that works for each and every skin tone.

3. Hair growth is having its moment

Buying Manager Beth Eyre points to customers buying more into full routines with growth in routine-led bundles. But the bigger story is hair loss and thinning, an area Eyre says has seen significant growth. At LOOKFANTASTIC, this category is up +37% YoY.” Her explanation for the surge goes well beyond a beauty trend:

“This is driven by a few things; a broader understanding of the mechanism of hair loss and thinning, both through brand education and social media; more social acceptance in discussing hair loss, for example, with hair transplants; greater and more open conversation around menopause, perimenopause and post-partum; and the growth in use of GLP-1s, where a side effect of this can be hair loss and thinning.”

4. Peptides: skincare’s workhorse

Peptides are the reigning champions of skincare. These amino acid chains support the skin’s microbiome while backing up natural collagen and elastin production. The hashtag #peptides has racked up 233 million views on TikTok, and on LOOKFANTASTIC’s own site, search behaviour for the ingredient is up 14% year-on-year, now making it the platform’s 8th most popular skincare ingredient, with checkout start rate climbing to 17.1%. The report flags a handful of standouts to try this season:

• Medik8’s Advanced Pro-Collagen+ Peptide Cream
• Medicube’s PDRN Pink Peptide Serum
• SkinCeuticals’ P-Tiox Neuro-Peptide Serum
• Ole Henriksen’s Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment
• The Ordinary’s Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density and Scalp Support

5. K-beauty is now a trust signal

We have all witnessed, astonished, how K-beauty boomed in the UK, with shops popping up on every corner. The viral phase is over, and K-beauty is now ingrained in our habits. TikTok’s #kbeauty tag is up 719% since 2023, and at LookFantastic, sales in the category have climbed 158% year-on-year.

Senior Buying Manager Lauren Starkey attributes this growth to consistent consumer demand, which continues to prioritise key skin concerns, including dryness, sun damage, skin ageing, and compromised skin barriers.

Ingredient innovation is a big part of that story too: “niacinamide, PDRN, peptides and collagen are also delivering triple-digit growth,” alongside probiotics, which Starkey flags as the category’s rising star – searches for probiotics are up 90% year-on-year, now ranking among LOOKFANTASTIC’s top 15 skincare ingredients overall.

6. Skin barrier is back

After a run of exfoliation, peeling and heavy actives, the pendulum has swung firmly back toward repair. On-site search activity for skin barrier concerns is up 28.5% and ranks as LOOKFANTASTIC’s 5th-highest skin concern overall, with three-year growth sitting at 182%. A beauty products the brand recommends include:

• La Roche-Posay’s Cicaplast Baume B5 Multi-Purpose Repairing Balm
• Avène’s Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream
• Haruharu Wonder’s Black Rice Probiotics Barrier Essence

7. Regeneration and skin longevity

The key goal maintenance now – supporting the skin’s own repair processes instead of fighting the clock outright. Award-winning surgeon Dr Jonquille Chantrey says:

“For the last 20 years, long before longevity became the defining topic in beauty, my published scientific research on skin regeneration and positive ageing predicted a different future for aesthetic medicine. It won’t be defined by age reversal, but by healthy prejuvenation that also keeps us recognisably ourselves. This is the era of visible biological health.”

PDRN – DNA fragments originally derived from salmon, now available in plant-based versions too – has seen LF searches accelerate by 54% quarter-on-quarter, while the hashtag #pdrn has grown by a striking 990.91% over three years on TikTok. Retinal is following close behind, up 26.2% quarter-on-quarter on-site and 4,837% on TikTok since 2023.

8. The ten-step routine is officially retired

The multi-step routine that dominated last year has been shown the door. This season’s answer is fewer products doing more – what LOOKFANTASTIC is calling “skin streaming”, where multitasking formulas and devices replace long routines rather than sitting alongside them. SPF is named as the category benefiting most from this shift, with hybrid formulas like Beauty of Joseon’s Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics SPF50+ and Quick Flick’s Quick Screen Setting Spray SPF 50+ combining protection with makeup-setting benefits.

9. Beauty and wellness, from the inside out

Finally, the line between beauty and wellness continues to blur. LOOKFANTASTIC’s data shows collagen, vitamins and electrolytes increasingly being bought alongside skincare and haircare essentials. Wellness brand NEOM is up 28% year-on-year, performing well alongside sleep-support products like gummies and pillow sprays – proof that, for a lot of shoppers, wellbeing isn’t just skin-deep and should extend to their environment and body health, too.