AUTUMN/WINTER ’25 BEAUTY TRENDS TO WATCH (AND SHOP)

New season, new outfits, right? But what about new skincare, makeup, haircare and wellbeing discoveries instead?
If a seasonal overhaul of your beauty shelf sounds enticing (of course it does), then you're probably wondering what Autumn/Winter '25 trends you really need to know about. To save you scrolling endlessly through TikTok in search of what’s hot, we caught up with Cult Beauty’s expert buyers to reveal the AW25 beauty trends that need to be on your radar... and your basket.
MEET OUR EXPERTS:
Abigail Routley, Cult Beauty Senior Buyer
Sophia Ghwedar, Cult Beauty Senior Buyer
Polly Yeung, Cult Beauty Buyer
Lindsey Whiteford, Cult Beauty Buyer
AUTUMN/WINTER 2025 SKINCARE TRENDS
KOREAN SKIN CARE
We’ve seen Korean skin care dominate beauty conversations for years — and it’s not slowing down for 2025. But as Sophia tells us, there’s a “shift from the once-popular 10-step routines to a more refined, ingredient-focused philosophy.” Think: futuristic textures, fermented actives and barrier-boosting formulations designed to deliver targeted results in fewer (but more effective) steps.
BLEMISH SPECIFIC FORMULAS
Move over, harsh, skin-stripping solutions. This year, blemish care is all about supporting the skin rather than punishing it. “By understanding the full lifecycle of a blemish, these innovative formulas use clinical levels of active ingredients to reduce excess oil, restore microbiome balance and strengthen the skin barrier,” Sophia explains. It’s why “barrier care” and “acne” now go hand in hand.
BIO-TECH POWERED SKINCARE
Lab-grown, high-performance ingredients are pushing skincare into the future. From exosomes to next-gen peptides, biotech is redefining what’s possible. “As brands prioritise both performance and sustainability, biotechnology offers precision actives that mimic natural compounds — but with enhanced stability and efficacy,” says Sophia. The result? Smarter, more sustainable skin care.
Ingredients to Watch in 2025
Beta-glucan: often dubbed “hyaluronic on steroids”, calms and repairs while boosting collagen.
PDRN: a Korean clinic favourite now entering bathroom cabinets, it’s praised for its skin-healing power.
AUTUMN/WINTER 2025 MAKEUP TRENDS
BLURRED-MATTE SKIN FINISHES
After months of glassy, dewy skin, complexions are turning matte — but with a soft-focus twist. “There is a shift toward a more diffused blur matte finish with brands leaning towards innovative skin tints, foundations, powders and, most notably, setting sprays which offer a blurring, mattifying final step to their 'Satin Skin Look,’” shares buyer Lindsey Whiteford.
90S REDO
The 90s aren’t going anywhere, but the mood is evolving. “We’re flipping to frosted finishes on the eyes — silvers, slates and cool shimmers washed across the lids — paired with luminous highlighters and high-shine lips,” Lindsey explains. It’s less grunge, more glossy.
MAXIMALIST EYES
Eyes are stealing the spotlight this season. Think shimmer shadow sticks, jewel-toned palettes and mascaras that dial up the drama. “We’ve seen the focus move towards bold and tonal palettes, as well as volumising mascaras,” Lindsey tells us. Balance the look with softer lips and a muted base, then play with colour, texture and inner-corner accents for a hintt of sophistication.
AUTUMN/WINTER 2025 WELLBEING TRENDS
SLEEP-ENHANCERS
Sleepmaxxing is here to stay. “We’re seeing sleep as a key category for Autumn/Winter 2025 and are partnering with Solaris Labs NY to exclusively launch mouth tape later this year,” explains Polly. Magnesium supplements, silky pillowcases and soothing LED masks complete the ritual.
HORMONAL SUPPORT
“Our internal health will also remain a focus within 2025, and customers have shown an increase in hormonal support products for all stages of life from pregnancy to menopause and beyond” tells us Polly. From solutions to help with bloating and specific supplements aimed at ensuring your strands look and feel longer and stronger, to gummies that deliver all the multivitamins you need to maintain healthy skin, bones and even nails, our love for supplements isn’t going away any time soon.
COLLAGEN BOOSTS
New for Autumn/Winter 2025 is collagen as “consumers look seek to achieve a glow from within.” tells us Polly. Collagen continues to be the wellness buzzword. Essential for skin, hair and joints, it naturally declines with age — which explains the surging demand for powders, capsules and drinks promising that lit-from-within glow.
AUTUMN/WINTER 2025 HAIR TRENDS
The number one hair concern this season? Flyaways. “Even those with naturally straight hair are affected — regardless of humidity — especially when damage and breakage are present,” says Polly Yeung.
TREATMENTS
Offering targeted solutions to whatever your hair concern, treatments aren’t a new invention. However, with healthy-looking hair a number one goal for consumers, it’s clear that we’re looking for ways to being our locks back from the brink. Whether you’re tackling dandruff and want to eliminate flakes or are looking to moisturise and mend broken lengths, there’s a plethora of products carefully crafted to offer locks exactly what they need.
HAIR MASKS
Specifically formulated to offer locks a heavy dose of hydration, hair masks mean business when you’re trying to tackle flyaways. Ideal whatever your hair type or texture, a hair mask can be applied pre-wash and left for you to go to the gym, a walk or even a zoom call before you need to rinse them out. Crafted from an array of high performing ingredients, including ceramides, peptides and biotin, they help leave locks looking and feeling softer, smoother and flyaway free.
POST-WASH PRODUCTS
New for AW25 are post-wash hair care heroes. Elevating your strand styling routine with clinically proven results, the post-wash category features everything from scalp-saving serums to elixirs, mists and styling foams all developed to promote healthier, stronger, more resilient hair that looks shiny and smooth.
So, there you have it — the biggest beauty trends of Autumn/Winter ’25. The only question is: which ones will you be trying first?

Rina is Cult Beauty’s Midweight SEO Copywriter and has always had a passion for beauty and skin care (rich moisturisers are her obsession). What started as a love for The Body Shop and their famed Born Lippy lip balms (in ‘Watermelon’ of course!), she is now more interested in finding products with proven effectiveness instead of broken promises. A loud and proud VIEVE fan, Rina owns nearly every item of the range and recommends the brand to anyone who will listen... When she’s not intently reading ingredient lists, you can find her either immersed in multiple true crime podcasts or a fantasy romance novel, with an *extra* hot cappuccino in hand.