Beauty-boosting nutrition shifts from anti-aging focus to longevity and overall wellness

The nutricosmetics industry is transitioning beyond traditional skin care and anti-aging claims as consumers increasingly connect appearance with longevity and overall health. Industry experts highlight opportunities in multifunctional, clinically backed solutions targeting the gut-skin axis, metabolic beauty, and mental well-being. 

Nutrition Insight discusses emerging opportunities and scientific support in beauty nutrition with Bioiberica, Kerry, AB-Biotics, and Sirio. 

Monica Gomez Navarro, marketing manager of Branded Ingredients at Bioiberica, says the largest opportunity for beauty-boosting nutrition lies in broadening the conversation beyond beauty alone, and recognizing that “healthy skin is closely connected to overall health and longevity.” 

“Linked to this, we’re seeing a shift away from the idea of ‘anti-aging,’ and instead, there is a growing focus on maintaining vitality, resilience, and quality of life for longer. In this context, beauty becomes an outcome of supporting the body’s underlying biological processes rather than the sole objective.”

Gomez Navarro notes this is changing how beauty products are developed and marketed. “Rather than focusing on isolated esthetic claims, brands are beginning to position products around supporting the body’s natural processes. Hydration, skin barrier function, collagen production, and healthy aging are becoming more meaningful consumer benefits than simply ‘looking younger.’”

Haelim Choi, global senior marketing manager of Health and Therapeutics at Kerry, adds that consumers are looking for products that deliver multiple benefits rather than addressing a single need. “For example, improving gut health may support skin appearance, while better stress management or sleep may positively influence visible signs of aging.”

“This shift is driving demand for science-backed ingredients that fit within broader wellness routines and support both inner health and outward appearance.”

Beyond cosmetics

Gomez Navarro advises brands to view beauty-from-within products as part of a broader healthy aging toolbox, instead of how an ingredient can reduce wrinkles, for instance. Some brands are starting to connect these products to skin quality and hydration support alongside overall well-being during aging.

Gomez Navarro argues beauty becomes an outcome of supporting the body’s underlying biological processes instead of the sole objective.She says that this holistic approach is particularly relevant as younger consumers adopt preventative health habits earlier, while older consumers seek solutions that help them remain active, confident, and independent.

“We’re already seeing this shift reflected in the longevity space, where ingredients are increasingly being positioned around health span rather than lifespan. Consumers are looking for solutions that help them feel and look healthy throughout life.”

Miquel Bonachera, co-executive director and co-founder at AB-Biotics, also points to mental well-being as an important aspect in skin care, as stress can lead to skin breakouts. However, he cautions that consumers expect clear mechanisms of action and clinically demonstrated outcomes. 

He highlights AB-Biotics’ Mindbiome solution with the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KABP 051 strain, which targets the gut-brain axis, influencing key neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, and balancing cortisol and inflammatory cytokine responses.

“In a clinical trial, adults under psychological strain reported reduced stress and anxiety after eight weeks of supplementation. By helping to mitigate psychological stress and mental load, Mindbiome can support people in addressing their skin health from within.”

Metabolic beauty

According to Alexej Dens, sales director at Sirio Europe, some of the most compelling science points to metabolic beauty — an idea that appearances reflect how the body manages inflammation, processes nutrients, and supports cellular function.

Dens refers to a recent edition of Sirio’s podcast The Source, where Veronica Ek, global marketing manager at beauty and personal care company Oriflame, said there was a substantial opportunity at this intersection of beauty and metabolic health.

“She made a compelling point: our health and metabolism have a profound impact on how we look and feel, influencing everything from energy levels and skin radiance to resilience and overall well-being,” he says.

Dens highlights how metabolic beauty links inflammation, nutrient processing, and cellular function to impact how people look.“Consumers are not thinking in category silos. The same person investing in collagen for their skin is also often thinking about energy, cognitive clarity, and how they feel overall,” he underscores. “Brands that can address that broader picture credibly will find a significantly larger addressable market than those focused on skin alone.”

Gut-skin axis

Skin health remains a focal point for almost a third of consumers globally, according to Innova Market Insights data. Its 2026 survey revealed that 29% of consumers tried to improve their skin in the previous year, noting that supplements are the preferred format as they support convenient hydration, skin appearance, and overall wellness. 

AB-Biotics’ Bonachera believes the gut-skin axis will continue to be a key driver in beauty-from-within. However, he also observes a growing consumer understanding of the connections between the gut, skin, and the brain.

“Managing psychological stress through microbiome interventions could become an important part of beauty-from-within innovation. We’re seeing opportunities for science-backed biotics targeting the gut-brain and gut-skin axes to be combined with nutrients such as zinc, vitamin C, niacin, and hyaluronic acid, creating multifunctional formulations.”

He adds that clinically validated postbiotics hold significant potential in beauty nutrition due to their stability across delivery formats. However, he says they “remain relatively underutilized” in the wider market.

“Commercially, this creates opportunities to develop innovative products without compromising efficacy. New clinical research has revealed that our postbiotic Latilactobacillus sakei KABP 065, marketed as AB-Sakei 65 in Europe, delivers skin health benefits for healthy women in their 30s and 40s.”

According to Bonachera, the study found that, after daily supplementation with the heat-inactivated strain for five weeks, women receiving the postbiotic showed significantly greater improvements in facial skin elasticity and firmness than the placebo group.

“The effects were particularly notable in participants in their 40s, who also showed statistically significant improvements in skin moisture retention compared to baseline,” he adds. “Building on previous research in atopic dermatitis for this strain, this is the first study to evaluate its effectiveness in healthy individuals, highlighting its potential for beauty-from-within applications.”

Tangible results

Kerry’s 2025 consumer in-depth interview found that benefits such as healthier skin, stronger hair, and improved nail appearance are highly valued because they provide tangible proof that a product is working. “These visible changes often serve as short-term milestones while supporting longer-term health goals,” says Choi.

Choi notes consumers want multiple benefits, adding how improving gut health may support skin appearance, and that sleep impacts visible signs of aging.Although the demand for visible changes resonates strongly with women, she adds that it is not limited to them. “We see similar interest among men, particularly around hair health, skin appearance, and healthy aging. As self-care becomes increasingly mainstream, consumers are looking for benefits they can easily observe and track over time.”

Moreover, Choi notes that skin health is a “powerful entry point” into proactive health in general. “It is one of the most over-indexed health benefits among consumers in their 20s and 30s who are beginning to think about healthy aging. For many, improving visible appearance is the first step toward maintaining vitality, resilience, and well-being as they age.”

“As a result, we see strong opportunities for solutions that combine beauty outcomes with deeper health drivers such as gut health, inflammation management, and healthy aging — helping consumers both look and feel their best throughout life.”

Nutrition Insight also recently spoke with Monteloeder by SuanNutra’s Lauren Winchell, business development manager. She echoed that the nutricosmetics space is shifting to a wider conversation around visible health through clinically supported ingredients that help connect biological pathways with tangible outcomes.

Clinical backing

Bioiberica’s Gomez Navarro expects the next phase of beauty nutrition to be driven by ingredients supported by robust clinical evidence and benefits beyond traditional beauty claims.

“Rather than introducing entirely new ingredients, much of the innovation is coming from a deeper understanding of established ingredients and how they can contribute to healthy aging and healthspan.”

For example, she points to the latest science on Bioiberica’s Dermial, which combines hyaluronic acid with complementary glycosaminoglycans and collagen. Gomez Navarro says Dermial has been shown to deliver a “glow” effect in six weeks in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

She says that it also showed significant improvements in skin hydration, smoothness, and roughness at 60 mg daily, in addition to wrinkle reduction.

“The research showed particularly strong benefits in adults over 55, highlighting its relevance for healthy aging and life-stage-specific nutrition.”

Dens at Sirio adds that krill oil is underappreciated in a beauty nutrition context, noting that its phospholipid-bound omega-3s offer a mechanism around inflammation and cell membrane integrity with “real implications for skin health at a cellular level.”

Bonachera points to a growing consumer understanding of the connections between the gut, skin, and the brain.“The Superba Boost ingredient from Aker BioMarine, which we use in HydraPearls Vital, is backed by a substantive body of clinical research. HydraPearls Vital is our flagship example of what the next generation of beauty nutrition can look like: Superba Boost krill oil, collagen type I, and hyaluronic acid combined in a single softgel.”

Connecting science to consumers

Choi at Kerry says that one of the biggest challenges in beauty nutrition is having strong science and clinical research to support consumer benefits and product claims. “Consumers are becoming more discerning and increasingly expect clinical evidence to support product claims.”

She adds that translating complex science into simple, meaningful consumer benefits can be challenging as well. “Concepts such as the microbiome, cellular health, or healthy aging can be powerful, but brands need to communicate them in ways that are relatable and easy to understand.”

“Regulatory requirements also vary significantly across regions, making it important to balance innovation with compliant and credible messaging,” says Choi.

Although consumers increasingly understand the science behind beauty-from-within products, Dens cautions that the science is moving faster than most can keep up with. He says bridging the gap between science and consumer advice is “one of the category’s biggest hurdles.”

“There are exciting developments in areas like phospholipid bioavailability, the gut-skin axis, and cellular health, but turning that into something meaningful for someone in a health food store or scrolling social media is a challenge.”

Dens adds that the delivery format is often overlooked, even though it connects the science to the consumer. “Even the best ingredient won’t make an impact if it’s difficult or unpleasant to take. That’s why formats like softgels and gummies matter. A great-tasting gummy that fits easily into someone’s daily routine helps ensure the benefits of the ingredient are actually realized.”