The Real Reason Trend Forecasting Is Taking Over Beauty Trade Shows

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From Bologna to Bangkok, trend forecasting sessions are no longer a side topic. In 2026, they are now the main focus of beauty trade shows.

Trade show organizers throughout the cosmetics industry are rethinking the way they put on events. They aim to provide more actionable value for brand teams, buyers and suppliers. And one thing is abundantly clear: Trend forecasting sessions are now a requirement.

It’s not just new products on display: Brands and buyers alike want to know what’s next — and why it matters. They want real intelligence on what’s coming down the pipeline in trends, ingredients and consumer behavior.

This blog takes a step back and examines why trend forecasting sessions are growing so quickly, what exactly will be different in 2025 or 2026 and how organisers can make your trend forecasting session meaningful.

Why Trend Forecasting Sessions Matter More Than Ever

Infographic explaining why trend forecasting sessions matter, showing a shift from product-driven to insight-driven strategies, with icons for category shifts and business response Ask ChatGPT

The Industry Has Shifted From Product-Driven to Insight-Driven

At one time, brands turned up at these trade shows with a suitcase of samples and a smile. Now buyers arrive with sharper questions:

  • What’s next in skincare tech?
  • Which ingredients are hot in Asia or LATAM?
  • How Gen Z expectations are redefining brand behaviour What is it about Gen Z that’s got marketers so envious?

They’re not just hunting “what’s new” any more. They want to understand what comes next — and why it matters.

Retail buyers need to forecast category shifts 18 months out. Distributors look for leading indicators of how much shelf space to give the product. Suppliers are seeking direction on what formulas and claims that will drive R&D pipelines.

Trend Forecasting sessions are designed to fill the void between the cool and the practical, and help students to understand when we will be ready for the trend. They don’t just tell you what the trend is — but also what the business response needs to be.

Trade Shows Are Now Content Platforms

Infographic showing trade shows as content platforms with icons for knowledge, benchmarking, and trends

Cosmetic trade shows are becoming shows of insight. Yet as the competition among global shows continues to heat up, the real differentiator is what your event teaches, not just what products it shows.

The change has added pressure for organizers to pull off:

  • Strategic knowledge (not just seminars)
  • Competitive benchmarking
  • Reliable sources of trend intelligence

Trade shows are more than just transactional events. They are knowledge exchanges. There are power rankings with context, spotlights on the week’s biggest games and so much more in the new forecasting sessions. They established the tenor for the entire show experience.

Buyers and brand teams are dedicating more budget and more time to shows that provide tailored foresight. They are as much in search of structured learning as they are for networking. Event producers that weaves solidly-researched trend content into their program win on both attention and attendance.

How Trend Forecasting Sessions Are Shaping 2026 Event Calendars

In 2025, some beauty events started to expand the format of beauty forecasting further — through immersive trend labs at Indie Beauty Expo, to cross-market data sessions at the regional In-Cosmetics. Those early changes helped establish a tone that 2026 is now bringing to the world stage.

Cosmoprof’s CosmoTrends & CosmoTalks

In partnership with BEAUTYSTREAMS CosmoTrends has become one of the most reliable prediction tools. It doesn’t just display product rollouts — it curates them, by trend direction, with input from analysts.

Sector-specific spotlight What’s ahead for CosmoTrends in 2026, clean tech haircare and inclusive make-up stories are on the agenda. The reports are released alongside on-site talks, so participants have immediate takeaways they can begin using.

CosmoTalks sessions extend that value. Pets. com Voice of the market analysts Future of packaging experts Retail innovation chiefs in conversation. There’s content, not marketing slides, which is backed by case studies and forecast data.

Peclers Paris – Spring/Summer 2026 Beauty & Wellness Forecasts

Peclers’ trend books are tools for intelligence. In 2026, sessions explore wellness-inspired skincare, biotech actives and multi-sensorial product formulation.

Peclers combines cultural movements with predictions for product pipelines. In their workshops, participants get to envision consumer archetypes, touchpoint strategies and innovation maps.

For exhibitors, Peclers forecasts are a “key to link macro signals to very concrete product development areas.” They help buyers filter where to invest.

In-Cosmetics Global: Technical Trend Integration

What In-Cosmetics is famous for is formulation science, yet its 2026 shows are less about predicted ingredient cycles post- hyaluronic and less about the next exosome and more about the forecast of ingredient cycles post- hyaluronic and that next exosome, the next new next, next, new.

These sessions include ingredient suppliers, academic researchers, and IP experts. Highlights include next-gen emulsifiers, smart delivery systems, and adaptogen data frameworks.

Prediction here is not only visual — it is scientific. That in itself makes it particularly useful for formulation labs and brand R&D heads looking for real angles of innovation.

Other Shows Riding the Wave of Forecasting

Smaller regional shows are now following suit. Beautyworld Japan introduced a trend pavilion that featured curated regional viewpoints. Intercharm in Moscow has added local trend analysts to its keynote track.

Throughout South America programs like Belleza y Salud are developing trend zones with the help of of regional research partners. The aim: embedding localisation IN forecasting, not just taking global templates.

Key Themes in Trend Forecasting Sessions for 2026 Events

Infographic showing how trend forecasting sessions are shaping 2026 beauty event calendars, featuring Cosmoprof, Peclers Paris, In-Cosmetics, and other shows with icons Infographic showing how trend forecasting sessions are shaping 2026 beauty event calendars, featuring Cosmoprof, Peclers Paris, In-Cosmetics, and other shows with icons

Biotech Innovations Dictate Trend Prediction Sessions For 2026

What sort of postcollagen-peptides, post-hyaluronic acid world comes next? Work with labs to corroborate this.

Synthetic biology is facilitating bespoke actives designed at the cellular scale. Enzyme exfoliants, precision fermentation ingredients and CRISPR-edited botanical extracts are now making their way into cosmetic supply chains.

An interpretation of these developments by sessions—from IP to sourcing—adds great value to formulation and innovation teams.

Sustainability Beyond Packaging

Forecasts on carbon-negative sourcing. Pair tech with consumer data.

In 2026, sustainability is more the stuff of power points and less about visuals and experience. We are stewarding toward a lower carbon footprint per SKU, regenerative ingredient networks and circular business enterprises.

“For trend sessions, the conversation is shifting from green talk to demonstrating how carbon scoring, LCAs and blockchain are being used for actual brand strategies.

Cultural Trend Waves

Decipher the psychographics of Gen Z by region. Involve local market experts.

From Korea subculture influences to gender-fluid beauty in Brazil, culture drives demand. Event organizers themselves have to stop relying on global reports and bring in local sociologists, creators and retail watchers to make sense of the narratives that are forming.

Those insights also feed product development, packaging, and messaging ​pipelines.

Sensory Science and History of Trend Forecasting Sessions

Mood-enhancing fragrances. Showcase with immersive demos.

Wellbeing is now multisensory. Brands are formulating with neurocosmetic actives, thermochromic pigments and mood-linked aromatics.

Forcatching sessions in 2026 include live demonstrations of sensory tech, which enables you to feel tactile packaging, sound based retail triggers and emotion tracking wearables.

How to Make Trend Forecasting Sessions Work for Your Event

Infographic showing four strategies to improve trend forecasting sessions: curate content, use multi-format delivery, align with exhibitors, and offer tangible takeaways

Curate, Don’t Crowdfund

Work with expert partners, not open calls.

Sessions must be built on qualified data, not opinion pieces. Curate speakers with real research credentials. Use co-creation with insight providers to deliver grounded, credible content.

Think Multi-Format

Mix talks, trend dashboards, immersive demos.

Trend forecasting works best when it’s experiential. Create physical installations to showcase upcoming textures, scents, and rituals. Use QR codes to deliver take-home PDFs or research decks.

Align With Exhibitors

Forecasting should link to booth content.

Don’t treat trend sessions as isolated content. Build bridges between insights and show floor reality. Offer tools that help exhibitors translate forecasts into product claims, shelf cues, and launch plans.

Offer Tangible Takeaways

End sessions with data, downloads, action items.

Buyers and product developers need to walk away with materials they can apply. Provide summary decks, access to exclusive dashboards, or post-session downloads linked to specific categories.

Some events now use app integrations to push forecast summaries directly into attendee profiles.

Who Should Lead These Sessions?

Blend voices:

  • Foresight experts (BEAUTYSTREAMS, Peclers, Mintel)

  • R&D leads

  • Brand strategists

  • Retail buyers

  • Sociologists or researchers

The best sessions are interdisciplinary. A forecasting expert sets the scene, but layered with commercial interpretation, lab feasibility, and consumer insight.

Some of the highest rated 2026 sessions pair a brand with a researcher to unpack how a trend moved from data to deployment.

In other formats, trend walkthroughs are guided by analysts but supported with retailer insights—especially for shows targeting wholesale buyers.

Why This Matters More in 2026 Than Ever

In a post-pandemic market shaped by inflation, regionalisation, climate shifts, and Gen Z influence, cosmetics moves fast. That’s why forecasting is no longer a luxury—it’s leadership. Trade shows that deliver insight, not just exhibition, are the ones that shape the future.

Forecasting sessions create an edge. They attract top-tier buyers. They build exhibitor alignment. They position the event as a strategic hub, not just a showcase.

And in 2026, that positioning matters more than ever.

Want help crafting a session lineup, sourcing top forecasters, or developing trend-based content for your 2026 beauty event? Let’s talk.

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