Dealflow Dive: BeautyMatter Index 1H 2026

Presenter: John Cafarelli, Co-Founder + President, BeautyMatter

What do this year's biggest beauty deals tell us about what's next? Leveraging the BeautyMatter Deal Index and the first half’s defining transactions, we'll decode the signals shaping investment, M&A, and strategic growth—and what industry leaders should expect in the months ahead.

 

The Beauty Industry in 2026: Current Landscape and Future Outlook

Presenter: Larissa Jensen, Senior Vice President, Global Beauty Industry Advisor, Circana

Beauty is redefining consumer spending, expanding beyond self-care into emotional connection, wellness, and indulgence while continuing to outperform across retail. In this session, Circana will share the latest point-of-sale and shopper insights across mass and prestige retail, exploring what’s shaping skincare, makeup, fragrance, and haircare today. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of key shifts and growth opportunities to confidently navigate what’s next.

 

Global Market Dynamics and Future Impact

Presenter: Irina Barbalova, Global Lead – Beauty & Wellness, Euromonitor International

In a rapidly evolving beauty landscape, the industry is entering a more selective growth phase, shaped by the convergence of science, technology, and shifting global dynamics. As longevity raises expectations, digital transforms discovery, and Asia resets the price-value equation, the focus shifts from volume to precision, credibility, and execution in unlocking future growth.

The New Beauty Playbook: Navigating Loyalty, Value, and Growth in a K-Shaped Market

Presenter: Sarah Jindal, VP of Insights, Beauty & Household, MINTEL

As consumers grow more selective and experiment less, beauty brands face a new reality where loyalty is harder won and value is under constant scrutiny. This session unpacks how a K-shaped economy is reshaping growth strategies across mass and prestige and why success increasingly depends on selling to needs through proof, transparency, and relevance. Drawing on the latest product, pricing, consumer, and social data, we’ll decode the past six months and identify what brands must do next to drive growth.

The Beauty Divide in 2026: Navigating the K-Shaped Consumer Landscape

Presenter: Anna Mayo, VP, Beauty Vertical, Nielsen IQ

NielsenIQ will share a deep dive into how the K-shaped economy is impacting the beauty industry. We'll explore what is happening and how the industry could shift with a higher proportion of spend coming from high-income households—including which brands, retailers, and categories are most primed for growth.

 

Leadership Roundtable

Moderated by: Kelly Kovack, Founder & CEO, BeautyMatter

• Andrea DiNunzio, Founder & Principal, 20 Rivers 
• Andrew Stanleick, Managing Director & Operating Partner, Gauge Capital
• Kelly St. John, Founder & CEO, KSJ Collective

Business and trends are cyclical, even in beauty. While there are signs that demand is moderating, not all categories or markets are moving in tandem. The ability to read the market will determine the outcome for many businesses. Some will not make it, while others will emerge stronger. It is often during these periods of change that some of the industry's most innovative companies are born. Our panel may not have a crystal ball, but they bring firsthand experience navigating business cycles and will share the lessons they've learned along the way.

 

The New Consumer: Key Trends Reshaping Health, Wellness, and How Brands Win in 2026

Presenter: Emily Safian-Demers, VP of Insights- Beauty, Front Row

Beauty and wellness aren't just growing; they're restructuring. In this session, we'll walk through key cultural and commercial trends redefining how consumers discover, evaluate, and buy beauty and wellness products in 2026. From the rise of AI-powered shopping agents and biotech-grade ingredients, to fragrance as emotional therapy and gut health as a full-body system, these shifts share a common thread: Consumers are demanding more—more science, more personalization, more proof. We'll explore what's driving each trend, what it signals about evolving consumer values, and where the real market opportunity lies. Whether you're thinking about product innovation, channel strategy, or how to refine your brand's positioning, this session will give you a smarter lens on where the category is headed and what it takes to stay ahead.

Beauty Ad Intelligence 2026: What Made a Beauty Ad Last in H1 2026

Presenter: Zsolt Farkas, CEO, Evolut Agency 

Evolut will share findings from an analysis of 500 Meta ads across 50 beauty brands, revealing the creative strategies behind the category's longest-running and highest-performing campaigns. We'll explore the ad formats, messaging frameworks, proof points, and scaling tactics that help beauty brands build more durable advertising and maximize performance across markets.

 

The State of TikTok Shop: What H1 2026 Taught Us About Winning Social Commerce

Presenter: Kaumana Rindlisbacher, Director of Sales, Social Commerce, Pattern

TikTok Shop has evolved from an emerging channel into a strategic growth engine for leading beauty brands. Drawing on marketplace and creator data from the first half of 2026, this session will examine the trends, behaviors, and operating principles separating the highest-performing brands from the rest, along with actionable recommendations to help brands capitalize on opportunities.