BEAUTY AS SELF-CARE | Lumson

Thanks to the consideration of beauty as a lever for success, today people no longer seek excess but balance: yes, to cosmetic surgery, but only to overcome personal insecurities. Consumers' motivations for purchasing beauty products are also changing, as is the very concept of beauty: no longer an act of vanity, but self-love and a way to feel good mentally.
That's not all. If 52% of Italian prosumers (vs. 56% globally and vs. 49% mainstream) prefer to invest in wellness experiences rather than elaborate beauty routines, and 69% of Italians are convinced that it is easier to be beautiful if you are rich, and 68% admit to struggling to accept themselves in a society obsessed with perfection, for brands, this means rethinking their offerings by integrating scientific content, collaborating with sleep and nutrition experts, offering immersive experiences that combine aesthetics and health, but also, while maintaining their aspirational value, offering rewarding solutions that are accessible to all.

SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY
Another interesting topic that closely concerns the beauty sector and its evolution is sustainability. While words such as "natural," "eco," and "sustainable" are all the rage on the labels of detergents, cosmetics, and supermarket shelves, consumers are increasingly skeptical about the veracity of such claims and fearful of greenwashing. According to the European Commission, 75% of "green" products do not provide verifiable evidence, and only 1 in 5 consumers truly believes brands' sustainability claims (Blue Yonder, 2025). The sectors most affected are beauty and home care. According to CosmetoSafe, 37% of environmental claims in beauty products are too generic or unfounded, while over 65% of "green" household cleaners do not provide transparent information on ingredients and environmental impact (Altroconsumo, 2023).
The European Union proposed the "Green Claims" directive, which would have required brands to demonstrate-with data and verification-the reliability of their environmental claims, but in June 2025, the discussion was suspended, and the proposal was withdrawn by the EU Council. The road to transparency is still long, but there are ways to recognize a truly sustainable brand, such as backing up sustainability claims with numbers, data, and concrete results; providing proof of commitment through third-party certifications, such as B Corp, which assesses social and environmental impact, or Plastic Negative Certified by rePurpose Global, which certifies plastic reduction and compensation; or even measuring the environmental impact of its products in concrete terms. Studies such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which analyze multiple environmental dimensions throughout the product life cycle, or Carbon Footprint analyses, which focus on CO2 emissions, help to make comparisons and clarify the results obtained. LCA and Carbon Footprint studies are not only a way to measure the impact of one's products but also a very effective weapon against greenwashing.