Adaptogenics, ectoin, custom serums: The key skincare trends on our radar for 2024

Kate Demolder: The beauty and skincare ingredients to watch out for in 2024

As each new year rolls around, so too does a fresh new wave of skincare trends, products and ingredients — all of which promise to change the game. 

While people have been tending to their skin in perfectly satisfactory ways for hundreds of years, skincare technology today is quite something. 

That said, try to step away from the hype and tune into what suits you. Skin is an organ, after all — not just something that needs fixing.

1. Hormonal skincare

The skincare industry has grown to consider the tenuous links between our endocrine systems and skin appearance, meaning that we’ve never been better versed in how to treat it.

Vichy Neovadiol, €25.26, Boots

Hormonal-centric products are big news in 2024. Expect to see products that help throughout menstruation, menopause, pregnancy and the rest of the hormonal cycle, too. 

Like Vichy’s Neovadiol (€25.26, Boots) for women experiencing menopause, who feel like their skin has aged overnight.

2. Customisation

Personalised and custom skincare products and routines are set to be big trends for 2024 as part of a wider movement that has dominated the past few years — the merging of beauty and tech. 

Now, more than ever, brands are utilising innovations in technology to create skincare solutions that feel less complex and more accessible.

SkinCeuticals Custom D.O.S.E (€195, Laura Woulfe)

The already well-loved and trusted brand SkinCeuticals has recently curated its Custom D.O.S.E (€195, Laura Woulfe) treatment, which is a professional in-office service that formulates customised serums designed to address your unique skin concerns.

3. Ectoin

Ectoin (sometimes ectoine) is the not-so-new, yet buzzy, skincare ingredient that is made up of an amino acid derivative which protects microorganisms living under extreme and harsh conditions. 

It’s hit the zeitgeist due to its ability to protect the skin against environmental stressors and is especially helpful for those of us with dehydrated, sensitive and reactive skin. 

Think of it as a Juicy Tubes lipgloss for the deeper layers of your epidermis.

Dermalogica Powerbright Dark Spot Serum, €75, Space NK

You’ll find it in Dermalogica’s excellent Powerbright Dark Spot Serum (€75, Space NK), which works to buff away pigmentation while also keeping skin hydrated and protected.

4. Supercharged SPF

Suncream has come a long way from the thick, chalky iteration our parents slapped on us as kids. 

And with global skin cancer rates rising by way of the climate emergency, it should come as no surprise that SPFs are getting bigger and better.

In 2024, expect a myriad of sunscreen hybrids — serums, mists and makeup — which, unlike previous attempts, will provide safe and effective suncare solutions. 

Image Prevention+ Sun Serum Tinted SPF, €64, The Skin Nerd

Like, the Image Prevention+ Sun Serum Tinted SPF (€64, The Skin Nerd) which is an all-mineral sunscreen serum and skin tint in one.

5. Adaptogenics

As we’ve seen with the uptick in guashas and facial massage techniques in recent months, there’s a big trend in going back to basics, and adaptogenics are benefiting from this pivot big time. 

Adaptogens are non-toxic, herbal compounds found in plants and mushrooms that help your body respond to stress, anxiety, fatigue and overall well-being.

Grown Alchemist’s Detox Toner, €46.45, Look Fantastic

 

They’ve long been used in Chinese medicine — you might have heard of ginseng, moringa, ashwagandha — and prove antidotal to the super overwhelming, high-tech skincare we see today.

For those keen to try something adaptogenic-heavy, I recommend Grown Alchemist’s Detox Toner (€46.45, Look Fantastic) which uses a blend of Indian ashwagandha, ginkgo leaf and ginseng extracts to target environmental aggressors and damaged cells in order to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

6. Sustainability

This one should be obvious. There are plenty of product lines with excellent sustainability pledges, but one I’m currently enjoying is Ultraceuticals, which is cruelty-free, uses natural aromas from plants and makes responsible choices for human health, safety, and the environment. 

The Ultra DNA³ Complex Recovery Night Cream (€90, South William Street Clinic) is brilliant.