More than one-third of global beauty supplement launches come out of Western Europe, making it the top innovator in the world in terms of new product development. But why is this region thriving?
The beauty category today looks very different from a decade ago. A plethora of ingestibles—dietary supplements, gummies, chews, functional drinks, powders, bars, and more—now sit alongside the creams, lotions, scrubs, and sprays that have long defined beauty. And beauty ingestibles warrant a closer look because it is a booming category and plays exactly into the global gear shift towards health, well-being, and longevity.
The Data Breakdown
Between 2020-2024, 35% of global beauty supplement launches came out of Western Europe, making it the biggest market in the world for new product development—ahead of North America (27%) and Asia (15%), according to Innova Market Insights. Added to this, Eastern Europe represented 9% of total beauty supplement launches, driving up total Pan-European launches to 44%.
Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for beauty supplements was also higher in Western Europe and Eastern Europe for the same period—up 22% and 32%, respectively—versus a 10% CAGR in North America and 18% CAGR in Asia. A zoom out also spotlights impressive CAGR growth of beauty supplements in Africa (+64%) and the Middle East (+55%), making these markets smaller but important growing innovators in the wider EMEA region, according to Innova data
So, why exactly is beauty supplement innovation so high in Europe? And are there any categories or concepts gaining more ground than others?
Inner Beauty Strengths
The concept of “beauty from within”—using nutrition and supplements to enhance appearance—has strong traction in Europe, especially in countries like the UK and France, Solène Limongi, Market Analyst at Innova Market Insights, told BeautyMatter.
Coupled with this is the fact that Europe's wider dietary supplements market is highly established, with a very solid and well-integrated network of businesses and regional supply chains, creating the ideal recipe for a thriving and innovative category, Limongi said.
“While the global beauty supplement market is vast and diverse, European brands are particularly innovative when it comes to products that address internal beauty,” she added. Innovation out of Europe tends to go far beyond skincare, she explained, taking a much more holistic approach to beauty—think eye health, hormonal balance, menopause management, hair vitality, and even brain health.
Emilija Balsyte, Senior Analyst at Euromonitor International, agreed. “After the pandemic, the beauty market in Europe has shown significant growth, with the skincare and haircare categories increasing by 21% and 18%, respectively, between 2021 and 2024. As consumers embrace a more holistic approach to beauty—incorporating both internal and external routines—there has been a surge in demand for beauty supplements.”
According to Euromonitor's “Voice of the Consumer: Beauty Survey," conducted between June and July last year, 42% of Europeans consider looking healthy to be synonymous with looking beautiful. “Reflecting this shift, many retailers and brands are now offering a wide range of hair and skincare supplements in formats such as gummies, powders, and capsules,” Balsyte said.
Consumer Appetite and Expectation
While beauty supplement consumption is actually lower in Europe than in North America and Asia, sales growth is higher, according to Euromonitor data. In 2024, Europe recorded the strongest growth across beauty and vitamins, while Asia-Pacific saw a decline in beauty and flat performance in vitamins.
“This suggests that although Europeans currently consume fewer supplements overall, interest in beauty and wellness is accelerating more rapidly in this region,” commented Balsyte. And this is likely being propelled by the significant boom in skincare across Europe, particularly facial care, which has become the leading category in the region post-COVID, she said.
As European consumers continue to invest more in skin and facial care products, opting to shop in the premium and dermocosmetic aisles, Balsyte said mindsets have shifted. “People are now thinking beyond topical treatments, recognizing that healthy skin, hair, and nails are also supported by internal care through diet, supplements, and overall wellness routines.”
Another major driver is the growing focus on well-being and longevity, Balsyte said, with more and more individuals engaging in regular exercise and incorporating innovative supplements into their routines that support physical and cognitive health—think superfoods, functional mushrooms, and nootropic beverages. Between 2021 and 2024, for example, “skin health” and “superfood” emerged as two of the fastest-growing claims across Europe's vitamin and dietary supplement space, while the most common claims in 2024 focused on energy, cognitive function, and immune support, according to Euromonitor data.
Beyond this, Limongi added that companies in Europe are also adept at strategically targeting different demographics, with brands offering a range of beauty supplement products for younger consumers around skin health, energy, and stamina, while catering to older consumers with products that support healthy ageing and bone health, for example. This, she said, leads to “increased product relevance and consumer engagement,” and ultimately a thriving category.
Product Concepts: Made in Europe
A look at the type of beauty supplement innovations coming out of Europe is interesting. According to Innova data, the fastest-growing beauty supplement claim in Europe over the last five years is “skin health,” with the UK and France leading innovation there. In 2024, the UK represented 18% of all skin health beauty supplement launches, followed by France at 12%. France also showed the highest CAGR growth for supplements with a skin health claim between 2020-2024—up 26%, just ahead of Spain at 24% CAGR.
And “skin health” beauty supplements, Limongi said, remains an evolving category. In the last year, while more than 40% of all launches with a skin health claim were tailored for hair, skin, and nail health, many new subcategories have started to emerge. Innova data shows that concentrates for skin health, for example, are up 117% in the past five years, and marine ingredients for skin health are up 34%.
Women's specialty supplements with skin health claims are also rising, she added—up 33% CAGR in the past five years—largely driven by products for menopause and hormonal balance that also offer benefits around nail and hair strength and overall skin health.
Euromonitor International data supports this, showing that more than 40% of global vitamin and dietary supplement launches in 2024 featuring a “skin health” claim came out of Europe, with the claim ranking 12th in the region. “This highlights Europe as a particularly active market for innovation in this space,” said Balsyte.
Beauty supplement developments in Europe are also particularly lively in format terms, she added, as “some notable innovations are beginning to surface.”
Supplement patches, for example, while still niche due to limited proven efficacy compared to regular formats, offer a “novel delivery method,” she explained. Beauty shots—concentrated liquid supplements—are also gaining ground, Balsyte said, alongside drink sachets that enable the inclusion of minerals like zinc and selenium and proteins like keratin. Formats that are considered “convenient and enjoyable,” Balsyte said, are generally rising in the European beauty and wellness space.
Limongi agreed, noting an important rise in powder and gummy formats because of this. According to Innova data, capsule formats still lead the charge in European beauty supplements, representing almost 40% of all launches in 2024, followed by powders and then tablets. But powder formats showed the highest growth last year—double that of capsules at 41%—followed by gummies, which were up 36%.
“Powder formats are mostly driven by collagen supplements, and gummies are mostly multivitamins with hair, skin, and nail claims,” said Limongi. Other “snack” formats are also emerging, she noted, such as Nonna Chevaux's puffed chocolate wheat balls in France, containing horsetail, essential vitamins, and amino acids for hair health and vitality.
Ingredients to Watch
A deeper dive into ingredient trends highlights vitamin B and protein as notable in the category, according to Euromonitor International. “Protein, especially collagen peptides and plant-based sources, is becoming more popular for its role in supporting skin elasticity and hair strength,” Balsyte said. As are B vitamins like biotin, B3, and B5, too, because they are widely recognized for promoting cell generation, enhancing skin glow, and reducing visible signs of stress on skin and hair, she added.
According to Innova data, vitamin C leads the charge across Europe's beauty supplements category, showing steady high growth at a CAGR of 24% over the last five years. Limongi said this taps into data indicating that 59% of European consumers are looking for vitamins in their beauty supplements and skincare products, versus 41% looking for minerals and 30% for collagen.
Upcoming ingredients to watch, she said, are ashwagandha and beef collagen, with impressive CAGRs of 90% and 75% over the last five years, though these are “growing from a small base.”
Martin Last, Vice President of the European Federation of Health Product Manufacturers (EHPM), said the European market for beauty food supplements is certainly “vibrant.”
But as with any growing market, Last said this creates challenges ahead—for industry and consumers, alike. Ensuring product manufacturers do not make misleading claims and that consumers can make good and informed choices will be critical as the beauty supplement category continues to evolve in Europe, he commented.
Limongi said Europe's beauty supplements market is definitely “expected to evolve further.” And such an innovative and growing market provides plenty of inspiration for markets beyond, she noted. “The European beauty supplement market provides a wealth of insights for brands around the world to seek to innovate and meet the growing demand for healthier and more holistic approaches to beauty.”
