On June 25, graduate students from FIT’s master’s program in Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management (CFMM)—widely recognized as the beauty industry’s think tank—unveiled strategic recommendations to address how brands and organizations can confidently navigate “Beauty’s Next Frontier.” Their findings, delivered before a live audience of over 700 industry executives from leading global beauty brands, represent the culmination of international field study—across India, Finland, and Sweden—and qualitative research, including expert interviews and focus groups conducted at the Beauty Center at FIT, a hub for research, industry events, and alumni engagement. The event was sponsored by Beauty New York, a new consumer event that will take place in New York City in October 2025.
“The research conducted by our talented graduates each year has become a significant resource for the beauty industry,” said FIT President Joyce F. Brown. “We are so proud that it is incorporated into the strategy and marketing plans that fuel the next breakthroughs in industry developments.”
“This year’s capstone research truly pushed boundaries by offering transformational imperatives for the beauty industry,” said Dr. Brooke Carlson, interim dean of the School of Graduate Studies. “The students’ recommendations reflect extensive research with currency and a deep understanding of how consumer trends, AI, and demographics will shape the future success of the industry.”
“Part of the strength of this year’s research by the class of 2025 is the original quantitative research and focus group work conducted at the new Beauty Center at FIT,” said Professor Stephan Kanlian, chair of the CFMM program. “In its first year, the Beauty Center has quickly become a dynamic hub for research, sharing all student research projects with industry, alumni engagement, industry events, where we have also opened residencies for entrepreneurs and research experts, and built a podcast studio for the sharing of ideas. The center has truly sparked new ideas across the beauty community based on cutting-edge research from the master’s program.”
The class of 2025 delved into research on three transformational themes shaping the beauty industry’s future: (1) Generation “Next,” (2) Artificial Intelligence, and (3) The Medicalization of Beauty. Each presentation was grounded in six months of comprehensive global research, featuring a blend of quantitative and qualitative consumer insights, and outlines strategic pathways for brands to adapt, innovate, and lead in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Part 1: Generation “Next”
Beauty’s Youngest Disruptors
Generation Alpha, aged 1–15 and 2.8 billion strong, is entering the beauty category as early as age 6 and wielding $28 billion in direct spending power. Raised on TikTok, Roblox, and kitchen-table Zoom calls, these “beauty natives” are positioning themselves as both primary household influencers and future high-value customers. While Gen Alpha’s beauty journey is just beginning, the companies that help shape it today will reap rewards for decades to come.
Opportunity: Become Gen Alpha’s lifelong beauty companion.
Get the fundamentals right and your brand graduates from trend-chasing to being Gen Alpha’s trusted companion for decades to come. Capturing this audience hinges on three imperatives: meet them in the VirtuReal space, refresh products as fast as their biology changes, and guard your narrative before algorithms rewrite it. Brands that implement this framework today will win Generation Alpha and cultivate the insights and agility that Generation Beta, born as of 2025, will treat as table stakes.
Part 2: Artificial Intelligence
Catapulting Into a New Era
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer on the horizon, it’s here, and it’s moving faster than most brands can comprehend. Consumers aren’t just curious, they’re demanding smarter, faster, and more personalized experiences—and they’re already using AI to get them. From predictive reorders to personalized recommendations, AI has quietly embedded itself into daily routines, shifting expectations across industries. And yet, while usage skyrockets, most brands still hesitate to leap forward and adopt AI.
AI Opportunity: Learn. Deploy. Future-Proof.
This is a wake-up call. Brands no longer have the luxury of waiting. To lead in the age of intelligence, you have to learn how AI works, deploy it across your value chain, and future-proof your organization for what comes next. AI is compressing development timelines, optimizing content at scale, and enabling real-time, personalized consumer experiences. But this isn’t just about automation, it’s about amplification. The brands that will win aren’t those with the best five-year roadmap. They’re the ones taking action now.
Part 3: The Medicalization of Beauty
From Clean to Clinical to Medical
Consumers aren’t just aging—they’re optimizing longevity. In fact, people today feel 20% younger than their real age. Beauty is increasingly intersecting with medicine, where the demand for science-backed, preventative solutions is on the rise, and expectations extend beyond aesthetics with focus on performance data, hyper-personalization, and holistic health. Vogue Business recently released an article stating that 68% of consumers would consider using a product that works at the genetic level for long-lasting beauty effects. The medicalization of beauty reframes beauty and wellness as a long-term strategy for feeling good and looking better, longer.
Opportunity: A Medicalized Beauty Ecosystem
To lead in this new era, brands must intentionally choose which path they’ll take to engage in the more medicalized beauty space. The entry points to each path start with strategic portfolio management, a new approach to innovation, and a reimagination of retail—all grounded in medical credibility. Success will favor brands that no longer just keep up with trends, but also integrate beauty as a biological expression, playing a vital role in consumers’ lifelong wellness journeys to look and feel younger.
Students Present at Cosmoprof North America, July 17
Cosmoprof North America (CPNA) is the leading business-to-business (B2B) beauty exhibition in the Americas. Recognized for its dynamic growth and unique programs, the event offers the entire beauty industry an opportunity to come together to make new relationships and foster collaborations. CPNA serves as the premier launching pad for new beauty brands by introducing revolutionary technologies, product innovations, and new channels of manufacturing, packaging, and distribution.
On July 17, students from the CFMM program presented their groundbreaking research on Beauty’s Next Frontier to a packed audience at Cosmoprof’s Las Vegas convention. Hosted by the Beauty Center at FIT, the session provided actionable insights for brands to evolve their retail environments, communications, and product offerings to meet emerging consumer demands.
Download Infographics:
- Medicalization of Beauty Infographic
- Generational Beauty Infographic
- Artificial Intelligence Infographic
You can visit the Class of 2025’s capstone presentation page to find a full video recording of the event as well as other details.