What the future of beauty looks like, according to L’Oréal Hong Kong’s president

From a thrust towards graceful ageing to sustainability initiatives, the beauty industry has witnessed many changes in the past decade, and these transformations will only continue in 2025 and beyond.

L’Oréal has been at the forefront of these transformations. Be it in its commitment to sustainability or its focus on beauty tech, the brand is stepping up to redefine how the beauty industry can look like. We sat down with Eva Yu, the president and managing director of L’Oréal Hong Kong, to find out about the key trends that have emerged in 2025 so far and the patterns that will shape the beauty industry in the decades to come.

Read on to find out Yu’s—and L’Oréal’s—take on the future of beauty.

Also read: 10 luxury skincare products that have reached cult status

L’Oréal’s recent “I am worth it” campaign with Gillian Anderson (Photo: Instagram / @lorealparis)

What are the biggest trends in 2025 so far and how are they shaping consumer preferences?In 2025 and beyond, we are seeing customers craving transformative experiences and total solutions over mere products. This can take shape in various ways, such as through hyper-personalised products that cater to unique skin types, needs and preferences. A great example is Kérastase, which just introduced K-Scan in Hong Kong in March. This smart camera helps consumers understand their hair and scalp more deeply via microscopic images and AI-powered analysis, which in turn allows them to take care of their hair based on the analysis.

Consumers are also increasingly leaning towards brands that they perceive as honest, with authentic stories and which foster community. People are basing their product choices on the “added value” of a product from multiple perspectives, including ethical sourcing, sustainability, social impact and even emotional connection.

And finally, there’s the convergence of science and beauty. In the post-Covid world, these two sectors have merged into a holistic approach that uses science and medical progress to enhance one’s “beauty capital”. For example, Gen Z is adopting “prejuvenation” as a key beauty currency, which aims to start anti-ageing treatments at an early age before visible signs of ageing appear.

Beauty tech is being used to personalise beauty products (Photo: courtesy of L’Oréal)

What about the sustainability aspect? Is the rise of sustainable beauty shaping products?We are seeing a growing awareness among Hongkongers regarding their beauty choices’ environmental and social impact. They are increasingly looking for products that resonate with their values, with health, safety and sustainability becoming their priorities.

At L’Oréal, we use the concept of Green Sciences to promote sustainability. From 2021, 94 per cent of our bio-based formula ingredients are traceable and come from sustainable sources.

But beyond that, we are also committed to minimising environmental impact and reducing plastic waste. Our citywide cross-brand beauty container recycling programme in Hong Kong is now in its fifth year. This well-received programme has collected over 680,000 empty beauty bottles from consumers for recycling.

All our local packaging is non-plastic eco materials or paper. From Valentino’s lipstick refills to Kiehl’s skincare refillable pouches, we are also introducing more refillable beauty products in Hong Kong this year. Just last year, we also launched Lancôme’s Absolue L’Extrait in refillable form. If a consumer uses the refillable jar and two refills, it represents a packaging weight reduction of 58 per cent compared to conventional products.

Eva Yu at a cancer support event organised by La Roche-Posay. L’Oréal Hong Kong aims to be an inclusive beauty leader in the community (Photo: courtesy of La Roche-Posay)

Tell us more about the Green Sciences concept.Green Sciences represent our approach to research and innovation, that allows us to cultivate ingredients sustainably through biotechnology and green chemistry. It helps us extract the best nature offers while respecting the environment.

Green Sciences are central to the “L’Oréal for the Future” sustainability programme, which outlines ambitious goals for 2030, such as 100 per cent of our products being eco-designed and 100 per cent of our formulas being evaluated to guarantee they respect all aquatic ecosystems.

While ‘inclusive beauty’ has become a buzzword, what strategies are brands employing to ensure inclusivity and representation across different demographics?L’Oréal Hong Kong’s mission is to be a top inclusive beauty leader. On brand and product level, 100 per cent of our brands are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I).

L’Oréal Hong Kong’s portfolio has 18 diverse international brands. We ensure that each product launch is supported by clinical tests conducted across a broad spectrum of skin types. Take, for example, the Lancôme Clarifique serum, which launched in Hong Kong in June 2023. Previously, a product launched in a specific region was primarily tested within that region. To ensure our products genuinely cater to all skin types, we implement extended test protocols to identify the specific benefits for each consumer profile.

We also leverage beauty tech to create personalised and inclusive products. For example, Maybelline Virtual Makeup (available on Microsoft) enables users to try virtual makeup looks during Microsoft Teams video calls, ensuring representation across diverse skin tones and preferences. Lancôme Hapta, designed for individuals with limited arm mobility, empowers users to apply makeup without help.

Kérastase introduced K-Scan in Hong Kong in March (Photo: courtesy of L’Oréal)

Talking about personalisation, how is the industry adapting to it to meet the diverse needs of consumers?In today’s world, individuality and self-expression dominate the beauty landscape. Our commitment is to move beyond “beauty for all” and deliver “beauty for each”. Our beauty tech innovations are at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging AI, AR and data analytics to create personalised products and services. For example, L’Oréal’s Cell BioPrint, unveiled at CES 2025, is a compact device that uses proteomics for fast, personalised skin analysis—revealing biological age and ingredient response to revolutionise proactive skin care. It will be piloted in Asia this year. SkinCeuticals Custom Dose, available in Hong Kong, is a customised serum service that evaluates consumers’ unique skin needs and merges dermatologist-approved ingredients into tailored combinations based on these analyses.

You mentioned how beauty tech is being used to personalise beauty products. What role does AI play in this?We see a big trend in leveraging AI to deliver beauty advice, skin diagnostics and personalised products. L’Oréal is dedicated to innovation, with Beauty Tech driving how we improve the consumer experience and meet new beauty demands. We go beyond basic products to deliver complete, tech-powered beauty solutions and sustainability initiatives. For example, tools like Lancôme’s Skin Screen and Kiehl’s Derma-Reader provide our consumers with personalised analysis and recommendations for skin.

In January 2025, we also launched a collaboration with IBM to leverage its generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology to get new insights into cosmetic formulation data, which will help us formulate more sustainable products.

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