The next big opportunity for health and beauty brands

For most of my career at L’Oréal, I sold confidence in a tube: lipstick. But lipstick isn’t just about applying color to your lips. It’s about identity. Ritual. Power.

Beauty has never been superficial. It’s always been about self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-expression, knowing that how you’re feeling inside is reflected on the outside.

Today, the boldest expression of that confidence comes from beyond the makeup bag: It’s a full night’s sleep working with a skincare routine, balanced hormones supporting a healthy glow, nutrients fueling both energy and radiance, and gut health supporting complexion.

The truth is simple: Health is the new lipstick. Health amplifies beauty, and beauty reflects health.

HEALTH AND BEAUTY: ONE SYSTEM

Beauty and health have always been collaborators, even when industries treated them separately. Both are rooted in science, innovation, and empathy. And both rely on trust, with the aim of helping people feel good in their bodies and confident in their lives.

It’s not a coincidence that the same ingredients work in products from both sectors. Hyaluronic acid hydrates skin while supporting joint comfort and gum health. Collagen strengthens hair, nails, skin, and bones. Omega-3s reduce inflammation that affects both your complexion and your cardiovascular system. Vitamin C brightens skin while boosting immunity.

Consumers already see what brands are beginning to acknowledge: Health and beauty are inseparable. Their retinol serum sits next to their vitamins in the medicine cabinet. They use SPF and track their vitamin D. They meditate and hydrate, move their bodies and manage stress—not as separate rituals, but as one integrated practice of self-care.

Younger generations, especially Gen Z, are leading this shift. For them, wellness is identity and self-expression. Their routines blend skincare with supplements, mindfulness with makeup. They don’t distinguish between looking good and feeling good—both are expressions of confidence and authenticity.

This mindset is reshaping how the health and beauty industries must operate, not just as parallel markets, but as two sectors converging into a single wellness ecosystem.

A CALL-TO-ACTION FOR BRANDS

It’s time for us not to redefine wellness but embrace it in its entirety. Our consumers aren’t just investing in their well-being, they’re investing in confidence, energy, and vitality that can’t be replicated by the latest shade. That means that as leaders of health, wellness, and beauty brands, we must:

1.Celebrate holistic confidence. Emphasize that outer beauty and inner well-being are inseparable pieces of the same puzzle.

2. Invest in inclusive science. Diverse clinical research ensures that efficacy and safety reflect every skin tone, identity, and body type—and empowers each consumer’s sense of self.

3. Measure what matters. Let’s show impact not just in numbers, but in the confidence, comfort, and care we help people achieve.

4. Align, not compare. Beauty and health brands can share insights, language, and purpose to meet people where their needs intersect.

As brands, we should be guided by the consistent actions consumers follow when developing new products: fueling their body with the right nutrients, getting a good night’s sleep, managing pain before it interferes with life, and yes, applying that favorite shade of lipstick before stepping out the door.

When health and beauty work in harmony, confidence isn’t just worn, it’s lived.

Nathalie Gerschtein is the CEO USA and president North America of Haleon.