If the past year was any indication, it’s that skincare can only get better and better. Last year, we predicted a focus on niacinamide and emphasis on texture and how that can impact your skin. And this year, it’s no different. We’ve got our eye on the movement to approach formulas with nuance — that is, understanding how formulas work as a whole, versus calling out or crediting individual ingredients — as well as sustainability in both ingredients and packaging. With that in mind, let’s get into our 2022 predictions.

The Hot Topic: A Holistic Approach to Formulas

Ever take a look at the ingredient list of your favorite serum? It’s probably pretty extensive — which only points to the fact that skincare products can be super-complicated. While we predicted that a nuanced look at ingredient lists in 2021, it’s bound to continue in 2022. While a hyaluronic acid serum like Plum Plump Hyaluronic Serum is indeed a serum that contains hyaluronic acid, there’s much more to it than that — which is why it’s so important to consider the skincare formula as a whole. The chemicals in your skincare product, be it BHA or ceramides, work together to achieve a target result that’s more sophisticated than it seems. For us, that means results-driven potency that won’t cause irritation or skin inflammation. A lot of thought and care goes into how products are built, which is why you can’t go by percentages or random ingredients alone.

The Next-Gen Formulas: Double-Duty Multitaskers

You want your skincare products to work as hard as you do, no? And that’s the case with versatile skincare products that achieve it all, be it sun protection that offers other skincare benefits beyond playing defense and more makeup-skincare hybrids to streamline your everyday routine and can be used in a multitude of ways. Not only do they save time, but in conferring multiple benefits, they can help you cut down on waste, too.

The New Frontier: A Broader Approach to SPF

SPF is super-personal — since it can vary widely according to personal preferences — but there can be a common denominator when it comes to finding a good sunscreen. Top of mind for us is a broader approach to sunscreen, one that not only ticks the boxes for many, but also offers skin benefits beyond just sun protection alone. It’s going to be the year of sunscreen — you heard it here first.

The Forward-Thinking Innovation: Ingredient Education

Sustainability has already been a topic of conversation, but in the coming year, we see the beauty industry doubling down on it with sustainably sourced ingredients and minimized waste. We’ve been incorporating this environmentally conscious mindset into our products already, as with the Guava Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum; its guava extract is processed in a way that conserves water, limits food waste, and allows leftover pulp, seeds, and peel are reused as fertilizer. In our Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream, too, we use a Cosmos-certified blend of plum extracts that uses all parts of the plum and is hand harvested by a family-owned organic farm in Australia.

The Way to Shop: Personalized Approach

You deserve an approach to skincare that’s just as unique as you are, and one way that’s happening in 2022 is with a more personalized take. Our Take It Day by Day, Skin by Skin™ philosophy — which takes a daily approach caring for and balancing your skin — is the foundation to this idea, which is all about customizing your skincare to how it feels and looks at any given moment. This could look like a personalized formula or routine based on answering a quiz, being more open-minded and in tune with how your skin feels, and focusing on skin barrier health (which is the great equalizer of skin, since everyone has a skin barrier). Also on our radar: The concept of skincare microdosing, which entails using heavy-hitting actives, such as alpha hydroxy acids, in small, hyper-specific amounts (or “doses”) that find the happy medium between delivering results and avoiding irritation.

The Underestimated Actives: Tranexamic and Polyglutamic Acids

You know we love our under-the-radar ingredients around here, which allows us to create formulas unlike anything else out there. This year, we debuted launches with two newbies, tranexamic acid and polyglutamic acid. They work in unique ways to target various skin concerns, such as dark spots and dehydration, respectively, and give an extra boost to existing, better known ingredients. We have a feeling we’ll see even more of these in the coming year to level up your shelf.

Read more about our end-of-year faves:

• Serums vs. Moisturizers: Everything You Need to Know
• What Makes Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream So Sustainable
• Why Polyglutamic Acid Is a Moisturizing Star