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.”

Matcha has taken Australia’s café scene by storm over the past few years. Once a potential passing fad, variations of the popular Japanese green tea have become menu mainstays around the country.

However, similar climate and weather issues to those that have been plaguing coffee harvests around the world also look to be impacting Japan’s matcha harvests.

Over the past year, the production of tencha –  the stemmed leaves that are dried and then ground to create matcha – in the Kyoto region has been impacted by a series of severe heatwaves. Roughly a quarter of Japan’s tencha production occurs in Kyoto.

Sixth-generation matcha farmer Masahiro Yoshida told Reuters how the heatwave had negatively impacted his crop from the recent April/May harvest.

“Last year’s summer was so hot that it damaged the bushes, so we couldn’t pluck as many tea leaves,” he says.

Masahiro says he was only able to harvest about 1.5 tonnes of matcha, rather than the typical two tonnes he would usually expect.

The increasing global popularity of matcha, coupled with lower than expected harvest yields, has seen the price of Japanese green tea soar in recent years.

Tencha prices have risen to record highs, and the crop was valued at AU$85.15 (8235 yen) per kilogram at a recent auction in Kyoto, which is a 170 per cent increase from May 2024.

Japan produced more than 5300 tonnes of tencha in 2024, which is a more than 250 per cent increase from 2014 following more farmers switching to the crop. However, matcha fields take five years to mature before they can be harvested. As demand continues to outpace supply, matcha prices are expected to continue to rise.

Turmeric has gained popularity for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, but it may not be as safe as many believe. Recent reports show a rise in serious liver injuries linked to turmeric supplements, with some cases nearing liver failure.One alarming example is – as NBC News reported – a woman who took 2,250 mg daily after seeing an influencer’s recommendation and ended up in the hospital with enzyme levels 60 times higher than normal, just a step away from needing a liver transplant, according to her doctor.While turmeric is generally safe in cooking, concentrated supplements, especially those mixed with black pepper extract for better absorption, can overwhelm the liver. The World Health Organization recommends an upper limit of about 200 mg of turmeric for someone weighing 150 pounds, while many supplements offer up to ten times that amount.Research from JAMA Network Open shows turmeric is now one of the most common herbal causes of toxic hepatitis in the US, and a study in Liver Transplantation reported an eightfold increase in supplement-induced liver failure from 1995 to 2020.

Since 2004, the NIH’s Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network has found that around 20% of liver toxicity cases are linked to supplements, with turmeric-related injuries increasing significantly.Supplements often promise quick health boosts, but some pose serious – and even fatal – risks to your heart and liver. From herbal extracts to vitamins and weight‑loss aids, certain products carry hidden dangers.Here are five supplements that can cause fatal heart or liver damage.

Turmeric (Curcumin)

Liver risks: Turmeric supplements are praised for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions, but high-dose curcumin can lead to liver enzyme elevation, hepatitis, and even liver failure.

Heart-thinning effects: Additionally, curcumin has blood-thinning properties – dangerous when taken with anticoagulants or pre-existing bleeding disorders – potentially causing hemorrhagic events and strokes.Moderation and monitoring: Use only moderate doses under medical supervision, and avoid combining turmeric supplements with other blood-thinning medications without a healthcare provider’s approval.

Green Tea Extract

Benefits vs. risks: Green tea extract (GTE), rich in EGCG catechins, is lauded for weight loss and antioxidant health benefits. However, high-dose supplements have repeatedly been associated with severe liver toxicity, sometimes requiring transplantation. Clinical case reviews show acute hepatitis within weeks of starting GTE products, with symptoms like jaundice and elevated liver enzymes. The European Food Safety Authority warns that daily intakes above 800 mg EGCG can damage the liver.

Heart concerns: In addition, green tea extract contains caffeine, which can spike blood pressure and heart rate, triggering palpitations or arrhythmia – especially in individuals with pre-existing hypertension.Safe use tips: If you’re taking green tea capsules, stick strictly to recommended doses – ideally under 338 mg of EGCG per day – or drink powdered tea, which is safer. Monitor liver function if usage is ongoing.

Niacin (Vitamin B3)

Liver toxicity: Niacin is commonly used in high doses for cholesterol control. But medicinal doses – especially sustained-release forms – often cause elevated liver enzymes and, in rare cases, fulminant hepatic failure within days to weeks.

Heart and metabolic effects: While niacin can raise HDL “good” cholesterol, it may exacerbate insulin resistance and negatively affect cardiovascular health when misused.Guidelines: If using niacin therapeutically, it’s essential to undergo regular liver monitoring and consult with a specialist to balance benefits and risks.

Yohimbine

Cardiac risks: Yohimbine, derived from yohimbe bark and used for libido, fat loss, and athletic performance, stimulates the nervous system – raising blood pressure and heart rate, sometimes dangerously.

Emergency cases: Overdoses have led to headaches, panic attacks, seizures, and acute cardiac events, including arrhythmias and potentially fatal incidents.Safe use advice: If considering yohimbine, speak with a doctor – especially if you have hypertension or cardiac disease. Even small overdoses can have disproportionately severe effects.

Red Yeast Rice

Liver and heart impacts: Once used as a natural statin, red yeast rice contains monacolins similar to lovastatin, but is often contaminated with citrinin – a mycotoxin that can cause liver damage and kidney harm. Known side effects include muscle pain, elevated liver enzymes, and in rare instances, liver failure.

Heart considerations: Being pharmacologically similar to statins, red yeast rice may also impact muscle and cardiac function. Side effects must be monitored.Precautions: Anyone using cholesterol-lowering medications or with liver concerns should avoid red yeast rice or use only standardized medicinal versions under doctor supervision.

Final thoughts: Why “natural” isn’t always safe

Regulatory Gaps: Unlike pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements lack rigorous pre-market safety testing, which allows high doses and contaminants to slip through.Dosage matters: Even healthful compounds can prove toxic at high levels: vitamin A, D, and E have known overdose risks, including liver and heart damage.Hidden interactions: Supplements can thin blood, elevate blood pressure, or interact dangerously with prescription medications.False assurance: Just because a product is “herbal” or sold as a capsule doesn’t mean it’s harmless. Multiple case studies link supplements like Hydroxycut and Garcinia cambogia to liver transplants or death.

Doctors stress that consumers should approach supplements with the same caution as prescription medications. What seems like a simple wellness habit could lead to serious harm. If you’re taking turmeric pills or any herbal supplements, consult your doctor and watch for signs like fatigue, nausea, or dark urine. Remember, in the world of supplements, more isn’t always better.