Sensorial Synergy: Beauty You Can Feel

When Mintel released its 2026 Global Predictions for Beauty & Personal Care, one theme immediately felt familiar to us: sensorial synergy. The idea that texture, scent, and emotion work together to create products that make you feel something isn’t new in our lab – it’s how we’ve always approached formulation.

Mintel describes a future where beauty is judged not only on performance, but on how it “regulates emotions and creates a memorable experience even before purchase”.

That rings especially true for us because when we present customers with a prototype featuring our ingredients, the first thing they do isn’t ask for the INCI or performance data. They smell it, feel it, play with the texture. They experience it — the same way consumers do. That instinctive response suggests that this trend isn’t new, but it is evolving.

Consumers are craving experiences that can’t be filtered or perfected by AI. Touch, scent, temperature, and texture are becoming shortcuts to trust and efficacy.

Mintel highlights that noticeable sensations – warming, cooling, melting, foaming – increasingly signal that a product is “working”.

This isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about reassurance, comfort, and emotional payoff. Whether it’s the slow melt of a balm at night or the way a foam transforms on skin, these moments anchor a product in real life.

Mintel data backs this shift:

• “If a facial skincare product causes a noticeable sensation on the skin, it means it’s working,” according to 36% of German facial skincare users.
• Sensory effects like cooling or warming are worth paying more for, with 37% of Ayurvedic skincare buyers in India agreeing.
• Even retail spaces are responding, as Mintel notes growing interest in “play zones” where consumers can experience products firsthand.

Together, these show that sensation has become a powerful way for consumers to evaluate and connect with products quickly and intuitively.

What’s really interesting is how sensorial impact is now blending seamlessly with emotional wellbeing. Mintel points to consumers looking for beauty and personal care products that support mood, balance, and emotional regulation – not just visible results.

Daily routines are evolving into small self-care rituals. Consumers want products that help them feel calm, grounded, uplifted, or comforted, turning everyday moments into rich, multi-sensory experiences.

Looking good is no longer enough; products are expected to feel good to use and leave a lasting emotional impression.

This shift places new importance on how formulations behave in real life. From how they melt, foam, glide, warm, or cool – and how those sensations support moments of pause and presence in busy routines.

In our lab, sensoriality isn’t something we add at the end – it’s built in from the first concept brief. When we develop an ingredient or prototype, we’re asking questions like:

• How does the texture evolve from first touch to rinse-off or dry-down?
• How does the fragrance release over time?
• What emotional response does the application create?

Performance still matters, of course. But we evaluate formulations just as carefully for feel, flow, playtime, and after-feel. Application should be an experience, not just a step in a routine.

That’s also why we invest time in creating demonstrative videos, prototypes, and recruiting our own team as a testing panel. Formulators need to feel the product to understand it – and sensorial benefits are best appreciated hands-on.