Because not every trending serum deserves a place in your brand story.

TL;DR — What to Spotlight vs. Skip in Skincare Ingredient Marketing

✅ Spotlight This	❌ Skip That
Ingredients that support your brand promise	Ingredients you can’t explain in plain English
Actives with clear, functional benefits	“It” ingredients that don’t match your audience
Trends that align with your values (clean, clinical, heritage, etc.)	Messaging that tries to be everything to everyone
Consistent cross-channel storytelling	One-off mentions that confuse your customer

The Landscape: Skincare Ingredients Are Having a Moment

From exosomes to beef tallow, skincare is in its ingredient renaissance era. Social search is driving discovery. TikTok’s got opinions. And your customers? They’re Googling (and ChatGPT-ing) everything.

If you’re a skincare founder, CMO, or marketing lead, the temptation is real:

• Ride the wave!
• Add the trend!
• Shout about it online!

But, what if you’re not a korean skincare brand? What if you don’t have a niacinamide serum? What if you’re a vegan, Leaping Bunny Certified company but beef tallow is trending? Here’s the Plum Good POV: not every ingredient trend belongs in your messaging. And the best brands aren’t following every trend, they’re leading with their own story. 

Let’s break down how.

The Real Job of Your Ingredient List

Your ingredient list isn’t just about compliance — it’s communication.

It builds trust.
It signals values.
It shapes perception.

Your customers don’t just read labels for function; they read them for alignment.

• Is it science-backed?
• Safe? 
• Plant-based? 
• Honest?
• Does it feel like this product is what I need?

But when brands try to highlight everything, they end up with:

• Buzzword soup
• Confused messaging
• Overly scientific jargon
• And a customer who still doesn’t know what the heck it all means (and, they won’t buy)
  

Let’s fix that.

What to Spotlight: Ingredients That Align with Your Brand Promise

Before you chase what’s trending, ask a better question:
What transformation are we promising?
Because that, not TikTok, should drive your ingredient storytelling.

1. Proof Over Popularity

Ingredient buzz ≠ product trust. Prioritize actives with clear, credible data:

• Tranexamic Acid (TXA): backed by clinical research for reducing hyperpigmentation. The cosmetic-grade TXA market is set to grow from $210M in 2024 to $450M by 2033 (9.2% CAGR).
  
• Bakuchiol: the natural retinol alternative with 7.2% CAGR growth in the U.S. and proven anti-inflammatory benefits.
  
• Ferulic Acid: supported by 18 human studies for reducing redness, improving antioxidant stability, and enhancing Vitamin C & E.
  

What your customer is thinking: “I know what this does — and I know it works for my skin.”

2. Values-Driven Visibility

If your brand leads with natural, minimal, or heritage-based values, show that off in your formula — and your messaging.

• Beef Tallow is making a comeback for traditional skin-barrier support, with 472% growth across TikTok.
  
• Adaptogenic Mushrooms (reishi, chaga, tremella) align perfectly with functional wellness — a $5.55B market by 2035 (12.4% CAGR).
  
• Ferulic Acid and antioxidant blends are perfect for science-forward, clinical brands that lead with results.
  

What your customer is thinking: “I like what this says about you — and about me.”

3. Consistency Across Touchpoints

If it’s important enough for your INCI list, it deserves more than a one-line mention.

Make sure your hero ingredients show up in:

• Product pages
• Social captions
• Influencer briefs
• Email flows

Consistency builds recognition — and recognition builds trust.

What to Skip: Ingredients That Dilute or Distract

Not every trend is strategic. Some are just noise.

1. Every-Trend Syndrome

Spotlighting everything from collagen to exosomes to hypochlorous acid makes your messaging feel scattered — and suspicious.

Too many actives = no clear hero.

Ask yourself – “Is this ingredient part of the transformation — or just there because it sounds impressive?”

2. Buzz Without Backbone

Some trends blow up fast (we’re looking at you DIY chia seed botox), but lack long-term credibility.

If it feels off-message or off-mission, leave it out — or address it strategically with an educational blog, not a front-page campaign.

3. Hard-to-Explain Additions

If your team can’t explain the ingredient in one clear sentence, your customer won’t get it either.

That doesn’t mean dumbing it down — it means positioning it better.

Avoid:

• Vague “science-y” phrasing
• Overpromising results
• Ingredient stacking with no focus

Messaging Tips for Ingredient-Led Brands

If you’ve decided an ingredient deserves the spotlight, do it with purpose.

Connect it to a customer goal:

“Bakuchiol delivers retinol-like results — without irritation.”

Speak to the function, not the formula:

“Supports collagen production” > “Contains Astaxanthin.”

Show you understand the trend’s context:

“We include TXA to visibly reduce stubborn dark spots — backed by dermatologist testing.”

Lean on analogies, not acronyms:

“Think of it as vitamin C’s smarter best friend.”

Clean Messaging = Strategic Messaging

“Clean beauty” isn’t just about what’s in the bottle. It’s also about what’s in your message.

When we’re working with beauty brands, we help them:

• Vet which ingredient stories to tell
• Build educational content that doesn’t sound like chemistry class
• Align product benefits with strategic positioning
• Turn fleeting ingredient trends into lasting brand equity
  

Because the most impactful brands win by saying the right things, clearly.

Research & Sources

We did some good research while writing this article, check out our sources:

• https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/skincare-ingredients-market  
• https://meetglimpse.com/trends/skincare-trends/
• https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/bakuchiol-serum-market-6110
• https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/product/cosmetic-grade-tranexamic-acid-market/
• https://freeyourself.com/blogs/news/biotechnology-in-beauty-product-trends
• https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/mushroom-powered-skincare-market