Beauty was particularly strong at ISPA this year. The show floor was packed with impressive brands, passionate founders, and spa professionals genuinely engaging with products and protocols. Narrowing down favorites was not easy.
What stood out most was the continued movement toward products that support restoration rather than excess—barrier health, scalp wellness, nervous-system support, marine ingredients, mineral SPF, and body care designed to soothe and replenish.
From elevated aromatherapy and ocean-inspired rituals to intelligent scalp treatments and beautifully formulated suncare, these were some of the beauty brands and standout products that felt especially resonant across the ISPA show floor this year.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy maintained a strong presence across the ISPA floor, though the conversation felt less centered on fragrance alone and more focused on emotional regulation, nervous-system support, sleep, grounding, and ritual. Many of the brands that stood out approached scent not as an accessory, but as part of a broader wellness practice.
Auratherapy stood out for its Chakra Boost Discovery Set, a colorful collection centered around energy balancing and sensory support. The brand approaches aromatherapy through both emotional and spiritual wellbeing, pairing essential oils with a more modern wellness aesthetic that feels accessible rather than overly esoteric. Loved the brand’s new accessories that included the Auratherapy Aroma Perfume Key Chain Bag and the gemstone Aura Keychains.
Aluminate Life brought a thoughtful, intentional approach to aromatherapy and home ritual through its candles and essential oil blends designed to support mood, mindfulness, and daily wellbeing. The line felt aligned with the growing desire for products that create small restorative moments throughout the day rather than grand wellness promises.
One of the more memorable discoveries in the category was Breatherapy, a brand rooted in the connection between breath, scent, and nervous-system care. Of special note is the company’s giveback mission and its focus on helping bring breath awareness and emotional support into daily ritual. At a time when so many people are seeking ways to slow down and regulate stress, the line felt especially relevant to the spa and wellness space.
Face
Brands placed renewed emphasis on barrier repair, botanical intelligence, hydration, and formulations designed to support skin health without overwhelming it. The category felt less driven by aggressive claims and more rooted in restoration, ritual, and long-term skin resilience.
I was surprised and very pleased to find Laurel Skin exhibiting this year. A California-based line founded by herbalist Laurel Shaffer, the brand approaches skincare through the lens of whole plants, biodynamic farming, and fresh botanical formulations. Products are crafted in small batches using organic ingredients sourced directly from farms. In an industry increasingly crowded with clinical sameness, Laurel Skin feels deeply connected to the original spirit of spa culture—plants, craft, ritual, and integrity. Particularly compelling is The Herbalist Collection, which showcases the line’s thoughtful, farm-to-face philosophy in a way that feels both luxurious and grounded.
Another pleasant surprise was the return of Jurlique—the iconic brand is back in the conversation in a meaningful way. The Australian brand felt newly energized and deeply aligned with the industry’s current return to sensory ritual and slower, more grounded skincare philosophies. Standouts included the Rare Rose Face Oil and the Radiant Skin Foaming Cleanser, both reflecting the line’s longstanding commitment to botanical skincare with a fresher, more modern approach.
Knesko’s Gold Repair Skincare Collection was another noteworthy presence within the category, expanding Knesko’s well-known collagen mask ritual into a more comprehensive face-care system. Built around gold, peptides, botanical actives, and hydration-focused ingredients, the line reflects the continued merging of luxury spa ritual with performance-driven skincare. Particularly notable is the Gold Repair Serum, which feels aligned with the category’s broader movement toward restoration, barrier support, and long-term skin vitality.
French heritage brand Yon-Ka Paris also impressed with its Retinol-Like Bi-Serum, a plant-based alternative designed to deliver smoothing and renewal benefits without the irritation often associated with traditional retinol products. Equally notable is the brand’s SPF 50 Mineral Fluid, an increasingly important category as spas continue to seek elegant mineral sun protection options that integrate seamlessly into professional treatments and retail offerings.
Canadian professional skincare line G.M. Collin showcased its Ceramide Comfort Serum, a product well aligned with the growing industry focus on barrier repair and skin resilience. The formula feels particularly relevant at a time when many consumers are struggling with sensitized, over-treated skin and looking for products that restore comfort rather than intensify correction.
Lemon & Beaker brought a clean, science-forward approach to skincare, with its Foaming Deep Cleanser standing out for its balance of efficacy and gentleness. The line’s modern positioning and approachable formulations feels especially suited to contemporary spa retail environments seeking results-oriented skincare without excessive complexity.
Coastal-inspired Sapelo Skin Caredrew attention with its Sea Lavender Mist, a lightweight botanical facial mist inspired by the restorative qualities of the Georgia coast. The product’s calming, hydration-focused approach fits naturally into the broader movement toward skin-soothing formulations and sensory wellness.
Moving into color, Lük Beautifood offered a refreshing reminder that makeup, too, can be rooted in nourishment and ingredient integrity. The Australian brand’s philosophy—beauty products infused with food-grade ingredients and botanical oils—feels especially aligned with the evolving spa consumer seeking a softer, more wellness-oriented approach to cosmetics.
Body
Body care felt especially rich at ISPA this year, with many brands moving beyond simple moisturization into deeper conversations around restoration, sleep, scalp wellness, microbiome health, and full-body ritual. The category reflected a growing understanding that body care is no longer secondary within the spa experience—it is increasingly becoming central to how guests regulate stress, reconnect with touch, and care for themselves more holistically.
Voya once again demonstrated why marine wellness remains such a powerful category within spa culture. The brand’s Mindful Dreams Relaxing Body Oil and Luxury Body Butter leaned into the growing connection between body care and nervous-system support, with formulations designed to calm, soften, and restore. Particularly compelling: the Resurge Hair & Scalp Elixir, an organic, seaweed-based scalp treatment reflecting the industry’s growing focus on scalp wellness as an extension of overall wellbeing.
Ocean-inspired body care also stood out at Pure Fiji, where the Black Pearl & Sea Grapes collection brought together marine ingredients, rich hydration, and sensory sophistication. Infused with rare black pearl extract and antioxidant-rich sea grapes, the line felt both luxurious and deeply restorative. The Nourishing Body Oil and Body Butter were particular standouts, offering rich hydration. Equally interesting: the Pure Fiji Man collection, a streamlined grooming line designed for men seeking uncomplicated but high-performing skincare and body-care solutions.
Italian spa brand Comfort Zone continues to evolve beautifully within this space. Particularly notable was the Body Strategist Collagen Cream, a deeply nourishing formula designed to support dry, stressed, and fragile skin. The line’s thoughtful integration of sustainability, spa ritual, and science-forward skincare continues to resonate strongly within professional spa environments.
British wellness brand Wildsmith Skin brought a quieter, more sensorial expression to the category—one rooted in nervous-system support, botanical intelligence, and ritualized self-care. Notable products include the Stillness Nourishing Body Cleanser and Stillness Body Oil, both designed around the brand’s “Stillness” concept, which encourages slowing down and reconnecting with the body through touch, scent, and texture. In a category increasingly driven by clinical performance language, Wildsmith offers something quieter and more grounded—an experience rooted in atmosphere and the restorative power of pause.
French marine skincare brand Phytomer is long respected within professional spa environments for its ocean-based formulations, and the brand continues to excel at merging marine biotechnology with sensorial elegance. Particularly impressive were the Sea Holistic Body Cream-to-Oil, which transforms from cream into a silky oil upon application, and the Gentle Body Scrub with Glasswort Oil, a softly exfoliating treatment. Both products reflect the growing desire for body care that feels simultaneously therapeutic, luxurious, and deeply comforting.
One of the more forward-looking brands on the floor was Yobee, a physician-founded scalp and skincare line centered around microbiome health and its proprietary Probyome™ Technology. What makes the brand interesting is not simply the products themselves, but the way spas are integrating them into treatment experiences. Partnerships with properties including The Ritz-Carlton and Kohler Water Spas point toward a growing movement within spa culture: treatments designed not only for guests, but also with therapist wellness and skin barrier support in mind. As scalp care continues to emerge as an important extension of preventative wellness and self-care, Yobeefeels exceptionally well positioned within the spa space.
Rounding out the category was Dazzle Dry, long considered one of the spa industry’s most trusted clean alternatives to conventional nail systems. I loved the new Begin Again Mini Flight, a curated collection of soft, wearable shades including, “Lucky Me,” a light olive green, and “Wish,” an elegant pale almond-pink which feels beautifully aligned with the industry’s continued embrace of understated beauty. Also impressive: the Mend Nail Repair Oil, a deeply conditioning treatment designed to support dry, damaged nails and cuticles through nourishing botanical oils.
Bath, Home Spa & Ritual
Some of the most quietly compelling discoveries at ISPA this year centered not around high-tech skincare or treatment innovation, but around ritual itself—products designed to slow the pace, support recovery, encourage sleep, and bring elements of the spa experience into daily life.
Savon de Coronado stood out for its approachable but thoughtful bath and body rituals rooted in relaxation and sensory care. The Radiance Detox Bath Soak offered a mineral-rich soaking experience designed to calm both body and mind, while the Sleep Natural Aromatherapy Lavender Shower Steamers transform the simple act of showering into a more restorative nightly ritual through soothing lavender vapor and aromatherapy.
Musee Bath brought a lighter, more playful sensibility to the category while still emphasizing self-care, gifting, and feel-good ritual. The line’s handcrafted bath products and visually engaging presentation added an element of joy to the floor—an increasingly important quality as wellness consumers continue seeking comfort and emotional uplift alongside efficacy.
At Tara Spa Therapy, the Grab-N-Go Wellness Ritual Kits reflected the growing interest in portable wellness and accessible self-care moments. Compact, ritual-driven, and centered around aromatherapy and restoration, the kits felt especially well suited to modern consumers looking to integrate wellness practices into busy daily routines without overcomplicating the experience.
Meanwhile, Pyurest Mineral + Mud continued to explore the restorative qualities of minerals, mud, and elemental therapies through a clean, grounding approach to body wellness. The brand’s Serene Citrus collection, in particular, offered a fresh sensory balance of uplift and calm that felt naturally aligned with the spa industry’s ongoing return to soaking rituals, mineral therapies, and simple sensory restoration.
UMM Skincare once again brought a beautifully restrained, ritual-oriented sensibility to the category through products centered around texture, simplicity, and sensory nourishment. Of special note: The Body Scrub, designed to gently exfoliate; The Bar, a minimalist cleansing bar that reflects the growing return to elevated basics; and The Golden Ritual Oil, a rich botanical body oil that leans into the spa industry’s renewed embrace of slow beauty, daily ritual, and tactile self-care.
Suncare
Suncare continued to evolve in a more sophisticated direction, with brands moving beyond traditional beach-centric positioning and toward formulations that feel fully integrated into modern skincare and wellness routines. Mineral SPF, in particular, emerged as a category increasingly shaped by elegance, wearability, hydration, and skin health.
Mama Sol stood out for its thoughtful approach to complexion-focused sun protection. Its Facebrella Tints and Eyebrella Tints blend skincare, makeup, and mineral SPF into products designed to simplify daily routines without sacrificing protection or finish. The Facebrella Tints function as a moisturizer, sheer tint, and SPF 45 mineral sunscreen in one, offering broad-spectrum protection alongside a luminous, skin-like finish that avoids the heaviness or chalkiness often associated with mineral formulas. Equally compelling were the Eyebrella Tints, which bring SPF protection to the often-overlooked under-eye area while brightening and hydrating with a dewy finish. The line feels especially aligned with today’s wellness-minded consumer seeking multifunctional products that support both skin health and ease of use.
Sonrei Luxury Suncare brought an elevated sensibility to the category with its Organic Mist Collection, a beautifully executed non-nano zinc oxide sunscreen mist formulated with 70 percent organic ingredients. Infused with aloe-vera, shea butter, antioxidants, and vitamins C and E, the collection approaches sun protection through both skincare and sustainability. Note the brand’s packaging innovation, which replaces traditional aerosol propellants with compressed air technology for a finer, more environmentally conscious mist application. Lightweight, hydrating, and designed to blend seamlessly across skin tones, the line reflects the growing demand for SPF products that feel elegant enough for daily wear.
Mary Bemis
Mary Bemis is Founder & Editorial Director of InsidersGuidetoSpas.com. An advocate for all things spa, Mary forged a vocabulary for spa reportage that is widely used by those who cover the issues today. Recently honored as a Top 30 Influential Voice Transforming Wellness by Medika Life, Mary is an inaugural honoree of Folio’s Top Women in Media Award. Her spa media roots run deep—in 1997, she launched American Spa magazine, in 2007, she co-founded Organic Spa magazine, and in between serving on the ISPA and NYSPA Board of Directors, she was on the launch teams of Luxury SpaFinder and New Beauty magazines. Named a "Wonder Woman of Wellness" by American Spa magazine, Mary was honored by the International Spa Association with the distinguished ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award. She is a special advisor to the non-profit Global Wellness Day.
- Web |
- More Posts(91)