Cosmetic Trends of Dermatologic Interest in 2025

The world of cosmetics is based on the constant creation of new products with new uses for new users. Some of the more recent trends are of dermatologic interest and warrant an overview for clinicians on what patients may ask about.

Artificial Freckles

As dermatologists, we find facial freckles to be an indication of photodamage. Not so among the youth of today. Artificial freckles are both a temporary and semi-permanent fad. The temporary freckles (known as glitter freckles) were popularized by Taylor Swift, who wore them to a Kansas City Chiefs game, and the sale of glitter freckles topped $1 million immediately after the game. The artificial freckles have metallic colors, feature a holographic hue, and are both waterproof and sweatproof. The freckles are applied by peeling off the backing and pressing the sticky patch against the face with a moist towel for 60 seconds to let the glue set. The patches last for approximately 1 to 3 days. The freckles are like temporary face tattoos and can be removed using baby oil or makeup remover.

Semipermanent freckles are a variant of microblading. Microblading is a superficial tattoo that utilizes a fine blade to make small, precise cuts to implant pigment into the skin. It has been popularized to fill in thinning eyebrows with pigment to mimic the appearance of using an eyebrow pencil. The technique is now used to artistically draw freckles on the face, lasting for 1 to 3 years.

Antiaging Sunscreens

Dermatologists have long recommended sunscreens for their ability to protect the skin from pro-aging UVA and UVB radiation. Organic and inorganic FDA-approved sunscreen filters prevent the formation of reactive oxygen species in the skin, resulting in collagen and elastin damage and inflammation. The current trend in sunscreen formulation is to add inactive ingredients as part of the vehicle that also have antiaging effects on the skin but are not listed on the monograph as sunscreen filters. These are mainly antioxidants designed to quench the reactive oxygen species created when UV radiation is not absorbed or reflected by the active sunscreen filters.

Antioxidants incorporated into currently marketed sunscreens include botanicals such as rosmarinic acid, which is an anti-inflammatory capable of neutralizing free radicals that may also raise sun protection factor (SPF) ratings. Ferulic acid, carotenoids, licochalcone A, rutin, and quercetin are other antioxidants found in sunscreens. Lignin is a polymer found in plant cell walls that is being added to sunscreens to increase SPF, especially when combined with titanium dioxide, as lignin absorbs UV radiation. Finally, naringenin, a flavone derived from citrus fruits, has also been used in sunscreens as an antioxidant anti-inflammatory. The creative use of these antioxidants in sunscreen formulations is paving the way for a new generation of antiaging sunscreens.

IV NAD+ Infusions

One of the hottest quasimedical dermatology trends is intravenous infusions of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (IV NAD+), which is an enzyme critical for cellular energy production, cellular signaling, and DNA repair. The theory is that higher levels of NAD+ are available to cells through the bloodstream, reversing the decreasing NAD+ levels characteristic of aging. The IV administration is not FDA-approved and can cost between $500 and $1500 per session. The infusions are supposed to assist with hair growth and skin appearance by increasing cellular energy output, thus making older cells behave like younger cells. The infusions are also supposed to increase mental clarity. Nevertheless, there is little data to support the dermatologic value of NAD+ infusions.

Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, is a clinical faculty member in the Department of Dermatology at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina; president of Dermatology Consulting Services in High Point, North Carolina; and Dermatology Times’ editor in chief emeritus