Routine By Design: How Ingestible Beauty Is Becoming a Daily Ritual

Beauty and Beverage Are Converging

Not too long ago, beauty supplements lived in one aisle, and beverages lived in another. Those lines are blurring fast.

Consumers are reaching for ready-to-drink beauty beverages as a natural part of their daily wellness routines, and the market is following.  Multiple industry forecasts project that the U.S. beauty drinks category will nearly triple in value over the next decade.

Major CPG acquisitions tell a similar story. After Nestlé Health Science acquired Vital Proteins in 2020, the brand showed up on shelves at Whole Foods, Costco, Target, Walgreens, and Sephora. This cross-channel footprint creates more purchase opportunities across consumers' existing shopping routines.

Why Consumers Reach For Beauty In A Bottle

A few things are converging to drive this behavior:

• Scientific evidence is building consumer confidence. A 2025 study found that 12 weeks of oral collagen peptides measurably improved skin hydration, elasticity, and the appearance of fine lines. Clinical backing gives skeptical consumers a reason to try.
• Ingestible is increasingly preferred over topical. Over 53% of consumers believe ingested beauty supplements work better than topical application, and 70% of U.S. women aged 18-45 are already using them regularly.
• RTD formats make the habit easy to keep. Grabbing collagen water on the way out the door fits into routines people already have, making it far simpler to stay consistent.
  

What This Means For Beverage Brands

As the category grows, so does consumer scrutiny. Brands will need to think carefully about which beauty benefits resonate most across segments, how to communicate ingredient credibility without overpromising, and where in the daily routine their product actually belongs.

Positioning and packaging should match the moment consumers are reaching for the product, whether that’s a morning ritual, post-workout recovery, or an on-the-go occasion.

Key Questions For Brand Teams To Ask

1. What motivates the first trial for ingestible beauty products, and what drives long-term loyalty?
2. How do different consumer segments interpret ingredient language, and what signals trustworthiness?
3. Where does the beauty beverage fit within consumers’ existing beauty and wellness routines?
4. Which format, flavor, or packaging cues signal quality in this category?

The right research helps brand teams answer these questions before launching, not after.

Looking Ahead

Consumers want products that support how they look and feel, in formats that fit seamlessly into their day. The beauty beverage category delivers both. The brands that move now, while the space is still taking shape, will be the ones to lead this category.

Want more insight on how wellness trends are influencing beverage choices in 2026? Download MDRG’s full 2026 Wellness Beverage Trend report or contact MDRG today!

Sources

1. Durbin, A. (2025, November 24). Beauty from within: Functional foods blurring the line between skincare and nutrition. FoodNavigator-USA. https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/
2. Hexsel, D., et al. (2025). Effects of oral fish collagen and l-cystine on skin ageing in mature women and skin imperfections in young women. Cosmetics, 12(5), 188. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics12050188
3. Global Market Insights. (n.d.). Ready-to-drink beauty beverage market. https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/ready-to-drink-beauty-beverage-market
4. Market Research Future. (n.d.). U.S. beauty drinks market report. https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/us-beauty-drinks-market-1480
5. Mordor Intelligence. (n.d.). Collagen supplements market - Industry report. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/collagen-supplements-market
6. SNS Insider. (n.d.). Women’s health and beauty supplements market report. https://www.snsinsider.com/reports/womens-health-and-beauty-supplements-market-8268