An interview for Turkey’s luxury digital magazine

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by a family friend, Esra Kursan, who is now the beauty editor for Oggusto, Turkey’s premiere luxury digital magazine. Because her questions centered on beauty and skincare trends for 2025, I wanted to share my answers with you, my Modern Wellness Digest readers.

Kursan: What are the most promising skincare trends that you foresee for 2025?

Dr. Murad: I anticipate that consumers will continue to grow increasingly knowledgeable and aware of the importance of skincare and the many treatments and technologies available to them. That includes the importance of healthy diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management in maintaining beautiful skin, as well as the importance of sunscreen, moisturizing, and other topical approaches to skincare.

Kursan: How do you envision the role of technology in future skincare routines, such as AI-powered skincare devices or personalized skincare plans?

Dr. Murad: Although it’s likely that robotic manicures or AI-assisted personalized skincare plans may make skincare more affordable, and thus accessible to more people, I worry about the further loss of personal interaction and even touch. I worry that a manicure delivered by machine, or a skincare regimen prescribed via computer, reinforces the sense of loneliness and isolation that is already so prevalent and damaging in modern society. Both loneliness and isolation are harmful byproducts of Cultural Stress—the 24-hour stress of modern living.

Kursan: What are your thoughts on the increasing popularity of clean and sustainable beauty? How do you think this trend will evolve in the coming years?

Dr. Murad: The trend to clean and sustainable beauty and skincare products is not just a marketing ploy. It’s a reflection of growing consumer awareness of and insistence upon ingredients that are, at the very least non-toxic, and at their best, actually good for skin, hair, and nails. In addition, no one wants their makeup or moisturizer to be harmful for the environment. The planet is where we live. Consumers want both: healthy, beautiful skin and a healthy, beautiful planet. And of course, one of the best things about sustainability is that it’s sustainable!

Kursan: What are the most common skincare concerns you anticipate seeing in 2025, and how will treatments and products evolve to address them?

Murad: I anticipate that next year’s skincare concerns will be a continuation of current skincare concerns: acne, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and inflammatory skin conditions, such as eczema. As our population ages, concerns about the loss of collagen and elastin are also likely to increase. All of these skincare concerns reinforce the importance of inside-out skincare: in other words, the care and maintenance of healthy skin through a holistic approach that includes diet, exercise, stress management, and sleep, as well as topical skincare. All of these factors support and reinforce each other.

Kursan: How do you think the aging process will influence skincare trends in the future, and what innovative solutions can we expect?

Murad: As noted, an aging population will be more concerned about wrinkles, for example, than acne. The aging process itself makes people more aware of the need to protect and take care of their skin. Unfortunately, it’s more difficult to reverse a lifetime of harmful skincare practices than it is to properly protect and care for your skin from an early age. That’s one reason I continue to write and speak about skincare and stress management even though I’m officially retired. If I can reach new generations of young people and encourage them to take care of their skin now, while it is still looking healthy and youthful, I can prevent their skincare concerns later.

As my followers know, one of the most important ways we can care for our skin is by reducing intracellular water loss. I believe that aging is a disease of hypohydration—which means that we go from a state of full hydration as infants into a more desiccated (dried-up and wrinkled) state as we age.

This cellular water loss not only affects our appearance; it also affects our cells’ ability to function properly. My own studies have shown that cellular water loss also correlates with many of the diseases of aging, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and arthritis. That’s why I recommend that my patients practice the “Four Pillars of Modern Wellness,” which means

1. “Eating their water” through a diet that emphasizes moisture-rich foods;
2. “Moving their bodies” (because muscle contains more water than fat—and exercise is also a great stress reducer);
3. “Being kind to their mind” (taking proactive steps to manage stress); and
4. Nurturing their skin through proper skincare, including daily use of sunscreen.

Kursan: What are your predictions for the future of preventive skincare, and how can we proactively address aging and other skin concerns?

Dr. Murad: My previous answer is also my prescription for the future of preventive skincare for a lifetime of beautiful skin. However, I’d also like to remind your readers of the importance of cultivating happiness.

I have written many affirmations, or Insights, which I give to my patients reminding them that “When you’re healthy, you’re beautiful,” or “Make your heart happy and your skin will glow,” and “A smile is the best facelift.”

Happiness is so important—not merely for your appearance, but for your physical health, as well. That might sound unsympathetic to people who have reason to be unhappy. Believe me, I understand how difficult life can be. But when life is difficult and painful, I recommend looking every day for one tiny thing to be grateful for, even if it’s only that you’re still alive, or that things aren’t any worse. I promise you that, as you focus on these tiny things that inspire gratitude, your list of them will grow. Because appreciation appreciates, and you deserve to be happy.

Kursan: How will the increasing emphasis on mental health and well-being impact the skincare industry?

Dr. Murad: I believe that as customers grow increasingly aware of the importance of self-care as an investment in their physical and emotional health, they will take more advantage of services like facials and massage; stress-reduction practices like yoga, journaling, and mindfulness; and nutrition, including supplements, as necessary, to bolster their diets. The skincare industry is already responding to this trend with products that soothe the central nervous system or appeal to the senses, for example, by incorporating essential oils, aromatherapy, and silky emollients, increasing the immediate appeal of their products as well as the long-term benefits.

Kursan: What role will social media and influencer marketing play in shaping future skincare trends?

Dr. Murad: For better or worse, many customers get a lot of their information through social media influencers. The good news is that influencers have strong appeal among their followers, so their messages carry weight. If their information is accurate and beneficial, their influence is positive. However, influencers can also make unhealthy habits, like smoking, or tanning beds, popular. So it’s important that readers practice due diligence before adopting any health or skincare habit. Check out the research. Be aware that “reviews” might be paid for and therefore unreliable. Medicine changes slowly, and the reason is that it’s expensive and time-consuming to conduct large-scale, double-blind studies to prove a treatment’s effectiveness. In contrast, it costs virtually nothing to post social media ads that boast about the “incredible effectiveness” of this “amazing” product, and follow the ads with a string of “testimonials” claiming the product is life-changing. A word to the wise: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

Kursan: How can consumers navigate the overwhelming amount of skincare information and products available?

Dr. Murad: Good question. My answer is to invest some time in your own research. Find sources and resources you trust for good information, and resist the temptation to impulse buy based on questionable product claims. Some of the resources I rely on include Harvard Health, Healthline.com, and NIH News in Health. And of course, for new product developments I trust the team at Murad.com.

One thing for certain is that healthcare, skincare, and beauty treatments are always changing because people are always looking for ways to be healthier, happier, and more beautiful. I recommend self-care from the inside out: make yourself happy and healthy and your skin will glow! That’s #ModernWellness!

To a wonderful year!