TREND #1


Mayo, VP of Content and Strategy, Beauty, at Nielsen, says: “It’s not just Gen Z on TikTok anymore. Anecdotally, I have heard of plenty of older colleagues and people that are snapping up these viral products that they see online. CeraVe has been so viral on social media that it is now purchased by every generation. It’s a great example of a brand that has expanded to other age groups.”


Affluent olders


But is this just a happy accident, or an intentional strategy by Gen Z-favoured beauty brands? There is certainly appeal from a sales perspective in doing so: Nielsen data shows that when it comes to beauty products, Gen X consumers – the parents of Gen Z – spend more than any other generation, even millennials ($398.88 vs $363.74). They also shop most frequently, making 25.6 trips per year versus 22.8 (see table).


“Gen X have long been underrepresented by the beauty industry, but beauty brands will 100% recognise that older generations have the potential to be the most influential demographic in terms of spending power and will want to tap into that,” says Sam Murton, founder and CEO of beauty brand agency Be for Innovation.


Brands are also aware of the influence that Gen Z wield over household purchases. A report by the US-based National Retail Federation in 2019 found over a third (36%) of purchases for the household are influenced by Gen Z.


Emma Poole, Assistant Brand Manager at beauty brand consultancy The Red Tree, believes this is partly due to their awareness of world issues, speaking up for what they believe in, including in their own homes, and driven by the Gen Z experience with their easy access to information. She comments: “In some households, Gen Z children are spending time educating their parents, and encouraging shopping habits that align with their views.”


“They’re kind of educating all of us,” adds Mayo. “I think the focus on sustainability has really stayed at the forefront because of this generation’s interest in it and discussion about it. So I certainly think their values influence their households and their families, but also the wider society.” Their role as trendsetters has influenced changes in packaging too. “We were in that kind of millennial pink phase but now there’s colour again in new brands, and this will absolutely trickle through,” says Mayo.


And in a market as crowded as skin care, Gen Z’s role as influencers to older generations has potent appeal for brands. Murton says: “Brands marketing to Gen Z will consider how recommendations could be passed onto family members, particularly for products with health-focused trending ingredients like probiotics, collagen or ceramides which will benefit any skin age.”


But are the new breed of Gen Z brands also seeing parents of Gen Z as a growing demographic


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Brands looking to have influence in the households of Gen Z children must consider that this generation’s priorities are centered on authenticity.


Lasting success will be driven by those brands that build communities of advocates for their brands through delivering on commitments as well as performance. Emma Poole, Assistant Brand Manager, The Red Tree


Fiona Co


Chan ‘‘


There’s an


openness in older consumers being introduced to new products by younger consumers


Fiona Co Chan, founder and CEO, Youthforia


for their products? “We’re definitely seeing that trend,” says Fiona Co Chan, founder and CEO of make-up and skin care brand Youthforia. “There’s an openness in older consumers being introduced to new products by younger consumers.” Chan believes it is connected to the fact that beauty is shared across generations. “When we were kids, we learned from our parents’ beauty rituals and as adults, we love sharing what we learn with our parents,” she says. “With Youthforia, a lot of our products are all age ranges – I did that intentionally because I wanted something that I wished I had in my teens, but also wanted something that would work for my mom.” The brand shows products working on different age demographics in order to help customers feel like the products could work for their skin type, says Chan.


Appealing through values Selfmade’s founder Stephanie Lee says that the brand was “built off of knowing that the special relationship between mom and daughter (or non binary person) exists”. Although around 70% of Selfmade’s consumers are Gen Z and millennials, the brand has seen evidence from consumer feedback that the parent or Gen X is “a tertiary demographic” and that these customers have said that they have never felt ‘seen’ by a brand until Selfmade. “They say that these conversations about self worth and mental health are things that their teenager is currently struggling with,” says Lee. “There have been folks who say that they were so excited by this brand, they showed their teen and bought some products for both of them.” Steeped as they are in new consumer values, Gen Z brands are clearly not just for Gen Z. Nevertheless, Mayo says that for brands that are only just launching, it is wise to “stay laser focused on who their target is and the problem they are trying to solve before expanding out.” But this doesn’t mean brands can’t evolve and find growth outside of their core demographic. “I don’t think it’s as simple as appealing to Gen Z versus Gen X any more,” adds Fiona Glen, Director of Projects at The Red Tree. “Brands need to maintain a core target demographic in order to have consistency in communication, however they need to have strategies which appeal to the different consumer bases within their target and those peripheral targets for longevity”


March 2023 cosmetics business 7


e.l.f. Beauty, photographer: Jeff Lipsky


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