In a social media driven world, the day-to-day routine of millennials and gen Z is different than generations before them.
Beauty today is a hot topic, between Photoshop controversies and experiential marketing, the beauty and hair care industry is quickly being transformed as a result of millennial influence. Particularly among millennial women.
Not only do millennial women lead when it comes to social engagement with beauty products and brands, but they are also driving the majority of sales in the $13 billion cosmetics market. These young adults are also more heavily engaged in the beauty category than generations before them. According to research from Mintel, time spent during the beauty routine, skill level and willingness to experiment with products is higher for millennials than any other generation. With such high involvement in the beauty market, missing the mark among millennials is no longer an option. When it comes to beauty, social content, influencers and a variety of unique trends are shaping the way millennials and gen Z shop for products and share content.
These generations want to see how it’s done and then share what they’ve learned.
Everyone knows that we now live in a social media driven world and the people at the steering wheel are millennials and gen Z. Everything from the first thing they do when they wake up to the last thing they do before bed is affected by the content and media they use and consume. As a result, the way they use beauty products and engage with beauty content is directly impacted by their constant use of digital and social media.
According to Mintel, Millennials are far more likely to use online content to learn about beauty products than other generations, with 31% using Youtube, 22% using Pinterest and 27% using social media other than Pinterest. Do-it-yourself (DIY) tutorials are also taking off in the beauty industry on sites like Pinterest and Youtube. A quick search of “beauty” on Pinterest brings up thousands of infographics, videos and step-by-step instructions on how to create the latest looks.
Not only are these younger generations learning how to create signature looks, but they are also showcasing what they’ve learned on platforms like Instagram, which has become the millennial and gen Z platform for showing off their “best selves.” Consider the dozens of photo editing options that exist on the platform to make sure that your pictures portray the most attractive and aspirational version of you possible. Smart brands in the beauty industry have capitalized on this trend. As consumers are taking to Instagram to show off their looks, brands are too. Ninety-five% of beauty brands are on Instagram and many companies such as Benefit Cosmetics have focused a majority of their social media budgets on the picture-oriented platform, according to Digiday. Benefit Cosmetics even reported a rise in the number of consumers coming in for specific products featured on the brand’s Instagram account.
Tap into aspirations but don’t forget core values.
As social media marketing takes over the beauty industry, brands must recognize that simply having an Instagram or Facebook presence is not enough. Smart brands are rethinking traditional methods of using influencers and taking two approaches.
1. Relatable Influencers
Celebrity is quickly taking a new meaning for millennials and gen Z as Youtube stars are becoming household names. Lush is no stranger to the use of non-traditional influencers to promote its products. As a highly coveted brand for millennials and gen Z consumers, Lush found a way to win these consumers over by leveraging influencer partnerships with celebrities that resonate with a younger audience. Youtube vlogger, Zoella, often posts product reviews for the brand as sponsored content and generates extreme interest for the company based on the products she reviews. These influencers are extremely effective because there are more relatable to younger generations.
2. Moving Beyond The Products
Many influencer partnerships today are being used to promote brands in a different way entirely. Instead of focusing on what their products do to add to consumer’s beauty, companies are emphasizing their brand mission, promoting all forms of beauty in women. Dove, a company known for its girl power ads that have run for the past 10 years, recently launched the #MyBeautyMySay campaign that includes women such as boxing champion Heather Hardy and gender-queer model Rain Dove. These women serve as influencers for the brand without promoting the product itself. They speak out about their own unique identity and celebrate beauty in different terms.
The face is the moneymaker, but the hair is the crown.
Millennials love their hair, and more importantly they love the ability to embrace their creativity with different styles. Whether it’s dying their hair gray or buzzing intricate design into their hairlines, young consumers are blowing up the hair care market. While many think of cosmetics when they think of beauty, the industry is not limited to just cosmetics; in fact hair care is the second largest beauty segment at 24%, behind color cosmetics at 31%.
Just like cosmetics serve as an avenue for beauty conversations, hair care has been a driving conversation starter regarding beauty acceptance. Looking at current industry trends, we are seeing the focus transition from covering up to enhancing with bright hair colors and dramatic cuts. A person’s hairstyle is one of the most recognizable ways to outwardly show who they are to the world. For millennials, particularly younger millennials and gen Z, this is a major trend affecting the beauty market. This is similar to the movement of the 60s and 70s when the younger generation began rejecting traditional beauty standards and expressing themselves through their “radical” hairstyles.
As the definition of beauty continues to evolve, millennials will lead the charge when it comes to introducing new trends to the market. Staying on top of what this generation expects and values will be key for brands aiming to make a difference and earn love in a new market.
