Gen Z seems to be seriously committed to skin care.
According to research from Kyra Media’s Gen Z State of Beauty Report, Gen Z consumers’ number-one priority is their skin care routine.
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Especially after the pandemic, Gen Z’s view skin care as an essential part of their self care regimen and they are interested in understanding what active ingredients are right for their skin type, the report said. The top two brands were Dove and CeraVe, while the most popular products were cleansers and moisturizers. SPF-based products ranked at number four, further proving the Gen Z consumer’s commitment to skin health.
For both skin care and cosmetics, TikTok is the most popular platform for Gen Z consumers looking for recommendations, followed by YouTube and Instagram. More than 67 percent of the 3,500 study participants said they refer to influencers for recommendations. Head of beauty partnerships, Marina Mansour, emphasized the importance of TikTok and YouTube for beauty brands to reach their Gen Z consumer.
“TikTok is the TV of 2021.…We have the most influential beauty voices in the world living and breathing on TikTok,” Mansour said. “That’s the place where we’re seeing trends being made and being challenged, where we’re seeing products and brands being made and challenged.” She noted the importance of having a team who understands the platform or consulting Gen Z’s on content creation in order to be successful.
Most notably, TikTok has amplified beauty as a source of creative expression. The number-one motivator for Gen Z consumers buying a makeup product is simply the desire to try something new. Mansour explained that, unlike previous generations, Gen Z’s don’t have a stereotypical, Eurocentric ideal of what beauty should look like. Instead, it is “connected to individuality and uniqueness.”
According to the report, the top three cosmetic brands were Maybelline, E.l.f. and NYX, all of which have developed creative campaigns and been successful on TikTok, according to Mansour.
For both skin care and cosmetics, Gen Z’s make their choices with care. Fifty percent or more participants find it important for the brand to be sustainable, eco-friendly, organic and natural. Fifty-three percent would stop using a brand if they discovered they tested on animals, and over the last six months, 27 percent of consumers have purchased from a brand because of its commitment to sustainability.
In terms of what’s next for the Gen Z consumer, Mansour predicts they will continue to educate themselves on ingredients and pursue beauty as a creative outlet. And with consumers shedding their masks post-pandemic Mansour said, “I think we will see a hell of a lot of lip gloss.”
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