Brands are obsessed with Gen Z, but not for the reason you think

By Jo Allen | Published: 7-Mar-2023 Featured companies: The Red Tree Consultancy
Colour Cosmetics Skin Care Marketing

Gen Z's influence, both on the industry and in their own households, is winning beauty’s prized older consumers – their Gen X parents

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This article was originally published in the Cosmetics Business Skin care Trend Report  Receive your copy here. 

Blink and you wouldn’t miss it. The beauty industry’s fixation with Gen Z over the past five years has been clear for all to see, with spunky start-ups, legacy players and pretty much every brand in between swooping in with fresh concepts and bright colourblock design hues to capture this young consumer group.

It’s easy to see why: linking beauty with self care, wellness and mental health, this is a demographic that has challenged and reclassed beauty as a tool for self-expression and inner confidence above all, as they demand both performance and a sense of play from the products they use.

Brands that have met this demographic's expectations have created a new blueprint in beauty – but while they started with Gen Z, they certainly aren’t ending there.

Beauty brands that predominantly target Gen Z are now speaking to older demographics, including Gen X and Boomers – and examples are apparent from some of the best selling Gen Z beauty brands.

Skin care and cosmetics brand e.l.f. Beauty, the most popular Gen Z make-up brand according to Kyra’s 2022 Gen Z State of Beauty Report, last month released its first-ever television advert, which aired during the Super Bowl.

It featured 61-year-old White Lotus star Jennifer Coolidge – a prime example of how e.l.f. is working beyond its core consumer base.

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Featured companies

The Red Tree is the UK's leading international beauty brand consultancy. We develop and steer your ideas, challenge your thinking, and deliver results. We have an unparalleled...
  • Companies:
  • L'Oreal
  • The Nielsen Company
  • e.l.f. Beauty
  • Be For Innovation
  • Youthforia
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