Natural is the New Normal for Younger Us Beauty Shoppers

Forget masking imperfections under layers of foundation, concealer, highlighter and the likes; these days it’s all about looking for ways to keep skin in radiant health long term. While contouring techniques counted millions of followers not so long ago — especially among the young — new desires have emerged and the pandemic seems to have accelerated the trend. These days, the watchwords of cosmetics are authentic, natural, essential, reflecting a wider desire to embrace minimalist routines.

Skincare and clean beauty are having a moment

As a result, Gen Z, has got more in mind than (just) makeup. In fact, young people of approximately 13 to 26 years old see skincare as the Holy Grail of beauty routines. It's now about nurturing and caring for skin, as the notion of health takes a growing place in the world of cosmetics. In fact, more than four in 10 Gen Zers (41%) polled put skincare as their top beauty category, according to [a study carried out by Klarna.

After surveying 15,000 shoppers in February 2021, the poll also revealed that Gen Z spends more on skincare than the previous generation, Millennials, as well as Gen X and Baby Boomers. That should give brands some serious food for thought, given how much the phenomenon has been growing in recent months, forming part of wider clean beauty and skip-care trends, shifting the focus to minimalism and the overall health of skin.

For younger generations, the biggest consideration when shopping for beauty products was "natural, non-toxic ingredients". Gen Z and Millennials were also more inclined to buy cruelty-free and vegan products than their older counterparts.

Diversity and inclusion more than sustainability

While shoppers across all generations agree that brand values factor into their purchasing decision, they have different appreciations of what matters most. The key brand value for younger shoppers is diversity and inclusion, while older generations are more concerned with sustainability and innovation.

As a result, according to Klarna, Boomers value sustainability more than the Gen Z when shopping beauty brands.

Eyes makeup remains trendy

Still, according to the poll, Gen Z hasn't totally turned its back on makeup. Products of particular interest to younger shoppers include bright makeup palettes, especially for eyes. And this may seem understandable, given that eyes are often the only visible part of the face when face masks are mandatory.

But as the weather improves and the summer vacation season approaches, and with sanitary rules hopefully becoming less stringent, beauty looks could be set to take a bolder turn, ushering in bright colours and motifs of all kinds in a bid to shake off a long period of doom and gloom.