L. Yltävä
Research expert
Gen Z is the latest generation of consumers, whose numbers make up around a quarter of the world's population. This is an extremely digitally savvy demographic that is perfectly comfortable shopping online, as well as an age group that grew up watching social media beauty gurus and skincare influencers. These teens and young adults prefer to purchase beauty products online over traditional retail establishments. According to a recent global survey, beauty care products are the generation's fourth-most popular online product category. In 2023, more than one-third of global Gen Z shoppers engaged in beauty e-commerce.
TikTok is currently the most prominent platform for beauty purchases. Around 53 percent of Gen Z consumers go to the app for beauty purchase inspiration. The platform’s search function makes it easy to find product reviews, how-to videos, and viral beauty products. The majority of beauty purchases are made via TikTok's live shopping feature, which enables shoppers to make purchases during real-time video events.
When taking a closer look at the purchasing habits of Gen Z shoppers in the U.S., specialty beauty retailer websites, like ulta.com and sephora.com, are the most used sites for researching and buying beauty products. Visiting retail stores was the second most popular choice, followed by going to a brand's website, like glossier.com. Gen Z heavily relies on user-generated content when deciding to purchase beauty articles. The vast majority of young adults consider customer ratings and reviews to be the most influential factors when making beauty purchases, followed by customer photos and videos. For these self-care devotees, the most common monthly online expenditure for beauty ranges from 51 to 100 U.S. dollars.
The influence of social media
Gen Z devotes the most time to social media platforms compared to any other generation, thereby rendering them more susceptible to online advertisements and influencer marketing. Social media brings together makeup lovers who share their thoughts on products and create engaging communities. The pace of makeup trends is increasing faster than ever before thanks to these platforms, and like fast fashion, the beauty industry continues to introduce novel products and techniques, resulting in a fervent audience that follows suit and unzips their wallets. A 2023 survey found that around 83 percent of Gen Z women bought beauty products online because content creators recommended them.TikTok is currently the most prominent platform for beauty purchases. Around 53 percent of Gen Z consumers go to the app for beauty purchase inspiration. The platform’s search function makes it easy to find product reviews, how-to videos, and viral beauty products. The majority of beauty purchases are made via TikTok's live shopping feature, which enables shoppers to make purchases during real-time video events.
The online beauty journey of Gen Z
The United States is the largest market for beauty e-commerce worldwide, exceeding ten billion U.S. dollars in yearly revenue. In 2023, two-fifths of Gen Z shoppers in the U.S. bought beauty items online, ranking fourth globally. This figure was the highest in Sweden, where nearly half of Gen Z consumers had procured makeup-related merchandise through digital channels.When taking a closer look at the purchasing habits of Gen Z shoppers in the U.S., specialty beauty retailer websites, like ulta.com and sephora.com, are the most used sites for researching and buying beauty products. Visiting retail stores was the second most popular choice, followed by going to a brand's website, like glossier.com. Gen Z heavily relies on user-generated content when deciding to purchase beauty articles. The vast majority of young adults consider customer ratings and reviews to be the most influential factors when making beauty purchases, followed by customer photos and videos. For these self-care devotees, the most common monthly online expenditure for beauty ranges from 51 to 100 U.S. dollars.
