Behind the headlines: exploring Gen Alpha’s fascination with skincare
Do we really need to panic about tweens having a beauty routine? The Mix has dug deeper into Gen Alpha's skincare motivations
Once the world learned that children as young as ten now have skincare routines, the outrage was quick to follow. Headlines proclaimed that the way these so-called “Sephora Kids” use skincare products is “dangerous” and warned that anti-aging content is causing appearance anxiety across this generation.
At The Mix, instead of wringing our hands and worrying about “the youth”, we decided to ask them directly about why they use skincare products and what a skincare routine means to them.
These conversations with today’s 10- to 15-year-olds have been enlightening.
Our research results have demonstrated how easy it is for everyone, not just the media, to become fixated on a shocking statistic or statement - “Children as young as ten using retinol!”- and demonize the habits of a whole generation. For example, we discovered that Sephora Kids is a misleading phrase. In fact, the majority of the Gen Alpha surveyed get their skincare from Walmart (US) or Boots (UK).
So, just because many have a skincare routine doesn’t mean the whole generation is spiraling into anti-ageing anxiety or are all self-obsessed social media addicts.
And this sort of generalization has happened before. We’ve previously been warned that Gen Z are overly sensitive narcissists with short attention spans, and before that it was Millennials for lacking self-sufficiency and wasting all their money on avocado toast. Even Baby Boomers were subjected to societal panic over their obsession with rock’n’roll and, horror of horrors, the trend for men to have long hair. There’s always something to worry about.
As one 13-year-old told us: “I don’t think kids should be hated for trying to look after their skin when they’re just trying to do what’s best for them...I just want to look after my skin without annoying other people.”
Yes, many Gen Alpha have a detailed skincare regimen, but is that really such a bad thing? What’s more important is to understand the motivations behind their use, and why they choose the products they do.
Our survey of 10- to 15-year-olds in the UK and the US with a skincare routine found that around two-thirds (68% in the UK, 61% in the US) use skincare to protect their skin, while just over 40 per cent use it because they are worried about acne. They have aspirations for their skin, but we found they are much more nuanced than simply based on a fear of aging. Many (42%) even use it to feel calm and relaxed.
There’s certainly nothing new about early adolescents worrying about spots. What’s different is that these tweens have a multi-step routine and a love of brands like Drunk Elephant, which most older generations only developed as they got older, instead they relied on Clean and Clear face washes or Proactiv if they were really worried about acne. Each generation adapts to the knowledge available, and Gen Alpha have masses at their fingertips.
Of course that doesn’t mean Gen Alpha’s use of skincare products doesn’t have downsides or elements to watch out for. It’s a complex conversation, with the research showing that skincare has become a form of social currency with interest fuelled by their exposure to social media.
Our research also looked at:
The brands they use
Their shopping routines
Where they get inspiration from
Parents of Gen Alpha and how they view their children’s skincare habits
To find out more about what we learned from our Gen Alpha and skincare research contact sam@themixglobal.com or sign up to our webinar on 26th March “Generation Alpha and The Rise of Skincare”.