Let’s get into a little marketing chat, shall we? …As much as I adore makeup, my educational and professional background does include NINE (yes, I’m getting wiser) years of pro communication/marketing experience, so I do enjoy the biz side almost as much as the creative side of the beauty industry… By now, we all are aware what age range categorizes ‘millenials’ and as the older half of us mature, there’s a new generation that’s starting to call the shots. I knowww, just when you were getting accustomed to millenials being all the rage at work… enter: Generation Z (born 1995-2010).
With their pulse on technology, they’re completely changing the way brands interact in the marketplace and we’ve definitely started seeing this in a huge way in the beauty world. Let’s check out some of the trends you may find this spring/summer 2016 and beyond…
Makeup isn’t just about enhancing what you have… it’s about doing something out of the box – like regularly wearing blue lipstick or adding false freckles to an otherwise blank canvas. They like to push the envelope.
Could it be that the extreme contouring, over-lining of lips and/or over-use of Facetune could be going away? Generation Z embraces all ethnicities, body types and admonishes gender stereotypes. Growing up in a world where biracial children are not ‘different’ and gay marriage is legal, this group is pushing brands to accept that beauty comes from within. Brands like Aerie who use ‘real life models’ are pioneers in the mass market for embracing this trend, as are many indie makeup brands who cater to a much wider variety of skin tones than the typical department store may provide. Check out new cosmetic line, MILK, for example. Their line uses non-traditional models (all ethnicities, flaws welcomed) touting low maintenance looks and genderless packaging; or the recent campaign by Make Up For Ever, who were the first to sign a transgender model for their impressive, much-adored line.
Generation Z doesn’t appreciate mass blanket messaging. They need to feel connected to brands… just as they feel connection to their friends and family via technology. They want to know the brands selling to them understand their needs and want to provide them a service that not only solves a problem, but does it in an innovative, authentic way. Think: customizable makeup palettes like we’ve already seen from brands like Buxom, who have their ‘eyeshadow bar’ available at Sephora already; or NARS new huge pro palette that enables customers to fill it with pans of shadows, bronzers, blushes and powders that uniquely suit the owner.
What do you think of these trends? Like ’em/love ’em/think they’re pretentious? Are you seeing more of this when you shop or do you think this is a true ‘trend’ that won’t last the test of time? Sound off below in the comments… I’d love to hear what others think!
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Happy trendsetting,
-Steffanie
