The beauty and personal care industries are adapting rapidly under the influence of the largest generation in the US labor force and the most populous generation in the world, Millennials, and the upcoming cohort of adult consumers, Generation Z.
Shifts in perceptions of gender and self-expression held by Millennials and now being championed and expanded by Generation Z translate to a widening of markets for cosmetic and personal care companies; this includes men’s grooming products, gender-neutral cosmetics, and an overall emphasis on inclusion across identity markers.
As perceptions of gender continue to evolve in the youngest generations, marketing to these consumers becomes increasingly difficult. Traditional approaches in this space are losing efficacy amongst both these new, gender-inclusive markets as well as traditional female consumers who largely identify with their generation’s ideas.