Gen Z:

Building New Beauty

What the next-generation consumer
wants from your brand and your products
By Laura Saunter & Jemma Shin, WGSN Beauty & Insight

In partnership with
 Gen Zers champion the beauty of human
diversity in all its forms and yet are laid low
by the pressures of ‘selfie esteem’. Hungry
for digital experience and interaction, they
also feel overwhelmed and in need of a
tech-free sanctuary.

Gen Z: Building New Beauty, published for

Cosmoprof 2019, is the latest white paper
from the WGSN Beauty & Insight teams. By
getting under the skin of the consumer, we
show how beauty brands can travel alongside
Gen Z as they criss-cross between their URL
and IRL worlds. Only by sticking close to
these young shoppers will brands ensure that
their new product strategy hits the mark.

In creating this report, we heard from many

beauty executives that they needed more
support in both understanding different
generational attitudes and identifying the
The turbulent and multidimensional
right products to answer their needs. It has
lifestyles of Gen Z will define inspired us to develop a new 360-degree
beauty for the next decade. Is your service designed to help the industry develop
business ready? its next generation of hero products.

To understand this fascinating cohort – one Launching in spring 2019, WGSN Beauty
that will make up 40% of consumers by 2020 is a brand-new digital subscription and
– is to appreciate their fundamental fluidity. consulting platform that has been shaped in
They live between digital (URL) and physical direct response to the needs of those of you
real life (IRL) worlds, with minimal distinction in the beauty industry. The product works
between the two. alongside WGSN Insight, and also addresses
the unique needs of the beauty sector, from
This ‘phygital’ duality of physical and digital packaging and ingredients, to colour, texture
creates tensions for Gen Z to navigate, and and fragrance.
shapes their consumerism. The brands that
resonate and win will be the brands that help For more information on how WGSN Beauty
them find their way. can help your business, please visit
lp.wgsn.com/beauty
I’ve been fascinated by the split-world
personality of Gen Z ever since we deep- Carla Buzasi
dived into this cohort back in 2018. Our latest Managing Director, WGSN
white paper goes even further into how they
seamlessly inhabit online and offline worlds
and, specifically, what it means for those in
the beauty business.
 Contents
5 What Gen Z Wants From Your Brand

7 Meet Your New Phygital Consumers

9 Decoding Gen Z Beauty Consumers

11 Radical Inclusivity

17 Purpose to Purchase

23 The Digital Wellness Space

29 Knowledge is Empowerment

35 URL Convenience to IRL Experience

41 The Internet of Beauty

47 Conclusion

48 Research Matrix

3
4
 What Gen Z Wants
From Your Brand
Culturally agile, self-educated and highly social kudos of their digital assets with what
allclusive, Gen Z will define beauty for they own in real life. Brands that understand
the next decade. And although two polar- and authentically act on this will open up a
opposite segments exist in this generation wealth of opportunities to connect with this
– the competitive, follower-focused and ‘phygital’ cohort in both spaces, creating a
style-driven Gen Me, and the collaborative, more fantastical and fictional aesthetic for
feelings-focused and belief-driven Gen We colour cosmetics, haircare and body.
– its open, fluid nature means that this
cohort can move between Me and We Gen Z prizes brands that offer moments of
effortlessly, sometimes unconsciously, calm, sensorial experiences and products
and often contradictorily. that support their physical, mental and
emotional well-being, especially if they also
This is a generation that is growing up appeal to this cohort’s strong beliefs in
with its time split between two worlds – protest and activism, positive messaging,
the fast-paced, constantly evolving digital sustainability and inclusivity.
world (URL) and a physical in real life
(IRL) world that seems to throw up new Using WGSN’s research methodology, we
challenges, stresses and obstacles to analysed the macro shifts taking place
overcome every day – and it’s this parallel across society, technology, industry,
existence that defines how they shop for, environment, politics and creativity. We then
and experience, beauty. identified the six key drivers in consumer
behaviour that are influencing Gen Zers,
Their IRL world is viewed through a URL and the strategies you need to ensure you
filter, so they care less about distinguishing continue to stay relevant to them in this new
between the two, aligning the value and phygital landscape.

5
6
 Meet Your New
Phygital Consumers
Radical Inclusivity Knowledge is Empowerment
Gen Z defies generalisation and values Gen Z is the most self-educated generation
diversity in all forms. Social media provides to date, with information and tutorials on any
greater exposure to conversations about conceivable subject instantly available online
gender fluidity, positioning this cohort at the at any time. Informed online communities
forefront of radical inclusivity as they reject continue to fuel demand for authenticity
gender-conforming attitudes. and transparency across the industry.

Purpose to Purchase URL Convenience to IRL Experience

This is more of a lifestyle decision than a Picture sharing apps, such as Instagram in
trend for this generation. The purchasing the West, and Weibo and WeChat in China,
pathways of these educated, eco-conscious are Gen Z’s most widely used social media
shoppers are directly determined by ethical platforms. They use them to educate and
practices and messaging, and they strongly influence each other, as well as research,
believe that a brand must take responsibility discover and transact. Shopping directly
for both its social and environmental impact. from social media will become increasingly
important, as these consumers demand
The Digital Wellness Space that real-world shopping is as frictionless
As increased digital pressures elevate as online.
issues such as loneliness and ‘selfie
esteem’ into high-priority concerns, holistic The Internet of Beauty
wellness becomes increasingly important Artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented
for Gen Z. They crave moments of calm, reality (AR)-powered apps will begin to play
and actively seek out brands that go out of a much larger role in customers’ purchasing
their way to offer support in an emotionally decisions. Extended reality (XR) is set to
complex world. evolve the way Gen Z communicates, plays
and shops, driving the demand for tech-
enabled and playful interactions within
retail environments.

7
8
 Decoding Gen Z
Beauty Consumers
Gen Z Beauty Spend

$368 18%
Amount female Gen Zers up year-on-year¹
now spend annually on
beauty, with skincare being
a leading driver¹

Gen Z Influencers

16% 60%
say they use social media
content to get a response

56%
of Gen Z are less likely to be
influenced by celebrities² from others4

of teens can tell whether a

brand is for them based on their
social media accounts³

¹[US] – Piper Jaffray Spring 2018 Survey

²[US] – Cone Communications, 2017 “Gen Z CSR Study: How to Speak Z”
³[US] – Awesomeness TV Network, 2017 “Gen Z: The Audience You Can’t Ignore”
4[China] –Tencent’s Customer Research & User Experience Design Centre
surveyed 15,000 post-00s and pulled online user data from across the country

9
 Digital Life

96% 68 60%
use social media
almost constantly7
of Gen Z own
videos watched every
a smartphone5
day by the average Gen Zer6

71%
70% of their entertainment

55%
consumption is streaming6

of Chinese Millenials are

interested in using VR to
socialise virtually with friends8

are more comfortable

connecting with people
online than in person6

9 hours 76%
average time Gen Z spends of Gen Zers say they discover
online every day7 brands via Instagram9

5[Global] – Commscope, September 2017, “The Generation Z Study of Tech Intinates”

6[US] – Awesomeness TV Network, 2017 “Gen Z: Leaders of the Mobile Social Movement”
7[US] – Commonsense Media, 2018
8Tencent’s Customer Research & User Experience Design Centre
9Pew Research: Social Media Use, 2018

10
Radical Inclusivity
Valuing diversity in all forms, with social media providing wider exposure
to evolving global conversations, Gen Z is rejecting gender-conforming
identities and rooting for diverse representation.

11
 Radical Inclusivity

“We have morphed into a world where people

are very much in touch with who they are.
They are firm about it and unwilling to
change or pacify themselves for anyone.”
– Nai’vasha Johnson, celebrity hair stylist

Immediate opportunities

New masculinity
Black women in the US continue to embrace
Asian youths lead in challenging traditional their natural hair, with a recent Mintel survey
perceptions of masculinity. In Korea, there revealing that 40% no longer straighten
are over 44k YouTube “male idol make-up” using chemicals or heat styling.
videos, mostly created by teenage boys.
Sales of colour cosmetics to male teenagers “Growing up as an African American in the
increased by 71% in 2017, compared to 13% South, I felt so alienated from beauty ideals
in 2016, according to Korean e-commerce and mainstream products that I just made
giant Gmarket. Euromonitor predicts that my own.” – Niambi Cacchioli, founder,
male cosmetic consumption in China will Pholk Beauty.
see a YoY growth of 13.5% by 2019, well
ahead of 5.8% globally.
Allclusivity
Men’s make-up launches, such as Korean
brands LAKA and Sneaky, are increasing, Gen Z is driving the shift towards a more
as well as European and US gender-neutral inclusive visual culture, leading retailers
brands such as Boy de Chanel, Panacea, to acknowledge consumers with different
Youth to The People, Non Gender Specific abilities. On social media, a new crop
and Context. of allclusive influencers, such as
@aaron___philip and @joannedion_, are
creating wider acceptance and achieving
Ethnic diversity growing mainstream visibility by challenging the
standard perceptions of beauty. Their
The runaway success of Fenty Beauty’s mission is to encourage their followers to
40-shade Pro Filt’r foundation range has persevere despite the physical conditions
inspired a host of other brands, such as that might otherwise have discouraged
Tarte and Smashbox, to follow suit and them from speaking up.
launch inclusive products. This has helped
to create a much-needed new norm for
skin diversity.

12
 Radical Inclusivity

URL IRL
strategies strategies
Beauty brands and platforms are Beauty stores are specifically
launching inclusive online features catering to under-represented
and messaging. communities in the market and
allclusive product design is coming
In June 2018, online retailer ASOS to the fore.
announced it had dropped the term
“beauty” on its website and marketing In June 2018, Sephora began its Classes
materials, replacing it with “Face + Body” for Confidence – a series of hands-on
for greater gender inclusivity. beauty courses for customers who identify
as transgender or non-binary.
In 2018, Pinterest enabled beauty search
results to be filtered by skin tone. Brown Beauty Co-op is a recently launched
Washington, DC, beauty store for women
In 2018, visually impaired Kathleen of colour, offering a wide array of products
Sypert filed a lawsuit against Glossier for darker skin tones and natural hair, in
for its website having multiple access partnership with “brown girl-approved”
barriers, highlighting the need for retailer Marjani.
businesses to prioritise accessible web
design. This prompted Glossier to take Celebrity hair colourist Lisa Shepherd has
steps to comply with Americans with opened a low-sensory hair salon in the UK,
Disabilities Act standards by working with after one of her staff members suffered a
experienced accessibility consultants. head injury that left her unable to tolerate
bright lights and strong smells. The stress-
free, inclusive space features warm,
low-level lighting and meditative music.
“As an industry, we could be more aware
of mental health and chronic illness,” says
Shepherd. “My aim is to raise awareness
of just how many people are alienated
from a salon experience, and we have it
in our hands to change this and make the
salon a positive experience.”

British start-up Kohl Kreatives created

The Flex Collection, a set of make-up
brushes tailored for people with a motor
disability or disease. They feature easy-to-
grip handles and self-standing designs for
better comfort and control.

13
Future opportunities

Universal skincare Pholk Beauty is a vegan, affordable skincare

label created by women of colour, for
The beauty industry is aiming to become women of colour. Its founder, inclusive
more inclusive and less Caucasian-centric. beauty activist Niambi Cacchioli, told WGSN:
Colour cosmetics brands have been offering “Brands like Fenty, Mented and The Lip Bar
wider ranges of foundation shades to suit busted open the doors wide for diversity.
different skin tones. And now the global But after you wash your face, you still have
skincare market is aiming to follow suit to deal with the skin. As we have more
and evolve. But there is still work to be conversations about skin and educate sales
done. According to a recent report by UK associates to understand the conversation,
retailer Superdrug, 70% of black and Asian we can really be ourselves.”
women in the UK do not feel that high street
(mainstream) brands cater for them.

14
 “We’re always
asking ourselves: ‘Who
participates in the
[beauty] category but has
never been celebrated?’”
– Ukonwa Ojo, senior vice-president, Covergirl

15
 Radical Inclusivity

Actions to take
1
To create a credible diverse beauty offer, your
brand has to be as varied as your customer base.
Take the advice of US beauty YouTube influencer
Jackie Aina: “Give people of colour a seat at your
table – not to take our money, but to actually
value our voices. Employ them to create an
opportunity and space for them.”

2
Ensure that teams with different abilities, races and
genders are represented in the workforce. UK-based
ethical luxury brand The Soap Co. employs blind and
disabled people, including those with epilepsy or
people recovering from strokes.

3
Support fluid identity, provide a safe space for
self-expression and celebrate differences. Fluide,
a make-up label for all gender expressions,
identities and skin tones, believes make-up is a
transformation tool and a powerful means of
self-actualisation. The brand donates 5% of profits
to organisations that support LGBTQ rights.

16
Purpose to Purchase
Sustainability is deeply woven into Gen Zers’ worldview, as they’ve grown
up in a time when our impact on the planet and other species has become
increasingly visible. According to Nielsen’s 2018 global survey, 80% of Gen Z
feel strongly that companies should help the environment, 68% of US
Gen Z shoppers made an eco-friendly purchase, and 82% of Southeast
Asian Gen Zers claim they prefer products from ethical brands.

17
Immediate opportunities

Anti-waste Vegan beauty launches increased by 175%

from 2013 to 2018, according to Mintel. The
Gen Z is seeking out the most sustainable popularity of animal-free beauty continues
options, particularly “Precyclers” – who to grow, with initiatives such as California’s
think about recycling before they shop, ban on animal-tested cosmetics, due to
by buying unpackaged, reusable and begin in 2020, and China launching its
refillable products. Leaping Bunny pilot scheme in 2018 in
partnership with Cruelty Free International.
A 2019 study by VIGA and OC&C Strategy This enables foreign cosmetics companies
Consultants found that 27% of Gen Z prefer to launch and manufacture products in
to buy products that can be used repeatedly, China without the need for post-market
and 37% try to only buy and keep what they animal testing.
truly need.

The re-commerce industry is now extending Online activism

beyond fashion into beauty, with online
platforms Poshmark, eBay and Glambot Gen Z is using social media to educate,
allowing users to resell beauty products. advocate and activate. Noteworthy
influencers include tongue-in-cheek
@zerowastememes, an Instagram account
Cruelty-free that posts viral-worthy content to its 45.6k
followers. Gen Z sustainability activist
More than any other generation, Gen Z @stevieyaaaay uses her artfully curated
is embedding ethical values, such as Instagram and blog to showcase her ethical,
prioritising animal welfare and favouring waste-free and natural lifestyle.
plant-based diets, into their lifestyles. Data
from Morning Consult’s 2018 Consumer “Savvyness is a defining characteristic
Trends in the Food and Beverage Industry of today’s young consumers. They may
report highlights that 29% of US consumers be drawn to greener, more natural or
aged 18-21 claim the word “vegan” on responsible brands, but they are not blindly
products makes them more appealing, buying them.” – Krupali Cescau, brand
compared to just 14% of Boomers. director, Amplify.

18
 Purpose to Purchase

URL IRL
strategies strategies
Forward-thinking digital platforms Businesses are driving eco-friendly
offer convenient solutions to zero- IRL initiatives and incentivising
waste shopping experiences and customers to use them to build
increased traceability. long-term loyalty.

Using blockchain and open data to provide Skincare brand Haeckels offers a 40%
supply-chain information on the ethical online discount if you share a photo of
nature and origin of ingredients helps yourself cleaning up a beach.
brands, shoppers and partners build trust
and create transparency. In August 2018, L’Occitane teamed up with
TerraCycle to enable customers to return
Loop is a circular, zero-waste shopping containers for recycling in return for a 10%
platform that will supply branded products in-store discount.
by big names such as Unilever and P&G in
reusable containers. When empty, these Lush is going a step further with entire
are returned, sanitised, refilled and sent stores dedicated to packaging-free
back to consumers. It launches in the US products to raise awareness of the impact
and France in May 2019. of single-use plastic on oceans. The first
opened in Milan in 2018 and the most
recent store opened in Manchester, UK, in
January 2019.

Hawaiian Airlines has partnered with Raw

Elements to offer passengers free samples
of biodegradable, reef-safe sunscreen
ahead of Hawaii’s expected 2021 ban on
coral-damaging sunscreens.

19
Future opportunities

Biodegradable futures
Waterless beauty
Products made from biodegradable
materials, such as algae and bacteria that The UN estimates that by 2050, the demand
can be safely broken down by an aerobic for clean water will grow by around 30%,
or anaerobic composting process, will increasing pressure on an already stressed
gain momentum. BioGlitz is the world’s supply and creating scarcity. The challenge
first plant-based glitter brand, and of reducing water waste, particularly within
researchers at the University of Bath in the industry, will become the next high-profile
UK have developed biodegradable marine global environmental challenge after plastic
microbeads made up of cellulose sourced in 2019.
from waste.
As part of its Sustainable Living plan,
Developed as part of an MIT Design Lab Unilever has implemented Water-smart
and Puma Innovation project, The Adaptive – a series of initiatives and products to
Dynamics: Biodesign, Adaptive Packaging is help users reduce their water footprint,
a biomaterial that inflates by emitting gases particularly in emerging markets.
in response to heat, and expands to create
a biodegradable protective layer around a Launching at the end of 2019, P&G’s new
product. This technology could potentially brand DS3 will feature liquid-free and
be utilised by the beauty industry to replace plastic-free personal care items. L’Oréal
single-use packaging materials currently has committed to reducing 60% of water
being used. consumption per finished product by 2020.
20
 “It’s not enough just to sustain.
From an environmental
perspective you can’t just not
negatively impact the world, you
have to add a positive.”
– Camilla Marcus-Dew, founder, The Soap Co.

21
 Purpose to Purchase

Actions to take
1
Think how your product can leave a positive legacy.
For example, as well as employing software to
ensure its supply chain is ethical, LOLI Beauty’s
zero-waste, waterless and food-grade products
come in reusable glass jars.

2
Clearly illustrate how your customers’ actions can
make a difference: 36% of Gen Z say that this type
of content is more likely to grab their attention.

3
Join the packaging-free movement with
unwrapped goods, or offer alternatives to
plastic. Create discount and loyalty incentives
around recycling and refillable schemes.

22
 The Digital
Wellness Space

23
 The Digital Wellness Space

In an age of anxiety, political instability, environmental turmoil and digital overload,

Gen Z focuses on physical and mental health. But while 94% of them believe a
healthy body and mind is the most important factor for happiness, according to
a Varkey Foundation 2017 study, many are struggling to achieve this. In fact, the
American Psychological Association reports that 91% in the US say they have
experienced at least one physical or emotional symptom due to stress.

They are more susceptible to loneliness, with 16 to 24-year-olds three times as

likely to be lonely as those over 64. This is mainly due to a lack of in-person social
interactions, with some 60% of Gen Z using social media almost constantly, says
a 2018 Common Sense Media report.

In addition, selfie culture and filters are intensifying self-esteem issues. Young
consumers are craving moments of calm and looking to brands that acknowledge
the detrimental effects of social media, offering them support and a safe haven,
such as Fluff Cosmetics’ new Selfiesteem feature.

Immediate opportunities

Gen Z homebodies Selfie culture backlash

Today’s youth are staying at home more, as Photographer Rankin’s Selfie Harm project
they seek sanctuary in their own, personal asked 15 British teenagers aged 13-19 to
space. Mintel reports that 67% of Gen Z edit their own photograph until they deemed
say they avoid unhealthy activities such as it “social media ready”. While no one left
clubbing, drinking and smoking, and in the their photo alone, most admitted later to
US, the at-home self-care industry is valued preferring their unedited photo.
at $400bn.
“It’s time to acknowledge the damaging
effects that social media has on people’s
Deleting digital distortion self-image,” says Rankin.“Every platform is
full of hyper-retouched and highly addictive
US drugstore chain CVS has banned digitally imagery, and it’s messing people up.”
altered imagery on ads and labels, and
will eliminate it in-store and across social
media over the next two years. Neutrogena,
Covergirl and Revlon are among 13 brands
signed up to the CVS Beauty Mark initiative.
Unilever brand Dove has also introduced a
No Digital Distortion label.
24
 The Digital Wellness Space

URL IRL
strategies strategies
Online campaigns and educational Tech-free sensorial store designs
content will help Gen Z with self- resonate with Gen Zers who seek
esteem, while online wellness and out offline experiences. Brands
health apps will support phygitally that connect physical and virtual
minded homebodies. spaces with community hubs will
boost engagement.
 oty and Rimmel have partnered with
C
anti-bullying charity The CyberSmile for Danish youth retailer Boozt allows
a three-year global, AI-driven initiative, customers to opt in or out of using tech
#Iwillnotbedeleted, to support victims devices at its Copenhagen store. Screens,
of beauty cyberbullying. Coty found speakers and tablets are concealed in
23% of the 11,000 women aged 16-25 it displays that blend into the background.
interviewed had experienced cyberbullying.
Website Refinery29 is helping to tackle
US site Chillhouse’s Home Vibes and Chill loneliness with the launch of The Lonely
Merch ranges celebrate staying in. The Girls Club, an on-to-offline initiative that
brand has collaborated with Australian connects users in real life through book
skincare brand Frank Body for a video clubs, sports and social events.
series addressing body hair, eating
disorders and sexual consent, published Textures and transformative formulas,
on a microsite, The Chill Times. such as jelly-to-powder, will satisfy the
need for real-life sensory experiences.
 eriod health app Moody Month helps girls
P Shiseido’s new “breathable, buildable,
“improve their down days and power up and bendable” make-up range is split
their best”. Users input details about their into categories with cosmetics grouped
cycle and emotions, and the app uses this by textures.
data to create insights that help girls better
understand their cycles.

25
Future opportunities

Emotional wellness device sector saw 71% growth in 2017, while

five of the top ten digital appliances sold
Mood-altering cosmetics and skincare during Alibaba’s 2018 Singles’ Day were
will gain popularity. Brands will create at-home beauty tools.
stimulating or calming spaces and spa-
inspired products, such as start-up brand
Skinjay’s Mission capsule line and Lush’s Inhalable wellness
13 #LushMoods products.
Non-invasive, localised delivery systems
that utilise the lungs have been clinically
At-home beauty devices proven to enable molecular drugs and
actives to be absorbed into the bloodstream
At-home wellness will evolve as Gen Zers in seconds, as well as requiring a lower dose
invest in smart beauty devices, such than conventional delivery methods to be
as LED beauty masks and hair-removal effective. Coupled with discreet, on-the-go
systems, for their own spaces. According convenience, we will see a rise in inhalable
to Kline & Company, the home beauty wellness products.

26
“Emotion is king ‒ we’re seeing
the huge power of emotional
influence everywhere from
politics to retail, and it will
only continue to dominate.”
– Diana Verde Nieto, co-founder and CEO, Positive Luxury

27
 The Digital Wellness Space

Actions to take
1
Aim to eliminate digital manipulation in marketing
materials, and monitor social media comments. Take
action against cyberbullying or skin/body-shaming.
In 2018, a survey of 10,020 young people by bullying
charity Ditch the Label, found 42% of them experienced
cyberbullying on Instagram, and 50% of comments
were appearance-based.

2
IRL, create ‘micro break’ experiences that boost
customers’ wellness with calming products featuring
a DIY element to encourage mindfulness. Scentiment
by designer Teddy Schuyers is a DIY kit that enables
users to craft their own perfume using dried fruit
peel and other fragrant edibles, offering a mindful
and sensorial ritual.

3
Ensure that retail staff are educated about teens and
mental health, especially sales associates in stores
where vulnerable Gen Z may be seeking advice about
skincare or make-up application. A non-judgemental
attitude and an empathetic approach is required for
young, image-conscious shoppers.

28
 Knowledge is
Empowerment

29
 Knowledge is Empowerment

Self-educated Gen Z ‘skintellectuals’ seek information before they buy, using

sources like Beautypedia, which features reviews for over 45,000 products,
and sharing advice on cult Reddit forum SkincareAddiction, which boasts
over 875,000 members.

Independent watchdog apps are trusted sources of information. Korean

site Hwahae has over 5m users and over 100,000 analysed products in its
database, while apps such as Glowpick and QuelCosmetic help shoppers
research safe, clean skincare options.

Gen Z consumers are also turning to Instagram to speak out against

companies they feel are operating dishonestly, and to call out sponsored
content from bloggers and influencers whom they feel have violated their trust.

62% of Gen Z beauty consumers

digitally research beauty/personal
care before purchasing
– Women’s Marketing

Immediate opportunities

DIY beauty Crowdsourcing

Euromonitor’s 2018 Beauty Survey found Brands are increasingly looking to harness
that almost half of consumers globally use the collective wisdom of the beauty
DIY beauty products at least once a month. community, engaging their customers in
This desire for customisation – stripping everything from design to marketing.
out what they consider to be non-essential
ingredients – enables them to create an Volition Beauty asks consumers – or
ultra-personalised skin regimen. “Innovators” – to pitch them ideas. If
chosen, they are supported through
US brand LOLI Beauty, launched in March research and development, and other
2018, offers Blend-It-Yourself customisation members vote on whether the product
kits, giving consumers the tools and goes into production, earning the innovator
sustainably sourced ingredients to mix their discounts and a percentage of the profits.
own recipes.

Zandra Cunningham, an 18-year-old US

entrepreneur, started making plant-based
products when she was nine. She has her
own product line and presents interactive
DIY beauty workshops on YouTube.

30
 Knowledge is Empowerment

URL IRL
strategies strategies
New hyper-personalised technology At-home kits, customised services
diagnoses skin problems, providing and crowdsourcing strategies
customised recommendations blend on and offline experiences
and products. for maximum engagement with
a phygital Gen Z mindset.
 aunched in January 2019, Neutrogena’s
L
Mask ID app 3D-prints personalised face New York-based Le CultureClub’s Stardust
masks based on users’ skin measurements. Kit comes with before and after test
swabs, which analyse the effectiveness
P&G Ventures Opté precision skincare of the product.
system comprises a wand that analyses
skin, and a serum that is then jet-printed South Korea-based Agarbatti offers oils,
onto the face. powders, extracts and liquid actives for
DIY product creation.
 ’Oréal’s My Skin Track pH wearable
L
measures pH levels, which can affect skin  mashbox’s store in California features
S
conditions such as eczema. a 3D printer that can personalise lipstick
and packaging with emojis, names, logos
 tolla Skin Lab gathers data – such as
A and colours.
moisture levels, oil levels and lifestyle
factors – and feeds it into their machine-  sers of Crowd Colour can print blank
U
learning algorithm to create customised oils. palettes with their own designs and
The team then continues to monitor the skin fill them with their chosen products or
over time to optimise the formula. transfer products from other brands,
playing to Gen Z’s dislike of waste, and
 ermalogica teamed up with BreezoMeter,
D sense of value.
a global air quality data company, to help
consumers track the impact of pollution  eveloped by Shiseido’s Innovation Design
D
on their skin and follow the brand’s Lab, POSME is a teen-focused beauty
recommendations. brand created with high school girls.
POSME’s new store in Shibuya, Tokyo
serves as a communication space for fans
of the brand.

31
 Knowledge is Empowerment

Future opportunities

At-home 3D printing where customers can learn to create

treatments using base ingredients –
3D printing will enable consumers to print will demonstrate brand authenticity and
their own make-up palette and bring it authority, while ensuring consumers
in-store to refill. Eliminating unnecessary feel empowered.
waste, as well as the need for product
packaging and delivery costs, will resonate Total transparency
strongly with sustainably minded, value-
driven Gen Z. From ingredients to packaging, brands
must offer complete transparency. At
Korean brand Hanyul’s store in Gangnam,
DIY store activations Seoul, products are displayed alongside the
ingredients, so customers can touch and
Outside of the home, DIY beauty will smell them, as well as being able to read
also have an impact in-store, which will about their benefits.Online, LabNo offers
be especially key for legacy brands still an ingredient dictionary and counselling
invested in physical spaces. Store-hosted, service, while Korean skincare company
live streamed DIY beauty workshops – Belif lists the research-backed benefits of
key ingredients on its website.

32
“This generation self-educates
through content consumption.
They’re the driving influence
in household decision-making.
They have more information,
more expertise, more insight.”
– Moj Mahdara , CEO and co-founder, Beautycon Media

33
 Knowledge is Empowerment

Actions to take
1
Use crowdsourcing strategies that shift
decision-making to the consumer or provide
them with the chance to mix their own products
to give them full control.

2
Invest in AI and tech-enabled services that
allow consumers to scan their own faces to gain
customised recommendations.

3
Find new ways to allow consumers to participate
in creating your brand – they crave closer
interaction, whether it’s discussing product
queries and experiences or contributing to
product creation.

34
 URL Convenience
to IRL Experience
Instagram, and picture sharing apps such as Tencent and Weibo in China, are the
most widely used social platforms among teens. In the US, for example, 81% of
18 to 24-year-olds use Instagram daily, and 76% say they discover brands and
trends via the platform, according to Pew Research.

Social media is also increasingly driving traffic to brand and retailer websites, up
111% YoY in 2018. As a result, marketers are investing more in the platform, with ad
spend up by 177% YoY in Q2 of 2018, and 39% of brands stating they are planning
to up their Instagram influencer marketing in 2019.

Instagram’s impact on product development, packaging, stores and customer

communication is all-pervasive, so brands have to stay relevant to this
community and its influential consumer tribes.

35
 URL Convenience to IRL Experience

Immediate opportunities

Designing for social is paramount, becoming central to both the

consumer experience and brand identity.
Gen Z consumers are both content makers
and distributors, actively introducing and A brand’s aesthetics have to stand out in a
recommending new products to peers. With selfie or shelfie. Businesses targeting the
social feeds becoming the new magazines, youth market need to consider if packaging
how a brand lives in the market is partially will work in a flat lay, or shine in a tutorial
owned by the customer. or unboxing video. Even the delivery of a
beauty formula is now Instagram-friendly,
Picture and video-led microblogging is with products such as animal face masks
pushing businesses to adapt. As Gen Z and photogenic, iridescent gel creams being
loyalty is more product-driven than brand- designed with the ‘show and tell’ function
driven, Instagrammable packaging design in mind.

“The foundation can run down your cheek

like a teardrop; you can use Rewind mode
to pull it back up, which looks cool on social.
Back in the day we might have just put it in
a pump, but with the dropper, when you see it
on Instagram, it’s ‘Oh my God, what’s that?’”
– Maureen Kelly, founder and CEO, Tarte

Driver
136
36
 URL Convenience to IRL Experience

URL IRL
strategies strategies
Brands are creating products Digital behaviours are being
with Instagram in mind, while new translated into physical packaging.
ways of shopping online make
the experience more immersive Glossier has incorporated a physical
‘swipe’ into the packaging for its You solid
and shareable.
perfume. The pale pink, weighted metal
compact opens and closes using
Chanel has launched @welovecoco, a
a smartphone-style motion.
platform entirely dedicated to how its
community of fans interact with Chanel
EmpireEmco, a US packaging brand,
products. It appears to be working, with
created Roxanne, a stick formulation
consumers posting images with the
packaging solution for lipstick or
hashtag #welovecoco in the hope that
concealer. The stick can be scrolled up
Chanel will repost them, providing the
or down, rather than twisted, and was
brand with free user-generated content.
inspired by the iPhone.
In November 2018, Sephora announced
that Google Home users can now play any
of Sephora’s make-up video tutorials with
commands such as: “Hey Google, show
me foundation tips videos from Sephora.”

In China, WeChat, Taobao and JD.com

have all embedded shopping functions
into their live streaming platforms. Half
of all Taobao’s live streaming viewers are
Gen Z.

NYX’s shoppable video tutorials on

Instagram Stories enable users to add
products to basket while the artist
demonstrates how to create a look.

37
Future opportunities

URL design with meaning The rise in the popularity of transparent

brands, such as Brandless and Beauty
Brands that gained huge fanbases thanks Pie, points to a growing willingness
to Insta-friendly packaging are experiencing among consumers to choose function
some backlash, as the interplay between and price over packaging. For 2019 and
aesthetics and results becomes rebalanced. beyond, beauty brands must combine
Instagrammability with results and meaning.

38
“We refuse to be another
brand with Millennial
pink… A lot of beauty
brands are dumbing down
their audiences, serving
them content without
giving them any credit for
what they’re thinking. We
want to be a brand that
stands for something and
has an opinion.”
– Erika Geraerts, founder, Fluff Cosmetics

39
 URL Convenience to IRL Experience

Actions to take
1
Ensure store experiences live up to the phygital
mentality – Gen Z consumers may discover
a brand online, but many will want to capture
product for their personal audiences in IRL
settings. Make sure your store can facilitate this.

2
Understand that this audience is in transition,
moving from a focus on brand aesthetics to
results, so ensure meaning is embedded into
both design and formula.

3
This cohort will expect retailers to provide more
shareable and immersive offline experiences, and
is willing to travel the extra mile for the promise
of quality content to share online. Make sure
store experiences live up to expectations.

40
The Internet
of Beauty

41
 In the coming years, extended reality or XR (an umbrella term for virtual,
augmented and mixed reality) is set to change the way Gen Z both plays and
shops, driving the demand for tech-enabled interactions in the retail world.
As tech continues to blur the line between physical and digital space, we will
shift from the experience economy to the immersive economy, where an XR
lifestyle becomes the norm for this generation of digital natives.

Immediate opportunities

Shoppable AR Virtual influencers and 3D avatars

More brands are experimenting with Avatar brand marketing is becoming part of
augmented advertising and AR-enabled the mainstream, with brands tapping into
shoppable features on social media. Lens the popularity of fictitious social stars to
Studio lets users create their own AR promote their products. The world’s first
artworks, while Snapchat’s new Shoppable digital supermodel Shudu and pop culture
AR feature allows advertisers to display icon Lil Miquela straddle the line between
and sell products through the app’s fantasty and reality.
lenses. In July 2018, Facebook also began
experimenting with AR-enabled shoppable In Asia, 3D avatar app Zepeto now has
ads in its Newsfeed, encouraging users to more than 1m teens and tweens creating
try on products virtually. their own digital likenesses and meet-up
spaces. According to Mintel, 70% of Chinese
Millennials are interested in using VR to
socialise virtually with friends and 58%
claim trying new digital products makes
them happy.

42
 The Internet of Beauty

URL IRL
strategies strategies
AR-led services are opening up Brands and retailers are integrating
new frontiers in beauty, offering AI and AR into the shopping space
bespoke and engaging experiences to gather data and engage the
for phygital Gen Z consumers. next generation of consumers
with interactive, playful store
In January 2018, Smashbox launched experiences.
a beauty chatbot called Smashbot.
Smashbot lets users virtually try out  he new Covergirl flagship store in New
T
products in a photo to share with friends, York’s Times Square describes itself as
talk to sales associates and shop the an “experiential make-up playground”. On
range. Other features include booking entering, Google AI greeter “Olivia” answers
in-store appointments and locating the queries and offers AI-powered beauty
nearest retail outlet. advice. There are also AR glam stations
where shoppers can virtually try on make-
After L’Oréal’s acquisition of beauty AR up, activated by placing colour choices into
company ModiFace in 2018, the company a customisation tray.
launched Virtual Nail Salon, an AR app
that virtually applies different nail polish Chinese department store chain Intime
shades and textures on live videos of collaborated with Alibaba to revamp its
users’ hands. women’s bathrooms into an interactive point
of sale with an AR mirror. Shoppers can
Similar to make-up, the nail care sector virtually try on cosmetics, as well as order
can benefit from virtual experience samples, or buy items at a smart vending
because of its strong social element. On machine from brands such as Shu Uemura,
Instagram, the hashtag #nails has over Benefit and Lancôme.
100m posts, while #nailart has 53m.
Following the launch of a 3D fitting room
In February 2018, Covergirl introduced a and an AR Styling Station that enables
new AR experience, created in partnership virtual make-up tests with over 60 brands,
with Holition, Beamly and Walmart. JD.com has installed AR Beauty Mirrors in
The live try-on tool allows customers to the bricks-and-mortar stores of Walmart
virtually apply different make-up looks, and Chinese cosmetics brand Carslan.
without the need to download an app or
log into a social account.

43
Future opportunities

With the rapid advancement of machine including The Pixel Injection, a powerful
learning, we are living in an increasingly agent formulated to fill in dead pixels and
algorithm-based world. Going forwards, AI intensify the skin’s DPI, and The Pixel
will push brands to create strategies that will Lipstick, a reflective oil mixed with noise
see them selling both digital and physical for decadent shine and deep hydration. At
products in new spaces. this stage, the line is purely conceptual, but
Perl claims that one day she would like to
produce physical objects.
AI-created products
AI could eventually inform creative decisions AI-generated make-up
right from the initial product development
stage. IBM is already experimenting In February 2019, Dazed Beauty made waves
with this, using AI to create a new line of by featuring Kylie Jenner on the cover with
fragrances. It teamed up with German AI-generated make-up. The magazine
fragrance company Symrise to create teamed with the photographer Daniel
an algorithm called Philyra that studies Sannwald and an AI program called
fragrance formulas and customer data to Beauty_GAN, which generates looks by
produce new perfumes. analysing 17,000 Instagram images.

Perl, a CGI model “born and raised in the Lukas Rudig, the creative behind
internet”, is moving from promoting to Beauty_GAN, explains: “These technologies
designing products. She launched the are often invisible … and as artists we
first cosmetic collection made for AI by have a duty to make these things visible.
AI, “in a world where beauty isn’t exclusive In the case of AI, to show people that this
to humans anymore”. The line starts with is nothing to be scared of. It can produce
basics and proposes five key products beauty, something unseen, a new aesthetic.”

44
 “As artists we have
a duty to make these
things visible. In the
case of AI, to show
people that this is
nothing to be scared of.
It can produce beauty,
something unseen, a
new aesthetic.”
– Lukas Rudig, Beauty_GAN

45
 The Internet of Beauty

Actions to take
1
When rolled out, 5G will unlock AR capabilities –
evolving the way we shop with new, immersive
real-time applications and services. Brands must
prepare for the transition from e-commerce to
a-commerce (augmented commerce).

2
Gen Z consumers are native omni-shoppers who
crave immersive phygital experiences. Retailers
that push the boundaries with new technologies
will resonate with youngsters looking for sensorial
and engaging ways to browse and buy.

3
As curious and boundary-pushing Gen Z increasingly
seeks new experiences and social interactions in
a virtual realm, brands should partner with avatar
influencers and invest in creative AI programs to
resonate with shifting consumer mindsets.

46
 Conclusion
Although Gen Z craves in-person sensory Sustainability is non-negotiable for Gen Z.
experiences, the convenience and accessibility It’s not enough for a brand to just negate
of online transactions should be replicated any impact its production has on the world,
in their offline experiences. They flick leaving a positive legacy to make the world
between URL and IRL, and favour brands that a better place is increasingly important to
understand and support them in both worlds. this cohort. IRL and URL messaging and
activism go hand in hand, and are essential
Technology should be used to enhance the to articulate what matters to them and build
experience of a beauty ritual, rather than campaign momentum.
trying to replace it. Employ smart tech to
make beauty hyper-personalised, analytical Acknowledge the impact digital effects can
and diagnostic, and therefore ultra-effective, have on people’s expectations of an aesthetic.
and then track and validate its efficacy. Give Textures and colour in colour cosmetics and
this consumer the power to change their hair styling can exist in both or either URL and
personal beauty world to optimally work for IRL worlds. Expect the virtual to influence the
them, their skin, style and hair. physical, no matter how fantastical.

47
 Research Matrix
OC&C Strategy Consultants x VIGA: A Generation Without Morning Consult: Consumer Trends in the Food and Beverage
Borders, 2019 Industry, 2018
www.occstrategy.com/media/1806/a-generation-without- morningconsult.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Morning-
borders.pdf Consult-Consumer-Trends-In-The-Food-and-Beverage-
Industry.pdf
Piper Jaffray: 35th Semi-Annual Taking Stock With Teens
Survey, Spring 2018 Mintel: Global New Products Database (GNPD), 2018
www.piperjaffray.com/private/pdf/2018_Spring_TSWT_ www.mintel.com/blog/beauty-market-news/how-can-beauty-
Spring_Infographic_LARGE.pdf companies-make-the-most-of-veganisms-rising-popularity

Commscope: The Generation Z Study of Tech Intimates, 2017 Mintel: The Natural Consumer – US, 2017
www.commscope.com/insights/uploads/2017/09/ store.mintel.com/the-natural-consumer-us-august-2017
Generation-Z-Report.pdf
IRi: Self-care Industry, 2017
Common Sense Media: Social Media, Social Life, 2018 www.iriworldwide.com/en-us/News/Press-Releases/IRI-
www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/ Provides-Actionable-Insights-into-%24400-Billion-Self-Care-
research/2018_cs_socialmediasociallife_fullreport-final- Industry,-Enabling-Marketers-to-Unlock
release_2_lowres.pdf
Klein Group: Beauty Devices – Global Market Analysis and
Awesomeness TV Network, 2017 “Gen Z: Leaders of the Opportunities, 2018
mobile social movement” www.klinegroup.com/reports/beauty_devices
awesomenesstvnetwork.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/
infographic_mobile-study.pdf Ditch The Label: The Annual Bullying Survey, 2018
www.ditchthelabel.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/The-
Cone Communications: Gen Z CSR Study, 2017 Annual-Bullying-Survey-2018-2.pdf
www.conecomm.com/2017-cone-gen-z-csr-study-pdf
Women’s Marketing: Reaching the Generation Z Beauty
Awesomeness TV Network: Gen Z - The Audience You Can’t Consumer, 2017
Ignore, 2017 www.stellarising.com/marketing-to-generation-z-teen-beauty-
awesomenesstvnetwork.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/ consumers-whitepaper-0-0
awesomeness_report_final1.pdf
Euromonitor International: Beauty Survey, 2018
Tencent: Customer Research & User Experience Design go.euromonitor.com/white-paper-bpc-2018-beauty-survey-
Centre survey, 2018 key-insights-and-system-update.html
(no direct link – surveyed 15,000 post-00s in China and pulled
online user data from across the country) Pew Research Center: Social Media Use, 2018
www.pewinternet.org/2018/03/01/social-media-use-in-2018/
Euromonitor International: Chinese male skincare and
cosmetics products market, 2016-2019 Mintel: China Consumer Trends, 2018
hkmb.hktdc.com/en/1X0A5QKA/hktdc-research/Skincare- www.mintel.com/china-consumer-trends/
Products-in-China-Characteristics-of-Male-Consumers

Mintel: US Black Haircare Market, 2018

store.mintel.com/us-black-haircare-market-report

Nielsen: The Education of the Sustainable Mindset, 2018

www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports/2018/the-
education-of-the-sustainable-mindset.html

48
 WGSN Beauty
The beauty industry has spoken, and we’ve listened.
 
You are challenged every day to create the best products for changing
consumer groups, respect the planet and deliver for your bottom line. With
long lead times and continuously developing information, deciding which
trends to back is difficult. But make the right calls and you could create the
next beauty hero – the one that’s still going to be with us in decades to come.
 
WGSN Beauty & Insight will arm you with the right information, at the right time,
to develop your next generation of instant-hit and long-term hero products. Our
global experts will deep-dive into the areas that matter most for new product
development teams, from packaging and ingredients, to colour, texture and
fragrance, and, most importantly, show you how to back the trends that are
right for your customers.

Find out more about WGSN Beauty at lp.wgsn.com/beauty

49
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WGSN Beauty
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