Can We Stop Hating on Gen Alpha’s Interest in Skincare Already?
There’s more to the TikTok trend than meets the eye.
A quick search for Gen Alpha on TikTok (or Google, even) reveals a series of videos of young girls, aged between eight and 14, showing off their skincare and makeup routines. Controversially, they’re using brands like Drunk Elephant, Summer Fridays and Glow Recipe; products that include anti-aging ingredients like retinol and other exfoliants. These posts have understandably sparked furious debates surrounding Gen Alpha’s interest in complex skin routines and their premature use of anti-aging ingredients.
While we do not condone tweens using acidic serums, it would be remiss to not acknowledge the large role that social media and influencer culture plays into this cohort’s current product preferences. According to Cosmetic Business’ Skin Care Trend Report, 66% of 12 to 14-year-old girls who use social media revealed that these platforms are their introduction to new beauty brands and products. In an era where content is king, and influencers are the main source of entertainment, these young viewers are simply emulating the beauty content they see online.
@kimandnorthW video lol💀 this vid is soooooo true 👍🏾♬ original sound – 19.04.22🛐‼️
Gen Alpha is “not just learning about what the brand is saying about their products, they are learning what influencers are saying, they’re learning from customer reviews and they’re learning from experts,” says Emma Chiu, Global Director of VML, a major, global advertising agency. They’re also learning from their famous tween peers like North West who shares everything from skincare routines to hairstyle how-to’s and product recommendations on TikTok.
As a result, this impressionable age group is fully submerged in captivating beauty content daily, with easy and instant access to purchase their favorite creators’ most beloved products online, or at popular retail mainstays like Sephora and Ulta. It’s worth mentioning that tween beauty obsessions are nothing new. Millennials will recall running around malls, hitting up shops like Limited Too, Claire’s and the local beauty supply store seeking out fruit-flavored lip glosses, body glitter, saccharine scents and hair jewels.
Today’s tweens and teens have skincare. Its how they build community amongst each other, both online and offline. They’re discovering themselves, practicing self-care, and quite simply enjoying experimenting with beauty products. About 54% of 12- to 14-year-olds in the U.S. use mascara, eye shadow, eye liner, and eyebrow pencils; and 56% of those teens credit using makeup to express themselves and their style, according to Mintel Market Research Reports.
While there’s a lot for Gen Alpha to learn about beauty, perhaps the social media discourse would be better off leaning into sharing knowledge, rather than criticism. Arizona-based dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy, for example, has posted several TikToks about tween beauty routines, offering insight on products she’d recommend for younger skin. In a stitched video of a tween creator’s nighttime routine, she explains that a cleanser, lightweight moisturizer and vaseline lip balm are items this age group should be using in lieu of eye creams and firming moisturizers.
All things taken into account, perhaps it’s time to normalize Gen Alpha’s desire to have fun with beauty products. And, given that this is the most experimental and impressionable stage of their lives, we should be steering them towards more appropriate products for their skin.
To continue the skincare conversation, check out our coverage of TikTok’s “Unsexy Holy Grail” product trend.
