Is a Beauty Bubble on the Horizon?

“Why is Gen Z aging like milk?” was one of Google’s most popular generation-related questions over the past year, according to a new report released by the search engine. 

The query gained steam after a slew of videos discussing the older-than-their-age looks of Gen Zers went viral across several social media platforms, wherein the liberal use of medical-grade skincare and injectable cosmetic treatments like Botox were frequently cited as reasons for this perception. 

Gen Zers’ well-documented fixation with keeping up appearances has been a driving force behind the broader beauty industry’s boom in recent years. That they are starting to question whether they’ve overdone their pursuit of aesthetics suggests a meaningful crack in consumer sentiment may be forming. And new Morning Consult data suggests the same: The young cohort is far more critical of the beauty sector than all of their generational peers. 

Unful(fill)ed promises

Though Gen Z adults are the most likely to report having undergone cosmetic surgery, they are among the least interested in engaging in this treatment — and Botox and fillers —  moving forward (if cost was not a factor).

Over a third (35%) of Gen Z adults also believe cosmetic procedures cause people to appear older, which is double-digits higher than the share of all U.S. adults and members of any other generation who said the same. These figures make it clear that Gen Zers’ initial experiences with cosmetic work, whether direct or indirect, have been less than positive. 

Despite this, the social pressure felt by young people to dabble in aesthetic enhancements is still quite strong thanks to the large amounts of time they spend online, where influencers — who serve as primary cultural arbiters for Gen Z, especially regarding fashion and beauty — have started to use cosmetic procedures as fodder for content. 

To influence or not to influence

Within the past year, several popular internet personalities, including Alix Earle, Jazmyn Smith, Kennedy Eurich and Becca Moore, have all documented their breast augmentations in great detail. Others, like Halley Kate and Brooke Schofield, have opted to advocate for “preventative” Botox, lip filler and laser hair removal. 

With this kind of physicality dominating social feeds, it’s no wonder that Gen Z adults are feeling a unique sense of urgency around uber-involved beauty rituals. Over half (55%) said they are subjected to either “a lot” or “some” pressure from influencers and celebrities to participate in cosmetic treatments — notably more than even millennials, who also spend a fair share of their time looking at screens.

Beyond amplifying their own experiences with cosmetic work, influencers are expert pushers of all sorts of beauty and wellness products, too. 

Skincare, makeup and hair care items perennially go viral and sell-out after receiving a stamp of approval from the influencer class on TikTok. Several heritage brands, like Clinique, have been resurrected as a result of social media marketing efforts. Influencers have even created a whole new beauty lexicon via trends like “strawberry makeup” and “glazed donut nails.” 

Of course, all of this isn’t just happenstance. The beauty sector was an early adopter of influencer marketing and continues to be one of the most heavily invested in it. But as social media surpasses a decade in the marketing funnel of many mainstream beauty companies, there are some signs that this kind of constant product (and beauty standard) promotion may be wearing on consumers — especially younger ones who are most exposed to such messaging.

An ugly side of beauty? 

Forty-eight percent of Gen Z adults believe the beauty industry has a negative impact on society, while just 30% believe the opposite. These figures are much higher and lower, respectively, than that reported by all other generations and genders.

This souring sentiment comes as the industry is seeing slowing growth for the first time in recent years and facing ongoing (albeit mild) backlash over the perceived courting of inappropriately young customers. While most skincare and makeup companies maintain that they don’t market specifically to children, their prolific online presences — via both owned brand accounts and influencers — likely render beauty content close to unavoidable for internet users of any age. 

Another headwind on the horizon is, simply, consumer exhaustion. This is beginning to manifest in the form of “underconsumption core,” a general way of life focused on consuming as little as possible by using what one already owns to its fullest extent. And many social media users — fed up with a seemingly never-ending stream of (now often artificial intelligence-produced) content compelling them to make purchases — are already documenting their embrace of it.

With this kind of consumer malaise brewing, beauty brands — or any brand that operates with a particularly heavy hand online — may want to reconsider their approach,  focusing more so on uplifting brand storytelling than on pushy performance marketing.