Are consumers becoming increasingly precocious? It would seem that children, from the age of 10 upwards, are beginning to take an interest in care and want to have routines as well-developed as their elders. In a recent article, futurist Mintel highlights the sometimes disturbing relationship between Gen Alpha (the cohort of people born between 2010 and 2025) and beauty products.
Despite their young age, Alpha children are fascinated by cosmetics.Having come into the world with phones in their hands, they’ve always been exposed to content not intended for them.
“Generation Alpha’s interest in beauty products is fueled by admiration. They see beauty influencers and their habits as sources of inspiration, and they want to emulate these practices,” explains Mintel. “However, many teenagers use ranges that are not suitable. The ‘Sephora Kids’ trend is a cause for concern, as children are increasingly attracted to skincare products designed for adults, often to the detriment of their skin’s health.”
The role of brands
As the SFD (Société Française de Dermatologie) and the SFDP (Société Française de Dermatologie Pédiatrique) have pointed out in a press release, the appetite of the Alpha generation should be a cause for concern for professionals in the industry, as it is not without risk.
For its part, Mintel shares the same reservations. “The beauty industry has an important role to play in educating and guiding the Alpha generation, by shifting the emphasis from appearance-centric messages to the promotion of good skin habits such as personal hygiene.”
Mental health, the environment… a committed generation
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