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Gen Z & the beauty industry in the United States - statistics & facts

The term Generation Z (or zoomer) refers to any person born between 1997 and 2012, following the so called “millennials” generation. This is the generation that was raised with internet and is the newest entry in the job market, making up around 20 percent of the entire population in the United States. Despite being composed mostly of very young people, their average annual household expenditure was estimated to be approximately 36 million U.S. dollars in 2020. With the rise of social media and the increasing digitalization of our world, it comes as no surprise that companies recently shifted their focus on this new generation, given that the group is the most knowledgeable about technology and thus, likely to become aware of current events quickly. In other words, marketing and advertising strategies are now targeting Gen Z, trying to respond to their needs, and attempting to adapt to an ever-evolving digital space. This change of focus can be seen in thee cosmetics industry, for example: reaching a revenue of over 14.7 billion U.S. dollars in the United States alone in 2021, this industry is forecast to grow even further by 2026, with Gen Z clearly being its newest trend setter and target audience.

The skin care routine trend: a Gen Z favorite

In the past few years, skin care trends have taken over the internet: beauty influencers and make-up artists share their secrets about skin care routines and review the newest products on the market. Moreover, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of face masks, skin care has started to replace make-up, and became essential for people’s self-care. The United States is the most lucrative region for the skin care market, generating over 18 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in 2021, with face care as its most successful segment. Although millennials are the most serious about their skin care routines, Gen Z shoppers are the ones that purchase skin care products the most. According to the results of a recent survey, 38 percent of Gen Z participants stated that their average spend on a single skin care product was between 21 and 50 U.S. dollars. CeraVe and The Ordinary can be found among Gen Z’s favorite skin care brands and are the most followed skin care brands on TikTok.

Brand values and new priorities

Despite their early age, zoomers are very invested when it comes to current issues, whether they are related to society or the environment. Sustainability has become a major purchase criterion for beauty shoppers belonging to this generation, which also considers diversity and inclusion as extremely important. Cruelty-free products are chosen by around 50 percent of Gen Z consumers, and an interest in vegan beauty and in natural products had recently been observed. Brand values and responsibilities play a significant role for Generation Z and highly influence their purchasing habits, and for this reason, beauty brands are expected to meet these needs more and more.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Dominique Petruzzi, Mar 30, 2022

Key insights

Skincare share of the global cosmetic market
41%
Revenue of the face skincare segment in the U.S.
12.6bn USD
Revenue of the global cosmetics market
93.05bn USD
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Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Revenue of the cosmetics market in the United States from 2014 to 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Revenue of the cosmetics market in the United States 2014-2027

Leading skincare brands among Gen Z in the United States in 2022

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Leading skincare brands among Gen Z in the U.S. 2022

Leading beauty shopping destinations among Gen Z in the United States in 2022

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Leading beauty shops among Gen Z in the U.S. 2022

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