Two years after the rise of the 'Sephora tweens', the beauty industry is witnessing a shift in teen girls' preferences. The initial frenzy has cooled, but meaningful habits have emerged. Teen girls are now developing thoughtful beauty routines, thanks to the influence of LLMs and social media platforms. This shift is reflected in the data, with facial skincare sales growing by 8.9% in the 12 months ending in April, compared to 26.7% in 2023. Fragrance sales have also grown by 9%, while cosmetics and nails have grown slightly faster at 9.8%.
The rise of teen girls in beauty is not just about impulse buying neon-colored products. It's about becoming quasi-experts in skincare, hair care, and makeup. This generation is normalizing beauty routines earlier in their lives, thanks to the influence of social media and LLMs. The original Sephora tween narrative was focused on excess and trend chasing, but the reality is different.
The top brands among 13- to 17-year-old girls on social media, according to the Nectar Social Teen Resonance Index, include:
- Rhode (97)
- Rare Beauty (94)
- Sol de Janeiro (92)
- Starface (91)
- E.l.f. Beauty (89)
- Byoma (87)
- Bubble (84)
- Touchland (82)
- Tower 28 (80)
- Beauty of Joseon (79)
While teen beauty founders are entering the arena, their brands aren't necessarily dominating the market. Teen girls are more likely to purchase from mass market brands like E.l.f. Beauty and Bubble, as well as rising brands like Hero Cosmetics and ColourPop. Lip liners and clarifying hair treatments are key areas of growth for the cohort.
Despite the growth of e-commerce sales, teens still prioritize in-store shopping, with 80% of teens liking shopping in-store and 95% seeing it as a social activity. The coming years will be about the generation's participation in beauty, with teens shaping and demanding things that prior generations of teens weren't doing. This participation will only amplify as they age.
