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Gen Alpha Becomes Beauty’s Growth Engine, Reshaping How Families Buy

New data shows tweens are driving skincare growth, redirecting family budgets.

Overview

  • Consumer data reported by NIQ ties Generation Alpha to 49% of U.S. skincare sales growth, with cleansers and moisturizers leading the gains.
  • Ulta’s research shows beauty entry now starts around age eight for Gen Alpha, roughly five years earlier than Gen Z.
  • Social platforms are the primary discovery path, with Cotton Incorporated finding 72% of 13–15 year olds who use social for fashion ideas turn to TikTok and 71% to Instagram.
  • Gen Alpha already wields significant purchasing sway, with parents widely crediting children for back‑to‑school choices and Investopedia reporting they account for 27% of household discretionary spending and nearly a third of digital spending.
  • Looking ahead, WGSN forecasts Gen Alpha will influence one in three online purchases by 2027 and Mintel projects more than £4 trillion in spending power by 2029, as brands emphasize age‑appropriate education and regulators weigh limits on some anti‑ageing skincare for minors in California.