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(CNN) — Influencer Emma Brooks never worried about aging until she turned 20.
“I started freaking out,” she said. “I look different than I did two years ago…What will I look like in five years?”
Although the oldest of them is only 26 years old, Gen Zers are already worried about looking older. The current situation is prevention rather than correction. They choose makeup products with anti-aging benefits such as fine line reduction and SPF protection, and 70% use anti-aging serums daily, according to information firm Sarkana. Botox startup Peachey said Gen Z is the fastest growing generation. In a dramatic example of this trend earlier this year, his TikTok titled “What I Do to Slow the Aging Process at 14 Years Old” went viral.
“This generation is inheriting the skin care habits of their elders,” says Larissa Jensen, beauty industry advisor at Sarkana.
Now, when people in their 20s visit Loretta Ciraldo, a dermatologist and beauty brand founder, for other concerns like breakouts, the conversation mostly turns to aging.
Thanks to Instagram, TikTok, and of course Zoom, people are spending more time than ever staring at their faces. Online, they share their “anti-aging” routines, from applying retinoids, vitamin C and sunscreen to wearing face tape at night and getting “baby Botox” shots to prevent wrinkles from forming in the first place. are doing. Searches and social conversations about Botox, dermal fillers and retinol have increased 63% this year, according to retail intelligence platform Trendalytics.
Rich Gersten, co-founder of True Beauty Ventures, said Gen Z’s nascent desire for anti-aging beauty created an opportunity for brands to tap into consumers they hadn’t previously considered. Effectiveness, rapid results, and cost are top priorities for this group, but there is still much to be determined about how their preferences will change as they grow.
“It’s a bit of a parallel generation. On one side, they’re all about body positivity, authenticity, and authenticity, and on the other side, they’re all about anti-aging. They use filters, and they’re all about perfection.” says Cristina Nuñez, co-founder of True Beauty Ventures. “On one side is positivity and on the other side is fear.”
Gen Z is highly conscious and knows more about skin care, the aging process and environmental stressors than any previous generation, Jensen said. This has led Gen Z to rebrand anti-aging as a wellness-centric brand.
For example, Dylan Hebbar, a 26-year-old consultant, believes that his skin care is tied to his health, and is vigilant about sunscreen to prevent skin cancer first and foremost, and also to prevent wrinkles. There is also the advantage of doing so. He considers nightly skin care a routine similar to exercise.
“It has to do with the rise of holistic self-care, taking better care of your skin and yourself,” said Judah Abraham, CEO of Slate Brands, a Gen Z-focused incubator. Stated.
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As interest in cosmetic surgery increases, beauty brands and beauty providers are changing their business models to cater to Gen Z, who is focused on preventative and anti-aging treatments.
According to Paris-based dermatologist Diara Haikal, Generation Z wants to slow the aging process rather than fixing the problem later. She added that the prevalence of “rejuvenation” (procedures focused on prevention) in this age group represents the most significant change in cosmetic dermatology in the past 20 years.
Brands are producing more products to meet demand. According to Trendalytics, the amount of skin care and beauty products that mention anti-aging has increased by 10% over the past two years. Compared to three years ago, the number of searches for sunscreen has more than tripled, and the number of sunscreen products currently on the market has nearly tripled. Gen Z-focused Elf Beauty debuted a retinoid last year, and Bubbles launched an eye cream in November.
In response, brands such as Btwn, a skincare brand based on the idea that teenage skin is not adult skin, and Indu, a teen skin and makeup brand from Feelunique co-founder Aaron Chatterly, are focusing on younger skin. Specialized brands are emerging. Richard Schiessle has a list of prohibited harsh ingredients.
Gen Z also embraces injectables because of their quick-acting properties. Hebert first learned about Botox on social media and was drawn to it as a potentially more effective and cheaper alternative to products that eliminate fine lines. Nunez said young people are willing to come off the streets and do “tweaks”, a development not seen 10 years ago.
Paul Nassif is a facial plastic surgeon best known for his appearances on the E! show. On his series Botched, he said more and more young people are looking for peels, facials and sometimes a little laser. Instead of bringing pictures of famous people to their consultations, Nassif said, Gen Zers are bringing filtered pictures of themselves.
“There’s this idea that ‘getting older is a privilege’. Let your hair go gray. Don’t get Botox. Don’t take all these precautions. Yes, getting older is a privilege. But if you live another year, you’ll get older. For me, getting more wrinkles and graying hair isn’t aging,” Hebert said.
When talking about Gen Z and aging, the influence of social media cannot be avoided.
For example, the hashtag #antiageing has been viewed 7.4 billion times on TikTok. The old filter, which gives users a peek into the future, went viral earlier this year, garnering him 24.5 million posts, including one from Kylie Jenner. Frownies (essentially stickers you put on and sleep with to smooth out wrinkles), silicone anti-wrinkle pads from brands like Dermaclara, chin-lifting chin straps, face tape for “fox eyes”, and radiofrequency devices like NuFace. There are solutions everywhere.
Peachey co-founder Carolyn Treasure said Gen Z’s outspokenness on social media apps is driving demand for treatments. When Gen Zers get their shots, they often film the process and share video testimonials afterwards, showing time-lapses of their faces hunched over and frozen.
“Millennials present this idealized snapshot of the world. They were like, ‘Let me talk to my friends at brunch,'” Treasure said. “Gen Z is very interested in sharing their experiences. (They told me) ‘I don’t want to keep the castle gates.’ I want others to know this too.” It is. ”
Jensen said education, primarily done on social media, has played a big role in sparking interest in anti-aging, with dermatologists (and even high schoolers in their bedrooms) broadcasting skin care advice to the masses. It is said that there is
However, more information does not necessarily mean it is more accurate. She said many young consumers come to Ciraldo with problems that appear to be related to aging, but are actually caused by the premature use of harsh chemicals. Additionally, there are not many long-term studies on the effects of “pre-rejuvenation” treatments on young people.
Additionally, for a generation still figuring out the ways of the world, having access to too much information can be confusing and anxiety-provoking.
“We’re still young, so we don’t have to worry too much about getting older,” Brooks says.
This article was first published fashion business, CNN Style’s editorial partner. Read more stories from The Business of Fashion here.
