Beauty Brands Attracting More Millennial Women

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By: Dwayne W. Waite Jr.

The Millennial generation is a fascinating group of people. Not only are the early and late segments of the group different, but the diversity and complexity the group shares is one of the few common characteristics. Aside from the digital upbringing, obviously.

When we look deeper into this generation, which is currently reaching maturity, there are very interesting findings that brands and advertisers can take to heart. For example, Millennial men do not enjoy the hyper-masculine advertising that is ever-so-popular these days. Having a campaign or a brand that advocates such techniques may be doing more harm than good. The question raised, though: What exactly does "hyper-masculine" mean? We think there is a major difference, for example, between the Old Spice Guy and the DQ commercials, but the researching team that came up with the survey didn't seem to dig too deep.

Then we look across the gender aisle and study how Millennial women are growing into this consumption society. Mintel research released findings that suggest Millennial women have a higher association with beauty being fun than women in general. These women also consider beauty and beauty-care as part of their self-expression.

According to the research, 65% of Millennial women between the ages of 18–24 enjoy the ritual of putting on makeup, compared to only 45% of women in general. Sixty-nine percent of the same segment of millennial women wear makeup that expresses their personality, compared to 55% of women overall, and 51% would rather wear brand-name makeup, a group nearly 20 points higher than the general woman segment.

This is no surprise. According to Nail Magazine's study of the beauty care industry, and the Professional Beauty Association, the beauty industry has been performing and out-performing many segments of our economy. And it is one of the few industries that experienced no major decline during the Great Recession. With the large population of Millennial women, and the performance of the beauty industry, it is not difficult to see that Millennial women may have affected the industry's performance.

What's the point? The point is, the "ritual" of beauty and personal care is part of the Millennial culture, with women in particular. Brands and advertisers that cater to those who like the fun part of beauty and personal care will get an audience with these women, and as long as the advertising is good, they will be well-received.

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About the Author

Dwayne W. Waite Jr. is partner and principal at JDW: The Charlotte Agency, a marketing and advertising shop in Charlotte, NC. He enjoys consumer behavior, economics, and football.

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