Financial confidence is improving, but the impact of the cost-of-living crisis will be long-lasting. This means proving value is still important, especially to consumers who favour affordable own-label beauty and grooming products. These brands can elevate their ranges by collaborating with professionals to make own-label BPC desirable, rather than bought out of necessity.
Consumers aged 60+ tend to be less involved BPC consumers. They have pared back daily beauty and grooming routines, and are less likely to buy premium brands than the average consumer. Since the UK has an ageing population, brands need to ensure those aged 60+ feel included in the beauty/grooming conversation, with representative advertising and marketing, as well as products that cater to the age group’s unique interests and needs.
There are new, exciting ways for brands to use social media to reach consumers in all age groups. Brands can explore newer, lesser used social media platforms like Discord and Substack to build communities. Meanwhile, there are also opportunities to use TikTok Shop to ensure the journey from product discovery to purchase is seamless and maximise on consumers’ ‘treat myself’ mentality.
This report looks at the following areas:
- The practical and personal reasons consumers perform their beauty/grooming routines
- How brands can best use social media to influence purchase decisions
- Consumer attitudes towards anti-ageing, broken down by generation
- The beauty/grooming behaviours of different generations, ranging from Gen Z to Baby Boomers
- How to be a voice of authority in a market where consumers feel overwhelmed
Attitudes towards beauty and grooming vary greatly between different demographics, brands can cater NPD and marketing to best target different consumer groups.
Georgia Stafford, Beauty & Personal Care Analyst
Market Definitions
This Report examines consumer attitudes towards beauty and grooming. ‘Beauty and grooming’ refers to the following categories;
- Haircare
- Fragrances
- Facial skincare
- Body skincare
- Colour cosmetics
- Soap, bath and shower
- Shaving and hair removal
This Report also examines the behaviours and attitudes of Gen Alpha, Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers, which are defined as follows;
- Gen Alpha (born 2010-2025, aged 0-14*)
- Gen Z (born 1997-2009, aged 15-27*)
- Millennials (born 1981-1996, aged 28-43*)
- Gen X (born 1965-1980, aged 44-59*)
- Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964, aged 60-78*)
* at the time the report was written
Please note the consumer research commissioned for this Report excludes anyone aged under 16.
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities
- Be a voice of authority
- Use social media to its full advantage
- Include Gen X in the beauty conversation
- Market dynamics and outlook
- The BPC market is set for continued growth
- Market predictions
- The impact of sustainability, tech and identity on BPC consumers
- What consumers want and why
- Consumers embrace minimal daily routines
- Graph 1: frequency beauty/grooming tasks are performed, 2024
- Build on the confidence boost of beauty and grooming
- Graph 2: reasons for performing beauty/grooming tasks, 2024
- Cater to the consumer's holistic approach
- Graph 3: changes to beauty/grooming routines in the last 12 months, 2024
- Consumers prioritise budget
- Graph 4: types of beauty/grooming brands bought, 2024
- Social media influences purchase decisions
- Graph 5: influences on beauty/grooming purchases, 2024
- Ensure marketing is age-inclusive
- Graph 6: beauty/grooming behaviours, 2024
- Take a pro-ageing approach
- Graph 7: attitudes towards beauty/grooming, 2024
- Innovation and marketing
- Strive for inclusivity
- Sustainability claims remain important to consumers
- Bring playfulness to shopping journeys
- Dispel the notion that beauty and grooming is superficial
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Market Dynamics
- Macro-economic factors
- Consumer confidence continued to trend upwards
- Graph 8: the financial confidence index, 2016-24
- Prepare for an ageing population
- Gen Alpha are the next wave of consumers
- Make age-appropriate products for young consumers
- Gen Z prioritise improving appearance over pursuing hobbies
- Graph 9: priorities of Gen Z for the next year, 2023
- The importance of identity and rights
- Graph 10: brands' diversity, equity and inclusion responsibilities, 2023
- Take the lead when it comes to sustainability
- Graph 11: what beauty/grooming brands need to do to be considered sustainable, 2023
- Use tech to streamline purchasing
- Harness the mood boosting potential of beauty routines…
- Graph 12: motivations behind select beauty/grooming behaviours, 2024
- …but be realistic with self-care advice
- Encourage treat purchasing with premium minis
- Graph 13: types of beauty/grooming products that consumers would purchase for themselves as a treat, 2024
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Gen Z
- Jump onto Gen Z's enthusiasm for dupes
- Gen Z have multi-step routines
- Graph 14: beauty/grooming tasks performed once a day or more, Gen Z vs all adults, 2024
- Gen Z are informed BPC consumers
- Graph 15: repertoire of beauty/grooming tasks performed daily, Gen Z vs all adults, 2024
- Bring clarity to overwhelmed consumers
- Help guide conflicted Gen Z consumers
- Focus on human ethics for morally conscious Gen Z
- Gen Z are an online generation
- Graph 16: "The beauty/grooming products I purchase are influenced by recommendations from…", Gen Z vs all adults, 2024
- Maximise on the potential of TikTok to reach Gen Z
- Explore the possibilities for cycle care to appeal to young consumers
- Millennials
- Use Millennial's ingredient knowledge to make own-label appeal
- Target engaged Millennial SBS consumers
- Graph 17: frequency beauty/grooming tasks are performed by Millennials, 2024
- Millennials use BPC routines as a mood booster
- Graph 18: "I perform beauty and grooming tasks to…", Millennials vs all adults, 2024
- Help Millennials to chill out
- Next-gen personalisation is well placed for Millennials
- Graph 19: attitudes towards beauty/grooming among Younger Millennials, 2024
- Millennials take a preventative approach to ageing
- Create products for proactive Millennials
- Millennials take a holistic approach to BPC
- Align with Millennials' holistic view of beauty and grooming via VMS launches
- Gen X
- Cater products to the first signs of ageing
- Graph 20: frequency beauty/grooming tasks are performed by Gen X, 2024
- Prove value to budget conscious Gen X
- Help Gen X with multifunctional products
- Graph 21: repertoire of beauty/grooming tasks performed daily, Gen X vs all adults, 2024
- Highlight reviews to Gen X BPC buyers
- What's happening in menopause space
- Graph 22: beauty/grooming behaviours among Gen X, 2024
- Cater product offerings to life stage…
- …but don't overly focus on menopause
- When you cater to Gen X…
- …they respond
- Launches from Gen X's new hero brands
- Baby Boomers
- Take note of the skin concerns amongst over 60s
- Graph 23: beauty/grooming tasks performed once a day or more, Baby Boomers vs all adults, 2024
- Become a favourite brand of financially confident Boomers
- Take note of the skin concerns amongst over 60s
- Graph 24: repertoire of beauty/grooming tasks performed daily, Baby Boomers vs all adults, 2024
- Ensure beauty and grooming tutorials are age inclusive
- How popular brands among Baby Boomers are innovating
- Two routes: anti-ageing or pro-ageing
- Take a pro-ageing approach
- Connect older consumers with the emotional benefits of beauty and grooming
- Graph 25: types of beauty/grooming brands bought, Baby Boomers vs all adults, 2024
- Harness the mood boosting power of scent
- Men
- Address men's hair concerns every day
- Graph 26: frequency beauty/grooming tasks are performed by men, 2024
- Make multifunctional products giftable
- Graph 27: repertoire of beauty/grooming tasks performed daily, by age and gender, 2024
- Simplify the purchase process for male buyers
- Automate personal care purchasing
- Maximise on the potentials of multi-channel shopping
- Harness the power of TikTok shop
- Self care for men
- Bring wellbeing claims to men's grooming
- Parents
- How do children in the household impact BPC routines?
- Graph 28: beauty/grooming tasks performed once a day or more, parents with children in the household aged 4 and under vs all adults, 2024
- Bring wellbeing benefits to time poor single parents
- Graph 29: repertoire of beauty/grooming tasks performed daily, by family type, 2024
- Appeal to parents looking for ethical products
- Spotlight pregnancy and postpartum skin and hair changes
- Address skin and hair changes experienced by parents
- Indie BPC Buyers
- Indie brand usage is niche
- Indie buyers are big on fragrance
- Graph 30: beauty/grooming tasks performed once a day or more, indie BPC buyers vs all adults, 2024
- Find novel ways to appeal to indie fragrance enthusiasts
- Reach young consumers in new ways
- Indie BPC buyers look to social media for inspiration
- Graph 31: "The beauty/grooming products I purchase are influenced by recommendations from…", by types of beauty/grooming brands bought, 2024
- Harness the power of brand community
- Indie BPC buyers are conscientious
- What brands are new to the UK's indie BPC market?
- Premium BPC Buyers
- Consumers continue to invest in premium BPC brands
- Encourage fragrance layering
- Graph 32: beauty/grooming tasks performed once a day or more, premium/luxury BPC buyers vs all adults, 2024
- Combat dupe culture
- Help premium buyers upskill
- Graph 33: "I perform beauty and grooming tasks to…", by types of beauty/grooming brands bought, 2024
- Help consumers connect with other fans
- Explore newer forms of social media to build brand loyalty
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Innovation and Marketing Trends
- Launch activity and innovation: overview
- Colour and skin dominate NPD
- Graph 34: BPC launch activity*, by category, 2019-24
- Innovation vs renovation
- Graph 35: % of BPC launches* accounted for by new products/new varieties/range extension, 2019-24
- Certain segments underindex in NPD
- Graph 36: % of adults performing select beauty/grooming tasks on a daily basis vs share of BPC launch activity* held by the category, 2023-24
- Cater to the the interests of hair styling enthusiasts
- Tap into cleansing trends
- Own-label innovation has increased
- Propose value with ease of use claims
- Graph 37: top 10 claims* in own-label BPC launch activity** (based on 2023-24), 2022-24
- Use experts to bring credibility to own-label
- Bring major trends to more mass-market buyers
- Graph 38: top 10 claims* in mass-market BPC launch activity** (based on 2023-24), 2022-24
- Differentiate with rare botanicals
- Graph 39: top 10 claims* in prestige BPC launch activity** (based on 2023-24), 2022-24
- Turn beauty/grooming routines into sensorial experiences
- Graph 40: BPC launches* carrying aromatherapy claims, 2019-24
- Align innovation with wellbeing-focused lifestyles
- Appeal to eco-conscious consumers
- Graph 41: BPC launches* carrying ethical/environmental claims, 2019-24
- Stand out with novel approaches to sustainability
- Cater to the unique needs of consumers with textured hair
- Consider different dexterity issues
- Leverage AI to meet consumer needs
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Provide memorable experiences to the consumer
- Help men take care of themselves
- Boast expertise in advertising
- Meet consumers in the digital world
- Be aware of the downsides of AI
- Promote beauty as a means of self-expression
- Take a stance in advertising
- Streamline social media recommendations
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Appendix
- Supplementary data
- Trends in the age structure of the UK population
- Market size and forecast data
- Market size and forecast for beauty and personal care, 2018-28
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Methodology
- Consumer research methodology
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