This report examines Gen Alpha’s attitudes towards beauty and personal care. Gen Alpha are born between 2010-2025. Please note that the consumer research commissioned for this report was carried out among the parents of Gen Alpha.
UK Gen Alpha BPC Consumer Insights
Lack of confidence is prevalent among Gen Alpha, and 40% of the generation’s parents agree their child has expressed insecurities about the way they look, likely spurred on by social media.
Gen Alpha are often at odds with their parents: 39% of Gen Alpha’s parents say their child is interested in anti-ageing products, but 78% of parents prefer their child use BPC products designed for their age. This means that the preferences of the cohort may not be fully reflected in their purchase behaviours until they gain more spending power.
Gamification holds multiple possibilities for brands looking to win over Gen Alpha. Roblox and Minecraft are both immensely popular, and there is potential for BPC brands to establish an in-game presence, while collaborating with game companies on real life products.
This report looks at the following areas:
- How Gen Alpha teenagers differ from Gen Z teenagers
- How social media trends are shaping Gen Alpha’s attitudes toward beauty and grooming
- The opportunity to establish lifelong habits and brand loyalty among young consumers
- The need to appeal to the parents of Gen Alpha, who hold the spending power
- Gen Alpha’s interest in prestige fragrance, especially among boys
- The potential for gaming and beauty/personal care crossovers
About the Report
| Report Attributes | Details |
|---|---|
| Published Date | July 2025 |
| Consumer Data | 957 internet users aged 16+ who have children/stepchildren aged 0-15 that live in their household all/most of the time, April 2025 |
| Number of Pages | 69 |
| BPC Categories Included | Haircare, Fragrances, Facial Skincare, Body Skincare, Colour Cosmetics, Soap, Bath and Shower, Shaving and Hair Removal, Deodorant, Suncare |
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Georgia Stafford. Georgia joined Mintel in 2022, writing UK reports for the Beauty, Personal care and OTC categories. Before joining Mintel, Georgia studied International Relations, earning a BA from the University of Birmingham. During her studies, she gained knowledge and experience of research methods and international business.
Gen Alpha are engaged BPC users, but as their parents buy the products they use, brands need to appeal to both audiences.
Georgia Stafford
Beauty & Personal Care Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for the Gen Alpha BPC market
- Appeal to Gen Alpha’s parents
- Overcome the challenges posed by social media
- Provide alternative opportunities for brand connection
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market predictions for the Gen Alpha BPC consumer
- Consumers will continue to be value conscious
- Inclusion is the expectation for Gen Alpha
- What consumers want and why
- The evolution of the teen and tween beauty consumer from 2016 to 2025
- Make sensitive skin claims the standard
- Graph 1: top five skin, body and hair experiences of Gen Alpha in the last 12 months (according to their parents), 2025
- Create new purchasing opportunities
- Graph 2: who buys beauty and personal care products for Gen Alpha (according to their parents), 2025
- Ensure skincare remains age-appropriate
- Graph 3: facial skincare products bought for/by Gen Alpha (according to their parents), by age of youngest child, 2025
- Provide personalisation opportunities with accessories
- Graph 4: beauty and personal care packaging attributes that appeal to Gen Alpha (according to their parents), 2025
- Provide an alternative to beauty and grooming standards
- Acknowledge the impact of social media
- Innovation and marketing
- Brands merge the digital and physical worlds
- Brands address the ‘Sephora kids’ phenomenon
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market drivers
- US tariffs and the impact of the UK economy on spending
- How to prove value to Gen Alpha and their parents
- Respond to demand for domestic brands
- Cater to the diversity of Gen Alpha
- Graph 5: percentage of people in each age group, by ethnicity (5 ethnic groups), 2021
- Align with the attitudes of Millennial parents
- Provide opportunities to bond over beauty and personal care
- The impact of school rules
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Skin, body and hair experiences of Gen Alpha
- Create sensitive skin solutions
- Dermatologically tested claims can reassure parents
- Graph 6: skin, body and hair experiences of Gen Alpha (according to their parents), 2025
- The Gen Alpha market needs segmentation
- Graph 7: skin types experienced by Gen Alpha (according to their parents), by age group of youngest child, 2025
- Create introductory hair removal products
- Bring out deodorant’s sensitive side
- Graph 8: select body and skin experiences of Gen Alpha (according to their parents), by age group, 2025
- Bring further novelty to spot stickers
- Dissuade a one-size-fits-all approach to haircare
- Buyers of beauty and personal care products for Gen Alpha
- Parents have the purchasing power
- Graph 9: who buys beauty and personal care products for Gen Alpha (according to their parents), 2025
- Create impulse buy opportunities at the supermarket
- Create opportunities for Gen Alpha to experiment
- Ensure brands appeal to all generations
- Products bought for/by Gen Alpha
- Help older Gen Alpha gain independence through their beauty and grooming routines
- Graph 10: beauty and personal care products bought by/for Gen Alpha (according to their parents), 2025
- Ensure haircare reflects Gen Alpha’s diversity
- Set up lifelong suncare habits
- Create opportunities for Gen Alpha to buy into prestige BPC
- Help Gen Alpha establish skincare habits
- Remove the guesswork from teen skincare
- Offer alternatives to facial skincare actives
- Drive interest in the art of fragrance
- Beauty starter kits are a good gifting opportunity
- Encourage creativity with nail art
- Packaging attributes that appeal to Gen Alpha
- A focus on fun will appeal to Gen Alpha
- Graph 11: beauty and personal care packaging attributes that appeal to Gen Alpha (according to their parents), 2025
- Colour is crucial
- Encourage accessorising
- Provide opportunities to personalise
- Overcome ingredient misinformation
- Premium minis can appeal to budgeting teens
- Participate in character trends for older Gen Alpha
- Continue to consider sustainability
- What Gen Alpha consider important regarding their beauty and personal care routine
- Encourage the enjoyment of beauty and personal care routines
- Graph 12: what Gen Alpha consider important regarding their beauty and personal care routine (according to their parents), 2025
- Help Gen Alpha reject beauty and grooming norms
- Resonate with Gen Alpha’s focus on mental wellbeing
- Help Gen Alpha access fragrance trends
- Drive creativity with colour cosmetics
- Help Gen Alpha create beauty and personal care kits for at-home spa nights
- Parents of Gen Alpha’s attitudes towards their children’s beauty and personal care
- Acknowledge the influences on Gen Alpha’s beauty and grooming routines
- Graph 13: parents of Gen Alpha’s attitudes towards their children’s beauty and personal care, 2025
- Emphasise self-expression
- Embrace the power of pop-ups
- Merge the real and virtual worlds
- Address a lack of confidence around ingredients
- Educate on ingredients outside of social media
- Take retail inspiration from the fashion category
- Gen Alpha’s beauty and personal care behaviours
- Address appearance insecurities
- Graph 14: Gen Alpha’s beauty and personal care behaviours (according to their parents), 2025
- The impact of social media on Gen Alpha’s brand preferences
- Emphasise the expertise of Korean skincare
- Sponsor sports events to take the idea of good health away from appearance
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS
- Launch activity and innovation
- Put a focus on age-specific launches
- Graph 15: BPC launches, by age claims, 2020-25
- Brands popular with Gen Alpha reflect their purchase priorities
- Ensure accessibility to skincare trends
- Think about skin sensitivity beyond skincare
- Take cues from the US
- Boost product desirability with licensed designs
- Level up licensed designs
- Have fun with formats
- New BPC launches embrace colour
- Emphasise free-from claims
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Find innovative ways to tackle insecurities
- Provide access to products through Amazon
- Steer Gen Alpha towards age appropriate products
- Dove tackles the anti-ageing trend
- Provide clarity in a confusing landscape
- Make moves in the metaverse
- Byoma highlights misuse of ingredients
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
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