Chart of the Month: Beauty Routines Through Generations

Beauty routines are much more than skin-deep; they play a vital role in overall wellbeing and self-care across generations. From reaffirming self-expression, as well as embracing identity to age gracefully, the search for self-care may manifest differently, directly influencing consumers’ preferences for beauty brands and products.

From a global perspective, 78% of millennials and Gen X agree that having a consistent beauty routine contributes to their wellbeing, according to Euromonitor’s Voice of the Consumer: Beauty Survey, fielded July 2024. For instance, millennial consumers are more likely to discover new brands and engage with the latest trends, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for market players. In response, loyalty programmes have gained significant traction in the beauty space, as brands offer exclusive deals, discounts and experiences, fostering a sense of community and exclusivity that resonates with target audiences.

As millennials and Gen X continue to embrace ageing, beauty routines will be consistently relevant to their lifestyle, confidence and self-care rituals. The evolving needs of mature skin are expected to drive product launches and innovation in several beauty categories. For instance, beauty players such as Natura&Co in Brazil and Estée Lauder in the US are strongly investing in research on skin longevity, to expand scientific knowledge and create effective solutions for mature skin.

By understanding consumer preferences at different life stages, beauty brands can foster ageless beauty with personalised product recommendations and experiences, aligning with generational shifts and needs.

Download the new briefing, Voice of the Consumer: Beauty Survey 2024 Key Highlights, for in-depth beauty trends and consumer preferences.

More about the Voice of the Consumer: Beauty Survey 

While the beauty industry outlook is expected to remain strong in the coming years, it is important for companies and brands to understand consumer beauty routines, product preferences and path to purchase experiences across the globe.

To effectively help businesses, we worked with our in-house industry experts and analysts alongside key players within the industry to create the Beauty Survey, which covers a wide array of topics and key trends in 20 countries.

Key questions the Voice of the Consumer: Beauty Survey answers 

• How does the consumer definition of beauty, masculinity and premium beauty differ across geographies?
• Which “green features” matter the most for hair care consumers?
• Who are the key consumers in dermocosmetics?
• Which major skin concerns motivate consumers’ purchases?
• Who influences Gen Z consumer decisions when looking for fragrances?

Euromonitor International's Consumer Insights offering 

Euromonitor designs consumer surveys in-house, using input from research experts and clients. Our offering includes nine annual Voice of the Consumer tracking surveys, which can be explored in the Survey dashboard and in the data download tool for in-depth analysis. These capabilities live in Passport, Euromonitor’s one-stop shop for industry, economies and consumer data. Connect with our team to learn more.

Learn more about consumer lifestyle shifts and purchase drivers in our report, Top Global Consumer Trends 2025.