In the last year, annual skincare spending among teens has grown 19%, and numerous skincare brands have skyrocketed in sales. The success of these skincare companies can be heavily attributed to social media and Generation Alpha. 

Generation Alpha, those born in 2010 and beyond, is a generation of kids and teenagers who have fully grown up with technology and access to social media. That being said, the trends and fads that they follow are typically influenced by what is trending online. Lately, one of the most popular trends taking over platforms like TikTok is skincare. 

Teenagers and kids who have access to social platforms like TikTok see other influencers and kids on the app using trendy skincare products in their videos. It is popular for creators to film and share their time spent getting ready for the day, which typically contains their long routine of skincare and makeup. 

It is now trendy to buy skincare products from brands like Bubble, Drunk Elephant, Laneige, and Glow Recipe. Bubble CEO, Shai Eisenman states that she’s expecting to see an 800% growth this year, with most of their products marketed towards Gen Z and Gen Alpha. 

In an NBC news broadcast, six 11-year-old girls were interviewed and asked what they most wanted for Christmas. Their answer? Skincare products. The parents of the girls expressed their concerns about their children using skincare and makeup products too early, in fear that they are growing up too fast. As a result, many of them were hesitant to purchase the products.

Not to mention, skincare brands are expensive! A moisturizer from Drunk Elephants sells for $68, and a five-ounce bottle of toner from Glow Recipe costs $35!

Dermatologists actually recommended a simple skincare routine with very few products. Many of the cosmetic products that kids are purchasing actually have some unhealthy ingredients and harsh chemicals. Without careful consideration of the ingredients in the products, tweens could suffer from rashes, irritation, or acne. Cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, and lip balm is the recommended routine for anyone 13 and under.

I interviewed my grandmother, Janet Finlayson, and asked her for her own take on the popularity of skincare in Gen Alpha. Finlayson used to work for Mary Kay skincare, and believes that “…many of these young kids are using these products because they’re popular, not necessarily because they need them. I think that if they want to follow a trend and be a part of something, there’s no harm in that. I would definitely tell any young girl or boy to keep it simple though. None of them need to ruin their skin with toxic products this early!”

As the skincare industry continues to experience growth in both popularity and sales, it will be interesting to discover what kind of new products take Generation Alpha by storm.