It is very clear that over the last few years social media platforms like TikTok have had an impact on younger generations. These impacts are quite drastic when you compare Gen Z to the likes of Gen Alpha. Here is some reasoning behind why Gen Z are holding onto childhood whilst Gen Alpha are clinging to getting older.
Gen-Z:
✨ Many Gen-Z feel as if their youth is slipping through their fingers. With the rise of ‘baby botox’ searches, and the ‘girlhood movement’, it seems like they do not want to grow up.
💡 But why is this?
🦠 The Pandemic And Lockdowns. Gen-Z feel as if COVID-19 stole years from them and with that, their youth as well. This generation was at University, or at the early stages of their careers at the onset of the pandemic, so it comes as no surprise that they want to reclaim this time. Now we are out the other end, the pressures of adulthood are at an all time high and a way to cope is reverting back to child like ways, by wearing pretty bows and embracing ‘coquette core’, indulging in childhood shows and wearing clothing pieces reminiscent of the early 2000’s.
🙀 TikTok Scaries & Fear of Aging. Not wanting to feel older also coincides with not wanting to look it either, with many Gen-Z feeling like they are ‘aging like milk’. One TikTok trend feeds into this, where creators ask their audiences how old they look as a need for validation. Treatments such as ‘baby botox’ are rising in popularity, where smaller amounts of botox are injected into the face and aims to prolong the look of youth. Memes such as ‘I’m just a 25 year old teenage girl’, being a 'soft life babe', and 'no more girl bossing, only girl resting' show the link, between femininity and a wanting to be younger.
Gen Alpha:
🤔 Since the end of last year, there has been major discourse about letting 10-year olds and tweens into Sephora and the implications of this. Baby influencers are sharing videos including their skincare routines, product collections including products from Drunk Elephant, Laneige and Glow Recipe.
💭 But why is this?
👯♀️ Wanting to be a big girl: Younger girls have always wanted to be older, it is just something that comes with growing up. As Sephora only launched in the UK in March 2023, and still only has two locations, girls that own these exclusive and expensive products are the cool, ‘it’ girls amongst their friends and peers. And at that age, the idea of being liked and being the ‘popular girl’ is perceived as the pinnacle of happiness.
🕚 TikTok: For Gen Alpha, the rise in popular social media channels such as TikTok has made beauty products and skincare more accessible and widespread as many now deem TikTok as ‘the new TV’. The algorithm shows consumers videos similar to the ones that they have interacted with, meaning if they are consuming skincare content, they are bound to stumble upon new products and trends as and when they come around.
What can marketers take away from this?
📲 TikTok is a cultural influencer: A key similarity is that both of these trends/lifestyles have been popularised on TikTok. TikTok has changed the retail landscape, making products accessible at the click of a finger.