With values and lifestyles changing so rapidly these days, how can we keep up with these changes and come up with new values and businesses?
Mediagene THE STUDIO. GLOSSY & MASHING UP, we
By forming a unique community with them, we will continually keep up with changes in values, lifestyles, and purchasing behavior, as well as the emotional movements that lie behind them.
This is the second survey of Gen Z's attitudes, and this time we conducted research on "beauty," which is gaining attention as a form of self-expression that transcends gender. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 222 Gen Z members, and in-depth interviews with four of them lasting several hours
Survey Title:
Survey on the actual values and purchasing behavior of Generation Z regarding "beauty"
- Aiming to create aesthetic experiences and value for the coming era
▽ Survey method:
Internet survey, interview survey
Survey subjects:
222 people from Generation Z born between 1996 and 2002
▽ Survey period:
February 17th to March 4th, 2021
The survey revealed five marketing keywords to watch in 2021
#Be yourself
Q: What situation most motivates you to wear makeup?
(Multiple answers allowed)
Q: Would you like to try beauty and makeup that expresses your individuality more than you do now?
<Interview with Generation Z>
Q: What value does makeup have for you?
・Being able to choose your own makeup and fashion
gives you a sense of freedom! You can be yourself!
・You can be free and create endless combinations
I don't like stereotypical "femininity" or the worldview that symbolizes it. I want to do makeup that is unique to me. I use Pinterest as inspiration because it has no gender boundaries
When asked what situations motivate them to wear makeup, "when meeting friends of the same sex" topped the list, beating out "when meeting friends of the opposite sex" and "when meeting a lover/partner." From the in-depth interviews, it became clear that in situations with friends, people want to enjoy makeup in a way that is "true to themselves," but in relationships with lovers or partners, they tend to be concerned about "the other person's gaze and preferences."
Those who answered "yes" appear to have two main needs: those who are "looking for makeup that suits them," and those who "think their current makeup suits them, but want to take on new challenges." Among those
who answered "no," there also appears to be a certain number of people who are concerned about how others view them and are resistant to "taking on new challenges" or "changing."
#Mood boost
Q: What is the best beauty product you have purchased in the last six months?
<Interview with Generation Z>
Q: Now that classes and work are being held via Zoom, have your awareness and behavior regarding beauty changed?
・For Zoom meetings, I barely wear any makeup, just a quick fix with glasses.
Since I'm often in situations where I'm almost makeup-free, I've become more conscious of my skincare. Moisturized skin makes me feel good.
・I don't really care about it at my meetings.
More people are wearing masks now, and even on Zoom, I just want to be comfortable and feel good.
Q: What motivates you to choose and purchase a product or brand?
When choosing beauty products, I ignore the price. I also ignore the packaging. I have sensitive skin, so I consider whether it works for my skin, the formula, functionality, whether I like the texture, and whether the scent makes me feel good
・Product design is very important. I'm in an environmental group, so I look for cosmetics that don't have a negative impact on the environment, and I like them because they're comfortable to use
- When it comes to cosmetics, comfort is important, but because they are essentially consumables, it's also important to consider whether you can keep buying them, whether the packaging is a design that you'll dislike if you keep it for a long time, and whether it makes you feel good
・Makeup and nails make me feel excited.
It makes me feel good about myself.
With the increase in online activities such as Zoom, both men and women are becoming more conscious of their skin and hair, with purchases of "skin care" items, as well as "hair care" and "body care" items. In particular, some women are buying high-priced "beauty appliances," while some men are reconsidering shaving or considering hair removal as "beard care," and many people seem to feel "lifted" by caring for areas they have become more conscious of
Examples of purchased products:
Job's tears lotion / Muji lotion / Bulk Homme facial cleanser / Medicated acne care cream / Biore facial cleanser / Mediheal mask / Avène water, AESOP facial cleanser, lotion, and emulsion / Rosetta blue facial cleanser pasta / priming lotion / Pore Nadeshiko mask / Muji all-in-one lotion / vitamin C lotion / Shiseido Glossy Ball Mist, FEMMUE Lumiere Vital C, De La Mer / DUO cleanser / Cicapair cream / Shuuemura cleansing oil / IPSA lotion and emulsion / SK2 lotion,
UKA Kenzan brush, razor, epilator, Curel / small face roller / Fino hair mask,
Vaseline body cream, Hiruroid cream, Moremo hair oil, ReFa
Carat hair dryer / TSUBAKI hair treatment / Algital echinacea cream, Panasonic
nano steamer, Ya-man Medilift...
#healthy
Q: When it comes to beauty, what is the most important time for you? (Multiple answers allowed)
<Interview with Generation Z>
Q: What do you think of your bare face?
・I don't dislike going without makeup, but I feel like it's a barometer of my health
・I'm concerned about my complexion. I don't have any particular complexes about my bare face. It's neither good nor bad
・As I started seeing my face more frequently on Zoom, I started to worry about my complexion and facial hair
Along with spending time on major beauty activities such as "skin care" and "makeup," many people also listed daily habits related to their health, such as "taking a bath," "eating a healthy diet," "exercise," and "good quality sleep." It appears that the holistic idea that "beauty = health" has taken root among Generation Z
#self-affirmation #universal
Q: Do you think the makeup you're currently using suits your facial features and personality?
<Interview with Generation Z>
Q: Do you think your current makeup looks good on you?
I change my makeup every day and am still exploring, so it's 50:50.
Today it's not so good, etc. I experiment every day. If I feel like I look good today, my behavior changes, I feel more confident, and maybe people will say I look good too.
・I think there are some makeup styles I could do better. I might want a third party to point out my bone structure and self-color diagnosis. I worry about what other people think, so I can't try out any challenging colors. I'd like to try new colors within the scope of what I think will be accepted by those around me
- The best is when you are satisfied with it yourself, so I think I am satisfied, but I also want to explore it further, so it's 50:50. I'm happy if I think it's good 98% of the time, but it's nice when other people say it's good too
Q: What do you do when you want to try out a new color or item?
・I only buy online. I find it difficult for men to enter the cosmetics section, and I think it's designed for women in the first place. I also feel uncomfortable with the separate men's section. That's why I don't see any benefit to buying in a physical store. It's hard to try things out, and it makes me nervous
I search the internet for colored products. Since color comes out differently depending on your skin tone, I refer to the touch-ups of people with skin tones similar to mine. Since I have a masculine face, I also refer to Korean male idols
Q: Do you have any thoughts about makeup and gender?
・At first, I thought nails were just for women, but I had friends who enjoyed doing nails, and I thought it was cool, so I gave it a try
・Today I saw a guy with nails done and thought he looked so cool!
Maybe I just haven't had the opportunity to wear makeup.
More than half of people answered, "I don't know if makeup suits me." Only around 36% answered, "I think it suits me," and around 2-5% gave the positive reason that they wear makeup because "friends, lovers, etc., complimented them." There are still few people who enjoy choosing makeup that suits their facial features and personality
What did you think? We've
compiled five beauty-related marketing keywords to explore in 2021, along with
the real voices of Gen Z. We hope you'll find them useful in your business ideas and brand creation.
The full survey document can be downloaded here
Would you like to join us in conducting research and making presentations that will have an impact on society and the business market
We are seeking joint research partners (limited to 5 companies) with research needs on essential and innovative themes and contexts to grasp signs of changes in values and lifestyles. free ! After hearing about your company's challenges, we will lead the research through extensive discussions.
▽Deep dive into business needs
targets (values, purchasing behavior, etc.) / scrutiny of product and brand value / market development / product development / corporate branding, etc.
▽ Selection method
After listening to your story in an online meeting, we will consider and select a partner company to conduct a free joint survey with Gen Z.
↓For inquiries, please click here↓
