While Millennial consumers are slightly less likely to prefer the natural look, they are more likely (71 percent) to actually wear a natural makeup look than female consumers overall (68 percent).
The majority of Millennial women report spending just 20 minutes or less (59 percent vs 68 percent overall) on their regular beauty routine and one-fifth (18 percent) say their beauty routine consists of four or less steps.
Usage of cosmetics products that are essential to the natural makeup look have also been on the rise among younger consumers over the past five years*. Indeed, nearly half (46 percent) of women aged 22-39 use eyebrow pencils today, up 9 percent since 2011 (37 percent); four in five (79 percent) are using mascara compared to 73 percent five years ago; and 77 percent of these consumers say they use lip care products compared to 73 percent who said the same in 2011.
But don’t confuse the natural look with the no-makeup trend as nearly half (46 percent) of Millennial women say they feel more confident when they spend time on their appearance.
Results-driven consumers
“Short beauty routines underscore that Millennials are strapped for time and emphasize efficiency, highlighting the importance of products that can be applied quickly and easily, as well as those that can multitask,” said Margie Nanninga, Beauty and Personal Care Analyst at Mintel.
Mintel research indicates that Millennials are results-driven in their beauty routines as beauty consumers in this generation are most likely to prioritize products that provide good results (58 percent) and to purchase products based on their benefits (43 percent). Further highlighting trends toward simplicity, two in five (40 percent) Millennial beauty consumers also look for products that are easy to use.
However, while one third (34 percent) of Millennial women look for products they usually use, nine percent are influenced by interesting packaging or design when purchasing beauty products.
Natural and ethical products
While ethical claims are further down on the list of concerns for Millennial beauty consumers, these claims are more important to Millennials than they are to other generations. Indeed, Millennial beauty consumers are more likely to look for products that have natural ingredients (25 percent vs 23 percent overall), are environmentally-friendly (12 percent vs nine percent overall), ethically-sourced (seven percent vs five percent overall) and those that donate a portion of proceeds to charity (six percent vs four percent overall).
Younger adults also seem to be more experimental and adventurous when it comes to nature-based ingredients in their beauty and personal care products. Mintel research highlights that female skincare consumers aged 18-34 are more likely than female consumers overall to be interested in skincare products containing ingredients such as seaweed (52 percent vs 42 percent overall), ginseng (48 percent vs 37 percent overall), sandalwood (29 percent vs 23 percent overall) and fermented ingredients (28 percent vs 19 percent overall).
“Beauty and personal care brands would do well to focus on natural offerings as a way to differentiate in a saturated market. Products that have clear, straightforward packaging that highlight the natural ingredients will help set the product apart and help push beauty and personal care consumers out of their comfort zones,” continued Nanninga.
