Key takeaways
- Gen Alpha will redefine beauty through AI, sustainability, identity fluidity and emotional wellbeing.
- Brands must prepare for AI-mediated purchasing, where algorithms influence product choice.
- Transparency, evidence-based claims and emotional efficacy will be core differentiators.
- This generation expects co-creation, adaptability and seamless digital–physical experiences.
- Winning brands will build long-term trust by understanding the adults Gen Alpha will become.
Generation Alpha’s beauty shopping habits are already markedly different from those of their predecessors, according to new insights from Mintel.
The market intelligence firm forecasts that by 2035, this consumer group, which is currently aged between one and 15, will redefine beauty as a tool for self-prototyping, influenced by AI, climate consciousness, identity fluidity and societal volatility.
In its new report, Gen Alpha in 2035: The Future Beauty Consumer, Mintel highlights how this youngest generation values adaptability, environmental responsibility and authenticity. For example, Mintel’s data shows that 66% of 12- to 17-year-olds in the US begin their research on social media rather than traditional search engines. Meanwhile, 66% say they feel deceived by ads disguised as content, instead favouring transparency and meaningful engagement.
How Gen Alpha’s digital-first world is reshaping beauty expectations
Mintel notes that the opportunity “lies in understanding the adults Gen Alpha will become.” Its recommendations for selling to this generation include:
- Creating adaptable products for fluid identities, such as modular beauty systems, customisable avatars and AI-powered personalisation.
- Building trust through transparency, sustainability and ethical AI.
- Offering regenerative solutions to meet their demand for authenticity and eco-pragmatism.
- Connecting with Gen Alpha on their preferred platforms using co-creation, gamification and meaningful storytelling.
Mintel describes Generation Alpha as shaped by the “normalisation of the improbable”. This is the first generation for whom having an AI sidekick feels more natural than owning a landline, and one whose formative years included the global pandemic. For them, digital-first experiences blur physical and virtual worlds, and they can navigate both seamlessly.
The report also highlights that for this generation, “identity is a customisable setting” and “climate change is less an apocalypse and more a permanent UX flaw in the world”.
How Gen Alpha will use AI in beauty decision-making
To gain more insight into this future beauty shopper, CosmeticsDesign-Europe spoke with Andrew McDougall, Mintel’s Director of Insights for Beauty & Personal Care Research.
CDE: Hi Andrew, can you tell us more about how Gen A will use AI to guide their beauty product purchasing decisions?
AM: “Gen Alpha will grow up with AI acting as a personal beauty co-pilot, not just a recommendation engine. Instead of browsing products, they’ll rely on AI to interpret mood, stress, climate and personal values, then automatically curate routines or make purchases on their behalf. Beauty decisions shift from ‘what do I want?’ to ‘what does my system say I need today?’”
CDE: Based on the impact of this, what do beauty brands need to do differently to reach these shoppers?
AM: “Brands will need to design for algorithms and emotions at the same time. Products must be legible to AI, with clear efficacy, ingredient transparency and sustainability credentials; while still building human trust through storytelling, education and co creation. In an AI mediated world, friction, vagueness and over marketing will get brands filtered out.”
CDE: What are some of the key insights from this report that beauty and personal care brands need to sit up and take notice of now?
AM: “First, beauty is becoming emotional infrastructure, not just aesthetics: Gen Alpha will buy products that help them feel regulated, calm or focused. Second, traditional marketing funnels break down when AI sits between brands and buyers. And third, the smart strategy isn’t targeting Gen Alpha too young but understanding the adults they’re becoming and building long-term trust.”
CDE: We see neurocosmetics becoming more popular. Do you expect this link between beauty and mental health to grow?
AM: “Neurocosmetics will resonate strongly with Gen Alpha because beauty for them is about mental as much as physical wellbeing. Products that genuinely help with stress, sleep, focus or emotional grounding, through sensory design and credible science, will matter more than surface level claims. However, brands must be careful: mental wellbeing messaging needs to be transparent, evidence-based and ethical.”
CDE: What else do beauty brands need to know to properly understand the needs of this generation?
AM: “Gen Alpha has grown up in a world where the improbable feels normal. AI, identity fluidity and constant disruption are their baseline. When their behaviour seems irrational, it usually isn’t; it’s a sign our old models no longer fit. The brands that win will offer control in chaos, play in complexity, and humanity in an algorithmic world.”
