Rebecca Dunn explores the generational power shift and the rise of TikTok as beauty’s new store front. In her latest blog, she explains how kids are shaping beauty routines and considers the implications for market research.
Gen Alpha are the ones in the know when it comes to the latest trends in beauty, and they are influencing what Mum buys – not just for the child, but for Mum too.
It used to be that beauty trends trickled down from glossy magazines or makeup counters. Now, they surge through TikTok feeds — and it’s not just teenagers who are taking notice. At Mustard, we’re increasingly hearing from beauty users how children and teens are becoming unexpected but powerful influencers, shaping what ends up in the family shopping basket, especially when it comes to cosmetics and skin care.
The Gen Alpha shopping influence
Today’s young consumers are digitally native, socially fluent, and deeply trend-aware. A 2024 report by GWI found that 67% of Gen Alpha (aged 7–14) have influence over the household’s shopping decisions, particularly in categories like snacks, entertainment, and increasingly, personal care. Meanwhile, 52% of UK parents say their children have introduced them to a new product they otherwise wouldn’t have considered
Content is Queen in beauty commerce
On platforms like TikTok, beauty trends are served in bite-sized, visually engaging content — whether it’s a GRWM (get ready with me) routine, a new lip gloss, or a skincare “dupe” going viral. Children see it, copy it, and crucially, talk about it at home. What’s interesting is where that chatter leads: straight to their mums, older sisters, aunties — the adult women who still hold the purchasing power – who buy not just for the children and teens but for themselves, too.
This isn’t just passive influence
Children are making active recommendations. They share product names, demonstrate how they work, and even guide on where to buy them. In a busy household, where adult consumers don’t always have time to browse trends themselves, this can shortcut the decision-making process. For many women, their children are acting as trend scouts, trusted sources, and enthusiastic co-shoppers.
TikTok is disrupting beauty retail
One beauty product is sold every second on TikTok Shop UK. It now ranks as the UK’s fourth-largest beauty retailer, behind only Amazon, Boots and LookFantastic, according to NielsenIQ. A study by Retail Economics found that about 40 per cent of UK social media users have purchased beauty products through platforms such as TikTok — more than any other category.
The make-up brand P. Louise generated £1.5 million in just 12 hours during a single TikTok Live session, while Made by Mitchell went from £20 in its first “live” to £1 million in a day.
But this isn’t just about the online beauty brands. The major players are starting to pivot their commerce strategies too – even premium brands are seeing the value of social commerce, and how Gen Alpha are influencing beauty purchases.
Nadine Graf, the president of EMEA, UK&I and Emerging Markets at Estée Lauder Companies (who own the likes of Clinique, Bobbi Brown and Aveda) recently said that the beauty giant is changing “pretty much everything” as it pursues a strategy to become more consumer centric, including using TikTok to reach younger customers. “The shift is not incremental, it’s generational and cultural,” she said.
We’re also seeing a rise in popularity of beauty brands (such as Drunk Elephant and Byoma) which are seemingly positioned to lure children in (think bright colours, funky packaging), but the product ingredients and price points suggest that the products are designed for adults. Clever stuff, right?
This shift challenges the long-held idea that beauty purchases are always self-directed or driven by traditional marketing. Instead, influence is now homegrown, generational, and deeply social. Purchase journeys are becoming increasingly communal, often beginning with a conversation sparked by a 13-year-old in the back seat after school.
Beauty brands need to widen the scope of market research
What’s still under-explored is the intergenerational flow of influence — how trends travel from screen to child to adult — and how that shapes behaviour across the household.
For researchers, this is a moment to widen the lens. Analysis shouldn’t just be focused the individual consumer — it should be the household. Who influences whom? Where does brand discovery really begin? How do digital platforms translate into shared purchase behaviours offline?
To keep pace with today’s beauty consumer, we need to understand the ecosystem of influence within the home — especially the role of Gen Alpha in shaping adult purchasing. The children scrolling TikTok today are shaping tomorrow’s basket. And the brands who understand that dynamic now will have a major head start.
