Intro
Mirror, mirror on the wall…
We asked some of the ladies in our online community of 16-24s about brands & beauty… and wanted to know which brands make them feel good & unique.
Aspirants
Aspirants will spend big to get the look and lifestyles they want.
However, they are the consumers of cool, not the creators. They filter ideas down the Mainstream, are the popular kids at school and are early adopters of new trends and key brands. Aspirants are often at the older end of their teens, having developed the knowledge, connections and money to get the lifestyle they want.
They are ruled by:
1.Keeping up with what’s cool- they want to be in fashion and have the latest clothes, music ad tech.
2.They are social media butterflies- they love to be part of what’s happening and are being spenders and social media users as they share and promote their lifestyle online.
3.They are experience seekers and love spontaneity- their quest for the new means they shop, travel and love smart brand initiatives, pop-ups and limited editions.
Empowerment, support & understanding
Tribes told us about the brands that empower, supports and/or understands them. They expressed how important it was for the brands they interact with to have similar values and ethical principles to themselves showing understanding and support of meaningful causes.
Some also felt personally supported by brands that had products that catered to specific beauty, hair and skincare needs, others said that the use of specific products allowed them to feel confident and empowered.
Understanding that young people do not have that biggest budgets means that they appreciate affordable luxuries that are available to them.
Kat Von D is a brand that understands me because she is in the process of changing her products to be vegan as well as cruelty free which is an amazing thing because so many people want an end to animal testing and the needless suffering of sentient beings.
-Maneka, 19, Aspirant
MAC is a brand that empowers/supports/understands me because it gives me confidence which is really important.
-Sophie, 21, Aspirant
The Body Shop is a brand that understands me because their products are simple yet effective. Theyre not overly expensive – and theyre straightforward yet they feel luxurious. I also like the fact that they are committed to sourcing from ethical sources.
-Eve, 19, Leading Edge
The Body Shop is a brand that empowers/supports/understands me because of the values and ethics behind it.
-Nicole, 23, Mainstream
Nivea is a brand that understands me because I have quite sensitive skin and eyes (which can cause a lot of issues) and Nivea products have never irritated me. The products they provide are very kind to skin and I feel that as a brand they understand that sensitive skin is a serious issue and they work to resolve that.
-April, 16, Mainstream
Shea Moisture … because of my hair type and texture their products work great for me. Furthermore they have products that cater for everyones hair type and texture.
-Jordan, 20 Mainstream
Go to beauty & skin care brands
The go-to brands for the Tribes were brands that they associate with being natural, dependable, fun, affordable, good quality with a variety or products and options on offer.
I usually go to maybelline for beauty product as I feel like you can always rely on them to have a decent product and the have a good price range where you get good value for money but you pay a little bit more to ensure it will do the job.
-Grace, 19, Mainstream
Simple are my go to brands when it comes to beauty and skincare products because they are natural – odourless and very kind to your skin.
-Jordan, 20, Mainstream
Rimmel London is my go-to brand when it comes to beauty – as their products are fun yet affordable. I dont spend a great amount of money on makeup – as I tend to stick to the basics (eyebrows – winged eyeliner – mascara and lip balm) – but Rimmel offer me a good selection (and good quality) for my money.
-Eve, 19, Leading Edge
Urban Decay is my go to brand when it comes to beauty and skincare products because they have a lot of variety and the products they create are impeccable and are perfect for me as well as being cruelty free.
-Maneka, 19, Aspirant
Beauty and skin care advice
Friends and family members prove to be popular choices for seeking advice for beauty and skincare product, as they have usually built a sense of trust and can pass on they’re knowledge of products based on their own similar experiences and needs.
Store professionals and YouTube also prove useful for providing practical advice while demonstrating various uses and techniques for beauty and skincare products.
my family and friends tend to use the same products as me and they also recommend Youtubers to watch.
-Jordan, 20, Mainstream
If I ever have questions about beauty I always consult the ever popular youtube as it has everything on there and loads of peoples views opposed to make up artists in shops which I often think are quite bad.
-Grace, 19, Mainstream
I usually go to my mom to get advice about beauty/skincare because we have similar skin types and tones so using the same products or techniques as her generally works for me.
-Sofia, 21, Leading Edge
Reddit forums are good for make up and skincare – dermatologists – my salon.
-Kathryn, 20, Mainstream
I usually ask family and friends for advice but on the odd occassion I go to Boots to get advice about beauty or skincare because because their staff are always very helpful and professional.
-April, 16, Mainstream
I usually ask family and friends I usually go to Google quizzes or the Clinique quiz to get advice about skincare as I wanted to see what type of skin I have (combinational) and which products would be good for me to use. This was a few years ago now but I personally wouldnt buy from them in the future due to the animal testing issues.
-Maneka, 19, Aspirant
Conclusion
Empowerment, support and understanding can be communicated to the Tribes by having aligned values and actively supporting good and ethical causes that are important to the Tribes.
Price is always important to Tribes when deciding on a go-to brand but they also look for brands that are reliable and good quality especially when it comes to products they apply to their skin. Youth also appreciate having a variety of options to choose from that meet their specific needs.
When searching for advice it is important that Tribes trust the source or have an established relationship with them. It also helps if the source has similar beauty or skin care needs as they do.
