Why Generational Insight Is the Next Big Marketing Tool for Beauty Ingredient Suppliers

The beauty industry has never been more diverse. Neither has its audience.

Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers all have different priorities when it comes to products, claims, and the way they shop. Over the next few years, brands will need sharper generational insights to stay relevant. This creates a unique opportunity for ingredient suppliers to lead the way.

Traditionally, suppliers have marketed themselves with technical data and product lists to demonstrate knowledge and expertise. But in a saturated market, this is no longer enough. Suppliers will be successful in positioning themselves as educators, helping their customers understand who they are selling to as much as what they are selling.

GEN Z

Gen Z: TikTok before store

Gen Z expect transparency, ethical sourcing, and sustainability. More importantly, they are now discovering upcoming brands on TikTok before they even step into a store.

The supplier opportunity:

Don’t just say an ingredient is eco-friendly. Market your story so brands can translate it into claims that match Gen Z values: cruelty free or climate positive. Provide content, messaging, and trend insights that speak their language and help brands connect to their audience.

MILLENIALS

Millennials: Balancing a lifestyle

Millennials are balancing careers, families, and wellbeing. They want multifunctional products that save time, support skin health, and align with their “clean but effective” needs.

The supplier opportunity:

Develop formulation concepts that show how actives deliver wellness benefits like stress reduction, barrier repair, and sleep friendly routines. Instead of just supplying ingredients, give brands stories that fit their lifestyles: fast, functional, and holistic.

GEN X

Gen X: Performance with purpose

Gen X consumers are a powerful, often overlooked demographic. They value performance but their beauty routines are evolving. They’re looking for targeted, problem-solving products that offer visible results, such as, firming serums, barrier repair creams, and luxury haircare that delivers salon level results at home.

The supplier opportunity:

Speak their language with science-led storytelling. Offer data-backed results in a relatable, lifestyle context, such as “smart beauty” routines that fit busy lives. Provide marketing materials that bridge technical efficacy with emotional reassurance, confidence, self-care, and control.

BABY BOOMERS

Baby Boomers: Ageless and timeless

Boomers represent one of the largest spending groups in beauty. They want reassurance, luxury, and effective solutions that enhance rather than disguise.

The supplier opportunity:

Position your ingredients within the context of timeless beauty. Provide brands with language around efficacy, premium texture, and indulgence. Shift the narrative from anti-aging to pro-aging, with formulations that celebrate this market.

Think Education Led, Not Product Led

The thread running through all generations is simple: brands don’t just need ingredients, they need insights. Suppliers and distributors who reframe their marketing to show how their ingredients help brands reach different audiences will stand out in a crowded market.

By moving beyond product lists to offer trend intelligence, generational insights, and compelling consumer stories, ingredient suppliers can position themselves as true partners in innovation. It is not just about selling ingredients. It is about helping brands understand consumers and giving them the tools to connect.

Conclusion

There is no single product or strategy that fits all, so a scattergun marketing approach simply doesn’t work anymore.

In 2026 and beyond, ingredient suppliers who win will be those who educate, inspire, and anticipate. They’ll connect generational insights with performance-led innovation and help their customers stay relevant in a world where trends shift overnight.

Consumers now expect instant results, driven by the rise of aesthetic treatments, fast-acting skincare, and even lifestyle and weight loss medicines reshaping perceptions of beauty and body care.

The question for beauty suppliers is: how do you compete, complement, and innovate alongside these new norms?

The answer lies in being ahead of the curve and not a one-trick pony with your portfolio. Ingredient suppliers who understand consumers as deeply as they understand chemistry will be the ones shaping the next generation of beauty.

LUCYWARDROPPER@OUTLOOK.COM

WEDNESDAY 8TH OCTOBER 2025