Gen Alpha Skin Care Craze: Babson Professors Decode the Tween Beauty Boom

An aisle of beauty products on display at a makeup store
Listen

From skin cycling to slathering on barrier-repair cream, tweens have embraced the booming social media-fueled skin care market and traded in their toys for double cleansing and collagen masks.

Children aged 6 to 12 spent more on skin care and makeup than any other age group—a whopping $4.7 billion in 2023, according to insight technology consultants aytm. Gen Alpha spent 23% more on cosmetics, skin care, and fragrance in 2023 compared with 2022, and there’s no sign the market is slowing.

A few companies are even urging young people not to buy some of their products. Drunk Elephant, a well-known skin care brand topping many a tween wish list, posted a list of specific products, often containing anti-aging ingredients such as retinol, which are not suitable for children, on its website.

Babson College marketing professors Krista Hill Cummings, Richard Hanna, and Ellie Kyung offered their insights into the many factors fueling this boom, and the ethical implications for brands.

The Intersection of Trends and Needs

Hill Cummings, an associate professor of marketing, attributed much of the market’s growth to the influence of platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Social media is a big factor behind the trend, said Krista Hill Cummings.
Social media is a big factor behind the trend, said Associate Professor Krista Hill Cummings.

“Tweens are at a developmental stage where identity formation and social comparison are paramount,” she explained. “They’re highly impressionable and drawn to products that promise confidence or social acceptance. This makes them a ripe audience for marketers.”

According to Hill Cummings, the industry’s appeal lies in its dual targeting strategy: brands market to both tweens, who seek autonomy and self-expression, and their parents, who want to instill good habits. “It’s a clever intersection,” she noted. “However, there’s a fine line between encouraging wellness and exploiting insecurities.”

Hanna, a professor of practice in marketing, highlights how this category aligns with a broader pattern in consumer goods.

“Product categories often emerge in response to trends rather than unmet needs,” he said. “Influencers play a major role in amplifying these trends, telling relatable stories that resonate across age groups. For tweens, these stories often come with an aspirational edge.”

Tweens as Emerging Consumers

Despite the trend-driven nature of this market, Kyung, an associate professor of marketing, sees potential for positive outcomes. “Skin care isn’t inherently unnecessary for tweens,” she said. “Products like sunscreen, tailored for younger skin with natural ingredients, could help establish healthy habits early. The key is to focus on utility rather than appearances.”

Marketing professor Ellie Kyung said sunscreen use is one good outcome from the trend.
Associate Professor Ellie Kyung said sunscreen use is one good outcome from the trend.

However, Kyung points out that marketing to tweens is uniquely challenging because of their limited purchasing power. “Products must appeal to both tweens and their parents,” she explained. “Parents are more likely to support products centered on natural beauty or health rather than superficial trends. Safety and affordability are also critical.”

Ethical and Regulatory Concerns

All three professors agreed that the trend raises significant ethical questions. Hill Cummings cautioned that marketing skin care to tweens can fuel insecurities. “Brands have a responsibility to position these products as part of overall well-being, not as a way to conform to unrealistic beauty standards,” she emphasized.

Kyung raised concerns about regulatory gaps in the U.S., where standards for consumer product safety lag behind those in Europe.

“Who will determine what’s safe for children and maintain those standards?” she asked. “Without oversight, there’s a risk of harmful chemicals entering these products, posing long-term health risks.”

Hanna added that the commercialization of tweens’ appearance may create societal divisions. “This could lead to another way for children to distinguish themselves as ‘haves’ or ‘have-nots,’ which is troubling,” he said.

A Gateway to Lifetime Loyalty

From a business perspective, Kyung notes that brands see the tween market as a gateway to customer lifetime value.

Richard Hanna is concerned the expensive products could lead further ‘haves’ versus ‘have-nots,’ among teens.
Professor of Practice Richard Hanna is concerned the expensive products could lead further to ‘haves’ versus ‘have-nots’ among teens.

“Attracting consumers at a young age and retaining them over time is incredibly appealing to companies,” she said. “For families with disposable income, this market is likely to grow, especially in the absence of regulations limiting advertising to children.”

A Balanced Approach for Brands

Despite these concerns, there’s still room for innovation. Hill Cummings advocated for educational marketing, where brands teach tweens about skin health rather than promoting perfection.

Kyung suggested a focus on functional products such as sunscreen or moisturizers, paired with clear labeling and natural ingredients. Hanna said brands can build trust by being transparent and prioritizing ethical storytelling.

“Retailers and marketers have the opportunity to shape this market responsibly,” Hill Cummings said. “By focusing on well-being, brands can meet consumer needs without perpetuating harmful standards.”

Posted in Insights

More from Insights »

Latest Stories

Three photos in a side-by-side collage depict Michael Kopelman coaching, Brady Anderson in action, and the doubles team celebrating
Courting Success: How Babson Tennis Teams Transformed into National Powerhouses With championships and top-tier recruiting classes, Babson Director of Tennis Michael Kopelman has overseen the transformation of the men’s and women’s programs into national powerhouses.
By
Scott Dietz
Writer
Scott Dietz
Scott Dietz is Babson College's Associate Athletic Director for Strategic Communications. Dietz is responsible for the department's internal and external communications, including branding, campus engagement, marketing, social media, sponsorships and website management. Additional duties consist of event coverage, facilitation of interview requests, media pitching, video content, writing and editing. Before Babson, Dietz spent 13-plus years at fellow NEWMAC institution Wheaton College, worked for the NFL, New England Patriots, and in the media relations department with the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. A native of South Park, PA, Dietz began his sports information career at Westminster College.
September 2, 2025

Posted in Community

Babson Build students from HBCUs participate in an exercise in the Weissman Foundry
An Entrepreneurial Summer: How Babson Impacts Communities Year-Round The school year may be over, but Babson’s work of educating entrepreneurial leaders doesn’t stop. In the summer, many entrepreneurs, educators, and leaders descend on campus. They come from around the globe to connect and to learn. What they take away from the College can impact their companies, their classrooms, and their communities.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
August 29, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Juan “JC” Grullon ’27 and Ty Bradford ’29 shake hands outside Publishers Hall
Publishers Hall Welcomes First-Year Students to Its Cozy Confines During move-in day, a new crop of first-year students made Publishers Hall their home. The small residence hall, built over a century ago, is known for the tight-knit communities that form there.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
August 28, 2025

Posted in Community