2025 next-gen spenders beauty edition → let's go.
2,100+ users
335 hours of insights
270+ beauty brands
only on [cafeteria].
they're talking products, ingredients, splurges, scents – and how brands earn their trust.
beauty on [cafeteria] sounds like ↓
beauty index
(noun)
the leading beauty brands and their top products mentioned by [cafeteria] users
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BrandProduct
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CeraVeFoaming Facial Cleanser
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e.l.f.Halo Glow Liquid Filter
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Rare BeautySoft Pinch Liquid Blush
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FentyGloss Bomb
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Charlotte TilburyAirbrush Flawless Setting Spray
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RhodePeptide Lip Treatment
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GlossierGlossier You
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Summer FridaysLip Butter Balm
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NeutrogenaOil Free Acne Wash
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Sol de JaneiroBrazilian Bum Bum Cream
[cafeteria] pre-trend
(noun)
brands we hear about before they're everywhere
Good Molecules
“i've seen a lot of influencers posting about them, i've tried the moisturizer and it's good. i want to try the pimple patches and serums.”
Bubble
“I hear that a lot of people use it and it's like a really good product.”
ANUA
“it genuinely makes my skin clean and you can visibly see the dirt come off as you use it.”
Tree Hut
“nothing smells or lathers nearly as good and i always feel so clean.”
Byoma
“peach slices cleanser and toner, niacinamide serum, Byoma pink moisturizer and sunscreen.”
63% made their first Sephora run by 13. now? they know their actives and their worth – when to splurge, when to save.
skincare
[c] insights
After years of experimentation, some drugstore staples outperform prestige products. 1 in 5 females and males choose CeraVe and Cetaphil. They say it's great for acne, sensitive skin, and recommended by derms.
"they're just consistent and they're reliable and they feel very trustworthy... trustworthiness is the best quality." – female / 15 / Portland, OR
"not only because it's like dermatologist recommended but just because it's good overall. CeraVe really does a great job. I give a lot of props to them." – male / 18 / New York, NY
Drugstore loyalty doesn't mean drugstore-only routines.
1 in 3 females actively blend drugstore staples with prestige treatments. Drugstore for high-volume basics, prestige for treatments and formulations.
"My morning skincare routine"
- Youth to the People Superfoods Cleanser
- Glow Recipe Toner
- The Ordinary Salicylic Acid Serum
- CeraVe Moisturizer
- Bubble Sunscreen
– female / 17 / Colorado Springs, CO
Gen-Next speaks in ingredients, not just benefits. Where previous generations said "I need Tylenol" (brand over chemical), they say "I need niacinamide" (ingredient over benefit).
- Hyaluronic Acid = Hydration
- Salicylic Acid = Acne Control
- Glycolic Acid = Exfoliating
- Vitamin C = Brightening
- Niacinamide = Multi-Tasking
- Caffeine = De-puffing
Gen-Next shops formulation first, brand second. Ingredient forward packaging like The Ordinary's can develop a cult Gen-Next following.
"I usually look for cleansers that contains salicylic acid, AHA, or benzoyl peroxide." – female / 21 / Weatherly, PA
"I'm looking for something that's not stripping or make me feel super dry afterwards. Also something with hydrating ingredients like ceramides or hyaluronic acid". – female / 24 / Port Chester, NY
Males care about their skin, but resist the language of a "skincare routine". To them, it's about "washing my face", which is quick and functional.
When routines are explicitly mentioned, it's about acne control, not ritual.
"No, I don't have a skincare routine. All I know is I use a cleanser, that's it. I just make sure my skin has some Vaseline on it sometimes ... but that's about it." – male / 16 / Bridgeport, CT
the next-gen beauty code, cracked – this is what earns trust.
the beauty contract
(noun)
1. don't harm my skin
2. don't change formulas without telling me
3. don't take my loyalty for granted, each product must stand on its own
beauty contract
[c] insights
Adverse reactions are the #1 reason Gen-Next walks away from a skincare brand. No hesitation, they drop immediately and permanently.
For roughly half who stop a product, the culprit is breakouts, dryness, or irritation. TikTok / celebrity hype are often cited as pushing products not compatible with their skin.
"After I used [brand] about a week or two because I really liked it at first and I liked how everyone talked about it and how cheap it was, then I started peeling all over my face so it wouldn't go away for two months." – female / 25 / Great Neck, NY
Formula consistency is expected – changes feel like betrayal.
Two brands recently reformulated haircare products, 1 in 7 who stopped buying them cited the formula change. Reformulation resentment spans other beauty categories.
"I’m also not using [brand's] setting spray anymore. I have one bottle left of the original recipe ... but they've changed a formula since then so when finishing this bottle on I'm not repurchasing and I've moved on..." – female / 23 / Bronx, NY
Loyalty is earned product by product, and kept with consistency.
Gen Z loyalty is product-first, brand-second.
1 in 4 who criticized a brand (calling it "too expensive" or saying they stopped using it) also praised a different SKU from that same brand.
Quality and consistency over time builds brand loyalty.
On CeraVe: "I find that they're pretty consistent in their products... they're reliable and they feel very trustworthy" – female / 14 / Portland, OR
On The Ordinary: "their products are consistent. I haven't noticed any variation in either price or quality" – male / 21 / Newark, DE
On &honey: "It works every time, it makes it so soft, and it has consistently made it so shiny... I will probably use &honey till the day I die." – female / 17 / Ames, IA
age patterns show a clear beauty & personal care evolution.
the beauty lifecycle:
experimenters (14-17)
spenders (18-21)
investors (22-26)
beauty lifecycle
[c] insights
The beauty journey = discover on TikTok, buy in-store, repurchase online.
61% discover beauty products through TikTok (3.4x more than Instagram). Yet 58% still prefer shopping in-store, while another 21% shop both in-store and online depending on the product.
They hit stores to shade-match and test new finds, then switch online to replenish their faves.
The Experimenters (14-17)
- Lip gloss devotees (56% mention lip gloss, highest across all ages)
- Shopping Sephora at the highest rate (75%)
- Experimenting with affordable brands like e.l.f. and NYX (34%)
- Also buying prestige makeup (47% mention Rare Beauty, Fenty, Charlotte Tilbury)
- Mom still influences some decisions (14%)
The Spenders (18-21)
- Balancing prestige exploration with drugstore staples (39% still buying e.l.f. / NYX – the highest rate across ages)
- Ulta interest surges to 56% (from 48% for ages 14-17)
- Sephora engagement dips to 68%
- Deal-seeking behaviors grow: 36% spend under $30 monthly as they stretch wallets (without parents' help) and look for discounts across categories
The Investors (22-26)
- Skincare gets serious with 24% using actives like serums, retinol, and vitamin C (highest across ages)
- Ulta peaks at 58% as they seek value for repeat purchases
- Spending distribution shifts upward reflecting investment in favorite products: 31% invest $50-100 monthly
- Actives peak (The Ordinary, Paula's Choice, COSRX) while teen favorites decline (Drunk Elephant, Summer Fridays)
deals? always. dupes? definitely – but if it's worth it, Gen-Next will spend.
face. value.
[c] insights
Lip is leading the makeup category.
Daily essentials? 79% name lip products as their holy grail.
Team lip oil or team gloss? Gen-Next says they're teammates, not competitors.
Lip gloss still dominates 3:1, but 37% of oil users layer both for treatment plus shine.
e.l.f. leads among 18-21 year olds, but Summer Fridays owns 14-17. Across all ages, many splurge for Dior's premium oils and glosses.
Some brands are worth the splurge. 18% of makeup buyers mention Saie, ILIA, Tower 28, and Merit. Functionality drives loyalty more than clean ingredients.
- Tower 28 Concealer ($24)
"doesn't crease, I use it every day" – female / 23 / Wyckoff, NJ - ILIA mascara ($29)
"it makes my eyelashes long and it's worth the price" – female / 21 / Highland Park, IL - Merit Complexion Stick ($38)
"it was worth every single damn dollar" – female / 20 / Mount Vernon, NY
Makeup is deemed the most "dupable" beauty category, 2:1 over fragrances.
- Makeup 62%
- Fragrances 28%
- Skincare 8%
- Foundation 2%
Gen-Next has crowned e.l.f. the undisputed dupe queen.
It recreates luxury beauty so well that it's become their first stop, not their backup plan.
"e.l.f. for makeup is like my go-to because it's it dupes everything and it does it so well" – female / 17 / Plano, TX
fragrance isn't a signature anymore, it's a playlist – curated, rotating, and experimental.
fragrance
[c] insights
Females choose dessert over flowers – gourmand scents (56%) are #1. Many (33%) rotate through multiple scents.
Gen-Next treats fragrances as a wardrobe - they pair them, layer them to create signature scents and rotate them to match the moment.
44% of females own 6 or more fragrances.
"I have a solid perfume... I use it as a layering product because it doesn't really project much on its own. So usually I would pair it with like a different fragrance just for more layering." – female / 19 / Riverside, CA
Body mists aren't budget alternatives – they're a distinct go-to category for 39% of female fragrance buyers.
Bath & Body Works leads (58%), followed by Victoria's Secret (41%), and the premium favorite is Sol de Janeiro (15%).
"i only have 2 legit perfumes, 2 perfume oils, and COUNTLESS body mists (mostly gifted bath and body works but also love my sdj 62)." – female / 17 / New Braunfels, TX
For fragrances, Gen-"He" and Gen-"She" speak different languages.
Females describe fragrances by the sensory experience: "Vanilla cashmere, Shea butter, vanilla, paradise, tropical, pound cake, coconut, pink night" – female / 24 / Mesquite, TX
Males talk brands, social currency, and longevity: "The way it smells, how long it lasts, and the compliments I get from it." – male / 19 / Lawrenceville, GA
Males have a clear fragrance hierarchy:
- Social Currency – getting compliments and noticed by others
- Brand Prestige – designer houses (Top 3: Dior, Versace, Gucci)
- Performance – longevity and projection
"using a specific scent as a tool to level up your overall vibe and attractiveness [...] find a signature fragrance that makes you feel more confident and leaves a great impression." – male / 18 / Charlotte, NC
she builds her hair routine like a pro – he just wants a clean, no-irritation shave.
mane character energy
[c] insights
TRESemmé leads mass market haircare (19%), trailed closely by Pantene (17%).
When shopping at Ulta and Sephora, Gen-Next chooses amika (23%), Olaplex (20%) and OUAI (18%).
~50% of female premium brand purchasers also use mass market brands.
Hair oils are a staple for 15% of Gen-Next females who are choosing premium brands.
Moroccan Oil leads with 30% of oil users, followed by Ouai (22%), Olaplex (15%), Gisou (11%), and Kerastase (10%).
Hair routine for female / 16 / Nashville, TN → "olaplex clarifying shampoo every other wash, oaui medium shampoo and conditioner, amika hair mask every other wash, Moroccan oil leave in conditioner spray and redkin acidic bonding treatment post wash and after the blow dry Moroccan oil in my ends"
Curl definition drives product choices for roughly half of curly users.
The go-to leave-ins are It's a 10 and Not Your Mothers followed by specialty brands Shea Moisture (#2), Mielle (tied #3), and Cantu (tied #3). Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross is an emerging favorite.
Gillette is the clear favorite among Gen-Next males with 44% of brand mentions.
1 in 4 are going electric, with Philips Norelco and Manscaped as the go-to brands.
"I use gillette because it's easy on the skin especially with the shave gel." – male / 22 / Madison, TN
"I have a manscaped because it's electric and waterproof and it's easy to use and I don't need to worry about cutting myself." – male / 18 / Cape Elizabeth, ME
S/NTH → our zero-party AI, scanned over 220,000 teen responses – holy grails, wishlist gems, and viral must-haves – to build the [cafeteria] gift guide of the season.
S/NTH
for the girl who always has gloss in her bag
- Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment ($20)
- Summer Fridays The Holiday Trio ($48)
- Glossier Sugar + Spice Balm Dotcom Duo ($25)
for the skincare guru
- Bubble Morning Rays Brightening Eye Cream ($14)
- The Ordinary The Mini Icons Set ($20)
- Fenty Cherry Dub Pore Purify'r Gel Cleanser ($14)
for the one with no bad hair days
- amika Soulfood nourishing Hair Mask ($36)
- dae Fairy Duster Dry Shampoo ($30)
- PATTERN Leave-in Conditioner for Curls & Coils ($29)
- splurge Dyson Airwrap ($650)
for the girl who smells so nice you walked by twice
- Sol de Janeiro Limited Edition Cheirosa 71 Body Cream ($48)
- Glossier You Perfume ($82) or You Rêve ($82)
- pro tip Upgrade her favorite mini to full size.
for the guy looking to upgrade his fragrance vibe
- Gucci Guilty Pour Homme Trio Gift Set ($75)
- YSL Discovery Holiday Gift Set ($75)
- Dior Sauvage ($135)
- Salt and Stone Santal Deodorant ($20)
for the Sabrina Carpenter fan
- Makeup by Mario Soft Pop Cream Blush Stick ($34)
- Sabrina Carpenter Sweet Tooth ($55)
- Redken Acidic Bonding Leave-In ($34)
be brilliant.tm
let's talk ↗