Table of Contents
With the increasing attention from younger generations on personal care and beauty, the market demand from Generation Z consumers is gradually expanding. As an important force in the cosmetics consumption market, the consumption structure of Generation Z is gradually upgrading, pushing the market to implement differentiated competition and giving rise to various subcategories in the market.
In recent years, skincare for teenagers has emerged as an area garnering more and more focus. Discussions about “age-specific skincare” and “skincare for teenagers” on social media platforms are also rising steadily.
Looking at the international market, the global teenager skincare market is vibrant and shows an upward trend, with a series of emerging teenager skincare brands appearing. These brands, with sharp market insights and foresight, focus to varying degrees on the skincare needs of teenagers, offering a variety of targeted products and solutions, successfully making inroads into the age-specific skincare field and setting industry benchmarks in the teenager skincare sector.
This article will focus on emerging overseas teenager skincare brands—Kinship, Starface, JB Skrub, and Gryt—by outlining the development strategies and innovative paths of these emerging brands, providing references for the cosmetics market to open the teenager skincare track and lay out the age-specific skincare market.
I. The Booming Global Skincare Market, Is Teenager Skincare a New Necessity?
The teenager skincare market primarily targets the 13-18 age group, a demographic undergoing rapid changes in both internal and external skin conditions, often experiencing issues like acne, pimples, and excessive oil production. As they grow older and their minds develop, teenagers start to become more conscious of their looks and skincare routines. Early skincare not only helps teenagers develop the habit of maintaining clean skin, but also helps them face acne with a positive attitude and confidently show themselves.
Discussions on social media about age-specific skincare and skincare for teenagers have attracted significant attention. Many young parents and teenagers have been engaging in discussions about “skincare for teenagers,” and the focus on skincare products for teens has even become a manifestation of the growing self-awareness of young boys and girls.
Since Johnson & Johnson launched the world’s first facial care brand for girls aged 13-22, Clean&Clear, in 1992, well-known brands like Neutrogena and Cetaphil have actively entered the field. The teen skincare market has gradually gained attention from business giants. Many overseas beauty companies have begun to introduce age-specific skincare product lines, attempting to capture the teen skincare market. During this period, a series of emerging overseas brands have entered the track, focusing on teen skincare and achieving favorable market feedback.
II. Overseas Teenager Skincare, Emerging Brands Compete to Enter the Market
A. Kinship – Promoting Skin Microbiome Balance
Kinship was founded in 2019 by Alison Haljun, former Vice President of Benefit Cosmetics, and Christin Powell, co-founder of Juice Beauty. The brand focuses on clean and probiotic-based formulations, aiming to provide natural, sustainable, and efficient skincare products targeted at the Generation Z consumer group.
Kinship’s products are free of over 1,300 ingredients banned by the EU for cosmetics, such as SLS, synthetic fragrances, and mineral oils, and focus on developing clean, cruelty-free ingredients. The brand’s proprietary ingredient, Kinbiome, advocates for maintaining the balance of the facial micro-ecosystem, which is the foundation of all Kinship products.
As a mixture of prebiotics and probiotics from fermented Lactobacillus, Kinbiome is compatible with various ingredients like fruit acids, retinol, and vitamin C, helping to promote the balance of the skin microbiome, thereby effectively addressing skin issues such as acne and inflammation in teenagers.
As a new player in the teenager skincare market, Kinship has gradually established its presence with its unique brand concept and pure, harmless formulations. It has built a core product lineup, including moisturizing creams, lemon exfoliating wipes, papaya enzyme cleansers, acne treatment lotions, and probiotic sunscreens, with moderate and affordable prices that meet the diverse skincare needs of teenagers. Kinship’s pursuit of clean formulations and focus on skin microbiome balance have also gradually established new benchmarks in the beauty industry.
Kinship not only emphasizes the natural efficacy of its ingredients but also stresses minimalist and eco-friendly packaging. The brand’s packaging is made from recycled ocean waste, which is processed into sustainable packaging materials by professional organizations, achieving recycling. Consumers can scan the QR code on the product packaging to learn about the source and recycling process of the packaging materials, fostering green and sustainable consumption habits. Just like caring for the growing teenagers, Kinship is making contributions to protecting the blue planet through sustainable actions, conveying the values of sustainable development.
B. Starface – The Most Popular Pimple Patch on TikTok
Starface, an American brand founded in 2019, is known for its innovative design of pimple patches. The brand designs the patches in fun shapes like stars, clouds, and smiley faces, with the star-shaped pimple patches as its flagship product. These patches not only effectively treat acne and other skin problems but also make “having pimples” a fashionable and cute statement by decorating the face like twinkling stars.
According to data from the American Academy of Dermatology, over 50 million Americans suffer from acne. This highlights how acne and pimple issues trouble a large number of Americans, especially the teenage group. Starface’s products target a wide consumer base, particularly the young Generation Z, with product design and marketing strategies aimed at attracting young people who seek individuality and fun.
In terms of product design, Starface uses colorful packaging to create a youthful, dynamic brand image. Partnering with iconic characters such as SpongeBob and Hello Kitty highlights the brand’s playful and fashionable vibe. In marketing, Starface has established a strong presence across social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube to connect with young consumers.
For example, on TikTok, Starface has over 2.9 million followers. By posting creative videos and collaborating with well-known influencers, the brand has gained massive exposure and even garnered endorsements from celebrities like Justin Bieber. Starface has been dubbed “the most popular pimple patch on TikTok.”
The rapid popularity of Starface’s pimple patches has helped change people’s traditional views on acne. Acne is a “skin signal” in adolescence, and rather than concealing or eliminating pimples, teenagers can confidently face them and even turn them into a fashion statement. Starface’s President Kara Brothers says, “We’ve changed the way society views acne. It’s not only a way to express oneself but also a way to connect with peers.”
C. JB Skrub – Raising Skincare Awareness for Teenager Boys
Unlike the well-developed market for teenager girls’ skincare, there is still a gap in the personal care market for teenager boys. JB Skrub, founded in 2023 by American actress Julie Bowen and former Condé Nast executive Jill Beren, is a skincare brand designed specifically for teenage boys.
Julie Bowen, who portrayed a caring mother on Modern Family, brought this image into the brand’s creation. She realized that many teenager boys, including her own children, lack appropriate skincare and cleaning products and are generally less aware of the importance of skincare.
To encourage teenager boys to participate in skin cleaning and care and develop good hygiene habits, JB Skrub identified a market gap and built a product line that includes shower gels, body sprays, facial lotions, facial cleansers, and toner pads, addressing skincare needs such as oil control, acne prevention, and moisturization during the teenage years. The brand uses a direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales model, which helps better understand audience needs and provide customized skincare solutions.
On the ingredient front, JB Skrub has partnered with leading cosmetic laboratories in California to develop skincare formulations that meet EU standards. The formulations are free from harmful substances like synthetic fragrances, silicones, and colorants, along with 2,000 other ingredients banned by the EU. The products are vegan, free from cruelty, and devoid of gluten or genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
In terms of product packaging design, the brand uses cartoon-style fonts and vibrant colors to create a visually appealing and dynamic brand image, helping it stand out in a crowded market. Additionally, JB Skrub’s packaging is made from recycled plastics or biodegradable materials to minimize waste and promote sustainable practices.
D. Gryt – A Gender-Neutral Skincare Brand
Gryt is a gender-neutral skincare brand targeting 9-12-year-olds and teenagers, aiming to help young people establish early skincare habits and boost their self-confidence. The expert team behind Gryt consists of pediatricians, health educators, dermatologists, and adolescent mental health therapists, ensuring that the brand addresses both the skin care and psychological needs of young people.
Gryt’s products are specifically designed for young, sensitive skin and common teenager skin issues like acne and pimples. The product line includes daily face moisturizers, cleansers, nighttime serums, and Gryt kits. These products focus on safe, clean ingredients and cross-gender usage scenarios, catering to most teens’ skincare needs. The daily facial cleanser, for instance, uses a unique low-pH formula to effectively remove surface oil and dirt, leaving the skin fresh and comfortable.
In terms of promoting adolescent mental health, Gryt extends its reach beyond products, focusing on community-building and teenager education. The brand plans to introduce more body care products, teenager magazines, podcasts, newsletters, and other educational tools. It also organizes face-to-face activities to provide opportunities for teenagers to communicate with their parents and navigate the stages of adolescence, such as anxiety, confusion, and rebellion.
As Gryt moves forward, it is incorporating more ideas and suggestions from young people, such as establishing a Youth Advisory Council to involve teenagers in the decision-making process, ensuring that the products truly meet their skincare needs. Gryt’s approach to safeguarding adolescent health and fostering awareness of skincare is gradually making it a trusted skincare choice for both parents and teens.
III. Teenager Skincare Market: Opportunities and Challenges
With the continuous development of the teenager skincare market, many brands are entering the field, trying to capture this emerging track. Despite the huge market potential, the teenager skincare market still faces several challenges, including product formulation safety, building brand trust, and educating the market on consumption concepts.
Opportunities:
- Growing Demand, Market Potential:
Teenagers’ awareness of skincare is increasing, and age-specific skincare concepts are gaining popularity. Social media has turned teen skincare into a trending topic. Generation Z’s demand for personalized, effective, and safe skincare products is rising. - Emerging Niches:
Brands catering to different genders, skin types, and skin issues are emerging, such as JB Skrub focusing on skincare for teen boys and Gryt advocating gender-neutral skincare. New trends like clean beauty, skin microbiome balance, and sustainable packaging are attracting young consumers. - Social Media Boost:
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Xiaohongshu have become new arenas for brand marketing. KOLs and celebrity endorsements help boost brand awareness and market acceptance.
Challenges:
- High Safety Standards:
Teen skin is sensitive and fragile, so there are higher demands for gentle, safe, and effective formulations. Regulations around teen skincare products are becoming stricter, and brands must comply with regulatory requirements. - Consumer Education:
The teen skincare market is still in its early stages, and some consumers have limited knowledge of skincare. Parents also have varying perceptions of the necessity of skincare for teens, so brands need to focus on market education. - Increasing Competition:
Traditional giants like Neutrogena and Cetaphil are continuing to invest in the field, intensifying market competition. New brands must differentiate themselves through product quality, concepts, and marketing strategies to succeed.
Jack Li
Product Marketing Consultant
With a unique blend of creative intuition and strategic prowess, Jack Li stands out in the beauty industry as a thought leader and visionary. Over his accomplished career, he has driven successful marketing and branding strategies for both emerging startups and well-established companies. His approach to consulting focuses on recognizing and capitalizing on the latest trends to help clients create distinctive brand identities that captivate audiences.
