Think of teenage beauty and excessive eyeliner and backcombed hair might spring to mind. Fortunately for the parents of today’s teens, times have changed. The current trends on Tumblr and YouTube show that today’s younger generation has more sophisticated tastes than ever before. Pure Beauty speaks to the experts to help you keep up with the fast-paced world of teen.
1. Goodbye to contouring
The craze for Kardashian-inspired make-up is starting to wane. Olivia Cavill, Group Marketing
Manager at Ciaté and Lottie London, says: “Teens are embracing the fresh-faced look that’s all
over the runway this season.” This means your teen customers will be looking for a more natural
style.
2. Festival flash tats
Temporary tattoos offer a flexible option in an age of ever-changing trends. Cavill says:
“Customers can place the smaller transfers around their fingers or use the bigger tats where a
pendant would hang.”
3. Undone hair dos
Loosely braided, carefree looks are all the rage. Suggest hair ties that double-up as jewellery when
left on the wrist for a stylish, but practical look. Kink-free hair bands work best as teens can change
their style without any telltale ponytail-lines.
4. The right moisturiser
Teens with oily skin might be wary of moisturisers but Dr Anjali Mahto, Consultant Dermatologist
and British Skin Foundation Spokesperson, says it’s just about choosing the right one: “Tell them
to use a light gel-based moisturiser that is non-comedogenic to prevent the formation of
blackheads.”
5. Teen-friendly foundations
Covering skin problems with heavy make-up can make them worse. If your customers feel the
need to hide their spots with a foundation, Mahto suggests recommending an oil-free one to avoid
making their spots worse.
6. Clean diet, clean skin
Ditching the junk food is one simple change a teen could make to clear up their skin. Mahto says:
“There is some evidence to suggest that diets high in sugars or with high GI can trigger acne.” Tell
your teen customers to eat plenty of whole grains, vegetables and pulses.
7. Negative space manicures
“The biggest nail art trend at the moment has got to be the negative space mani,” says Sophie
Harris, Nail Expert at OPI. Advise your customers to apply their polish over stickers to get this look
and remind them to peel them off before it dries.
8. Magic ingredients
Clear skin is every teen’s dream. Mahto says: “Point them towards a cleanser specifically
formulated for acne; these products usually contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.”
9. Scent idol
Celebrity scents are an obvious product for this market but they’ve got to be genuine to win teens
over. Angela Budd, Vice President of Marketing and Brand Development at Parlux says: “If a fan
doesn’t believe that the celebrity was intimately involved in the creation, they will walk away.”
10. Relax
“Stress can cause the production of pro-inflammatory hormones which may make skin conditions
worse,” says Mahto. Encourage your teen customers to relax and not to worry about their skin so
much.