What was your first introduction to beauty? Chances are that the first product you played with wasn’t made with your young skin in mind—maybe it was a moisturizer borrowed from your mom’s vanity or a blush swiped from an older cousin’s makeup bag. Today, Generation Alpha—children born between 2010 and 2025—are coming of age in a beauty landscape designed specifically for them. From kid-friendly formulations to fun packaging, beauty is more accessible than ever for teens and preteens. Here’s how we got here and what it means.

The Rise of Gen Alpha Beauty Brands

A 2025 Razorfish survey found that 67% of 11- to 13-year-olds are already interested in beauty and skincare. Fueled by TikTok tutorials and word-of-mouth recommendations swapped in between classes, Gen Alpha is emerging as an incredibly curious, passionate, and playful group of consumers.

The only problem? Until recently, there simply haven’t been products that matched their energy. While the beauty market is saturated with every imaginable ingredient, treatment, and format, most formulations are designed for adults, leaving kids with few options that are safe, age-appropriate, and fun to use.

“Around age 11, skincare became a hobby that all of my friends and I were getting into,” says 13-year-old Coco Granderson, who launched skincare brand Yes Day Beauty last year. “I would try anything I could get my hands on, even though I didn’t fully understand the ingredients yet. I was still learning, and unfortunately, I ended up using products that were way too harsh for my skin. My mom would tell me to stop, but I loved skincare so much that I kept experimenting, even when it wasn’t good for me.”

In the past year, in particular, we’ve seen a thoughtful response to this widespread dilemma. Gen Alpha–targeted brands are offering something specially tailored for a generation that’s already dialed in to what’s next.

Salish Matter, the 16-year-old founder of teen-focused skincare brand Sincerely Yours, is very clear on what her peers want. “Before Sincerely Yours, there really wasn’t a skincare line made specifically for teens, especially at the stores we mainly shop at [Sephora],” she says. “The brands were either for adults or were marketed for young kids and not something I wanted to have on my shelf. Being so close in age [to my audience] helps me design things that are genuinely for teens, because they’re made from real experiences, not assumptions.”

How This Generation Views Beauty as Play

That said, one assumption feels safe to make: Gen Alpha puts play first. For them, beauty is all about exploration, connection, and turning everyday routines into moments of joy. “Because of social media, we were introduced to [beauty and skincare] at a younger age. We see it everywhere, especially on TikTok and Instagram,” Matter says. “It’s something we can all share together. Talking about skincare with friends, trying new products, and posting about it makes it fun and social. At the same time, it lets everyone express themselves in their own way.”

It’s safe to say boring branding has no place in their orbit. “Gen Alpha’s all about fun that feels good,” says Jaimee Lupton, the founder of feel-good fragrance and body-care brand Daise. “They’re into brands that are trend-led, expressive, and effortlessly cool—things that look cute on their feed but still feel real.  It’s about products that smell amazing, look great on their shelf, and fit right into their world.” 

And because this generation is always online, every brand touchpoint has to be instantly craveable. Aesthetically pleasing packaging—that is neither too childish nor too mature—is key to grabbing their attention. “We held focus groups to understand what Gen Alpha likes and doesn’t like,” Granderson says. “We learned that a lot of kids choose skincare based on packaging alone. So I knew ours had to be eye-catching, collectible, and feel special from the moment you open the box.”

Matter echoes Granderson’s sentiments, pointing out Sincerely Yours’ sleek pastel packaging. “I wanted the packaging to be something I’d be excited to have on my vanity and show off to my friends and community. I wanted it to look cool, not boring or overly serious,” she says.

Curating a follow-worthy feed is the other half of the equation. Gen Alpha wants to see themselves reflected and feel like they’re stepping into an interactive community, not just a brand. “I wanted it to feel like you’re following a friend your age, not some random brand trying too hard,” Matter says of Sincerely Yours’ social channels. “We are online so much, and building Sincerely Yours comes from listening to [our community]. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We have fun, but we still care about educating teens on good skincare.”

How Gen Alpha Brands Are Balancing Play and Performance

Gen Alpha might be primarily drawn to playful packaging and on-the-pulse social feeds, but don’t mistake that for low standards. They value experimentation and efficacy in their own way—testing, tweaking, and ultimately committing to what actually delivers results. 

For brands targeting preteens and teens, striking this delicate balance between play and performance is essential. “When we were building Sincerely Yours, we wanted to make sure that the products were actually safe and effective for sensitive skin like mine,” Matter says.

That’s where experts like renowned cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson, who develops for Yes Day Beauty, come in. With decades of experience, he understands how to formulate for beauty’s youngest consumers and craft products they want to use until the last drop. “My approach to formulating for Gen Alpha is based on avoiding strong ingredients that are not meant for young skin and using ingredients that are designed for developing skin barriers,” he says.

For Granderson, earning the trust of people her age is nonnegotiable. “We clinically test all of our products on [people] ages 10 through 16 for 28 days, which is something most brands aren’t doing,” she says. “For me, Yes Day ticks all the boxes.”

The Impact of Gen Alpha on Beauty (So Far)

Gen Alpha is writing its own beauty legacy—one defined by delight, whimsy, and intention. Brands that center this—whether teen-founded or not—will be the ones that earn coveted space in Gen Alpha’s backpacks, toiletry bags, and vanities.

As the industry evolves, it’s impossible to ignore how Gen Alpha shows up. Both Robinson and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Geeta Yadav agree that these next-gen beauty buyers are already shaping trends that will ripple across generations above and below them. “Gen Alpha is reinforcing the longevity trend,” Robinson says. Yadav adds, “Unlike millennials or Gen Z, who usually started skincare in their teen years to deal with acne or oily skin, Gen Alpha is focused on ‘prejuvenation,’ meaning they’re using products meant to prevent aging or skin issues before they even appear.”

Ultimately, Gen Alpha is showing us a new way to care for ourselves. They’re testing products, creating routines, and exploring beauty on their own terms but never at the expense of joy. For this generation, self-care isn’t a chore or a checklist; it’s an opportunity to express themselves and put pleasure at the center of their daily habits. In other words, Gen Alpha is proving that caring for yourself can—and should—be as playful as it is purposeful.