How Millennials Impact The Way Spa’s and The Skin Care Industry Are Doing Business

As the majority generation, with 83.1 million people in the United States classified as millennials, this generation makes up over a third of the country’s population. Ages ranging from 18 to 41, 53% of millennial households already have children, 1 in 4 are parents. In 2018, the projected income of millennials will be about $3.39 trillion annually, surpassing baby boomers. Millennials make up 21% of discretionary purchases which is estimated to be over a trillion dollars in direct buying power and have a huge influence on other generations.

These highly influential young adults are redefining what affluence means in the United States. Today, high income is not reflected in the products they own but rather in the experiences they collect and how they share them. Millennials are digital natives at their core, and their desire to change the world is impacting the way Spa’s and the Skin Care Industry are doing business all over the world.

Millennials are by far the most diverse generation. They are influencers, change makers, and they seek authenticity. They value products and services that enhance their lives and are good for the planet. Millennials are the ultimate day traders, they day trade on services and product and are day traders in their real life. They will make decisions to spend a little more or a little less all day long. The majority say they are willing to purchase a product or service to support a cause they believe in, even if it means paying a bit more.

Millennials go through cycles… it starts with being excited about unique products and services, and then they fall in love, tell their friends and family, then they get bored, and when they get bored, they just change. You could think this is being disloyal, but no, it is their culture. They are not collecting brand and service products, they are collecting brand and service experiences. They are not necessarily into storytelling, they are into story living.

They are looking for bold actions, and love services that figure out how to be intentionally useful and practical, with a twist of purpose and meaning. Millennials are co-creators and consumer partners. They have a huge “Change the World” theme and they want to experience life. Because they are the very first adopters of all new digital social and mobile products, and over half of all millennials have 200 plus Facebook friends, we have to always be looking at uniqueness, innovation and meaning in our services and products.

As Spa Owners and Skin Care Professionals, how do we reach the largest most influential generation of consumers ever? Because of millennials diversity, and their age group is broad, we have many exciting avenues that we can take with the services that we now provide.

Beauty & Wellness

Facial and body treatments with a holistic approach, now represent the largest segment of millennial purchases. This can be directly attributed to the health and wellness trend that has become part of their daily lives. Millennial women tend to purchase natural, sustainable, organic beauty products. In addition to serums, lotions, and creams, herbal tinctures, vitamins and nutritional supplements that work from the inside out is an important part of their regime. The alignment of beauty and wellness offers an opportunity to speak to the client on an entirely different level, appealing to her lifestyle, how she feels, acts, and stands in the world, not just the way she looks.

Beauty & wellness continues to be the definitive lifestyle choice of women across all demographics. This is an exciting time in the spa and skin care industry. In this changing environment it’s essential to create tailored experiences in our treatment rooms and spas. To create a personal story, start with an herbal tea and a relaxing and refreshing peppermint or lavender foot soak, follow with a menu of a single essential oil or blend of essential oils added to an unscented mask, serum or massage oil creating a meaningful journey, in which each time they visit, they will have a different, unique experience.

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding millennials in terms of skin care habits is that they have a lack of concern regarding skin-aging. Instead of treating signs of aging once they’re already present, members of this generation are playing it smart and focusing on prevention. Instead of treating fine lines, they are nourishing the skin with organic botanicals, essential oils, and nut and seed carrier oils. Instead of concealing, they are all about great skincare that will give them a complexion that has nothing to hide. They want to be able to make sense of the ingredient list before purchasing a product.

This is why they invest their money in great toners, cleansers, moisturizers and take their time to complete an extensive, multi-step skin routine that leaves their skin ready for the minimal amount of makeup. With skin that’s as protected from the harms of sun exposure as it can possibly be, blemish free, prepped and primed, the selfie generation is all about that natural glowing and Insta-worthy skin. They are more interested in investing in the appearance of beautiful, luminous skin. For the selfie generation, they are avid consumers of retail personal care products, so it is imperative that your business carry products that align with your vision and purpose.

As a generation who is not only all about innovation but also originality and practicality, millennials do not follow trends, they set them. One great example of their innovative spirit is the phenomenon of multitasking. Because they come from an era of rapid change, anxiety can overwhelm, social pressures can mount, and they need a place where they can go to unplug and connect with the intuitive side of themselves. The desire is there, we have to create the space for that to happen. Menu’s that offer the chill, the openness, the connection for relaxation and rejuvenation, will have them coming back for more to their own personal sanctuary. Lavender eye pillows, soft music, a gentle head and foot massage, ahh, reconnect!

While often being accused of being frivolous spenders, millennials are actually quite savvy when it comes to purchasing. They read reviews, text with friends, look for discounts and seek value and meaning. Even though over ten million millennials make one hundred thousand dollars per year, and over 50 percent of this population are women, they won’t waste their disposable income on just any product or service and will not be tied down. There are too many choices at their disposal. Millennials value authenticity more than anything else.

They need to trust a service or product before they’ll engage with or purchase it. The best way to build rapport with millennials and win them over is to show them that other users trust you too. Millennials often use User Generated Content (UGC), which refers to pictures, videos, testimonials, tweets, blog posts, and everything in between and is the act of them promoting your service or product rather than the business itself.

We have seen a rapid increase in millennial men who are in sync with their female counterparts in grooming and spa visits. They too like personalized treatments that include massage, facial treatments, and body hair removal. There has been a concern among millennial men of early hair loss. They are seeking in droves, treatments that will restore and stimulate their hair follicles. This is due to overall stress, multitasking, constant overstimulation, chemical hair gels and pomades, and “being in their head”.

A warm or iced cup of nettle tea, and a rejuvenating hair and scalp massage with herbal infused sesame oil and rosemary essential oil will create circulation to the scalp and relax the body, mind and spirit. Regular visits and home care suggestions of 10 minutes on a slant board to bring circulation to the scalp, along with massaging the head with their head between their knees, will create stimulation and blood flow.

More than a million millennials are becoming moms each year. Being a good parent is a top priority. Some 52% said it was one of the most important goals in their lives. Among millennials, six-in-ten (60%) said that being a parent is extremely important to their overall identity.4 Creating an atmosphere of inclusion, where the parents can be pampered and the children as well, where they can be at play, is appealing and needed. Family is important and they tend to do their planning of events as a unit. The fastest growing millennials making two hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year are over the age of 30, and because they are influencers, many millennials have close ties to their own parents and will often spread the word of great service, and unique, individualized treatments.

With such a diverse generation of people, who are leading the way in population and world views, who are dynamic and socially aware, there is great opportunity to fine tune your niche in their world. Whether you specialize in women’s skin care, pre or post-natal care, yoga classes, chemical peels, massage, energy work, or men’s health, they will respond and they will share their appreciation for your work. They are like butterflies, fluttering around from flower to flower, but when you stand for something more than your bottom line, millennials will stand with you. Millennials want to believe in something more than the product you are selling. Businesses that stand for more than their bottom line, have a purpose, give back to their community, and are real, will receive their blessing and their genuine commitment. They are a force to be reckoned with.