A new category, the “Upscale Baby Boomers”, has even been created, and they are much wealthier than Millenials. This new category corresponds to people whose annual revenue exceeds USD250,000 per year. These consumers are greedy for luxury products and declare they are sensitive to advertising and fashion. 30% of them plan to treat themselves to luxurious holidays this year, 18% say they buy “premium” cosmetics, but also refined wine and jewels…

We are done with the “traditionalist” generation of people who spend their lives saving money: the image of the grey-haired senior in his rocking chair now belongs to the past! Senior boomers have very specific expectations; they cannot afford to waste their time and will never stop working. America likes their youth, and especially their look. So it comes as no surprise the number of Botox injections has increased by 680% in two years. Naturally, the anti-aging industry is on a roll. It already represented USD262 billion in 2013. The objective is to offer the skin the best of current scientific research, whatever the cost.

Clearly, to this generation of women, the point is no longer to adapt to the cosmetics offer, but for the cosmetics industry to offer them a customized solution that was designed especially for them.

Rise of a customized offer

The Ioma brand has perfectly understood the expectations of these consumers longing for customization. In ten minutes, each woman can benefit from a skincare expertise thoroughly adapted to their needs, from diagnosis to made-to-measure skincare formulated by the Ioma Factory.

Is there a universal solution? Food supplements do not necessarily produce the same advantages for everyone. This hypothesis is being explored by GCS, which developed a revolutionary online service that analyses your genetic make-up for free, and then designs supplements perfectly adapted to your body.

Highly premium skincare

Traditional brands burst with creativity after summer holidays. Filorga is launching Skin Absolute, a premium skincare cream. The body needs to be plunged into dark black, and the skin uses the dark through the expression of its “clock genes” to repair and regenerate itself. Skin Absolute is a night owl skincare product which shelters a meteorite extract that gives it a black, lacquered texture whose colour disappears like magic when applied.

Skin Absolute, Filorga

Shiseido is opening a new cosmetics era with the launching of Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate. It is the fruit of research work on the immune system (Nobel Prize in 2011). Shiseido has discovered the skin also has its own immune system. Its balance often being put to the test, Ultimune targets Langerhans cells, and both enhances defenses and helps the skin regenerate.

In a world where anonymity increasingly scares people, the cosmetics industry is wrapping each consumer in an individualistic, reassuring veil, and this intention already makes the skin more beautiful.