Take a look at most female Millennials’ pictures on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, as well as their Pinterest boards, and you’ll likely see style inspiration everywhere. Social media has become a key way for young people to get beauty ideas and they’re turning to these sources, as well as YouTube, Tumblr, Polyvore, and countless other sites, to share their style and get suggestions. Posting and viewing nail art online is nothing new, but this trend is everywhere these days, highlighting just how much young people seek to share and receive information from their peers. While a picture of sparkly nails may be worth a thousand words (or likes!), we decided to survey 346 female Millennials ages 13-34 to highlight just how much social media impacts their beauty choices.
Fully 4 in 10 (43%) female Millennials have looked up nail art on social media in the past six months and 27% have posted a picture of their nails. They’re eager to try out different colors and designs, especially since nail art has become a key part of one’s outfit and a way to accessorize. This is especially the case for 13-17-year-old girls; 52% of teens have looked up nail art compared to 41% of 18-34-year-olds. This makes sense as teens are forming their identity and in doing so, they can easily experiment with their nails.
Interestingly enough, even more Millennials are turning to social media for hairstyle information with 60% saying they’ve looked up hair ideas/inspiration on such sites. Again, teens (68%) are more likely to do this than older Millennials (58%), but a plurality of both age groups are still doing so. Some are looking up hair ideas on Pinterest or blogs, and nearly half (49%) report that they’ve watched a YouTube video in the past six months to learn how to do a specific hairstyle. From fishtails to sock buns, Millennials consult how-to videos to become even more style savvy. They’re a resourceful generation who know that they can teach themselves anything with the click of a button and they’re making use of the collective knowledge of their peers.
Many Millennials are also watching makeup tutorials on YouTube with 45% saying they’ve done so. Additionally, haul videos have become a major part of shopping in the past few years, tapping into a trend where Millennials seek to consult their peers’ opinions and get reviews before making a purchase. In this realm, vloggers are some of the people they turn to the most since they’re trusted and relatable style gurus. This suggests that fashion and beauty brands should pay attention to the power of Millennials’ collaborative and creative nature, while joining the conversation and further promoting their behavior as style influencers to their peers.
