Some see them as the “new kids” in town. Marketers are already familiar with the beauty preferences and habits of “boomers” inside and out—but what about young consumers, ages 18-35?

What makes them tick—and how can beauty ensure a healthy share of the spending power generated by this 80-million strong group?

In an attempt to strategize and determine the answers to these questions and more, 400 beauty industry professionals gathered at Manhattan’s Harmonie Club on September 28 to hear from leading beauty influencers on the topic. The sold-out event was part of Cosmetic Executive Women’s (CEW) Beauty Insider Series.

Panel members were Kathryn Fernandez, senior manager Earned Media, Hair, Skin, Personal Care Scale, Unilever; Megan McIntyre, beauty director, Refinery29; Tara Simon, senior VP, merchandising, Ulta Beauty; and Anastasia Soare, CEO/founder, Anastasia Beverly Hills. Jenny B. Fine of WWD served as moderator.

The panelists are shown in the photo above (by Patricia Willis Photography) are (L-R): Fine, Soare, McIntyre, Fernandez, and Simon.

Responding to questions from Fine, the panelists spoke about what this influential generation is looking for in beauty, and how their respective brands are effectively engaging with the millennial shopper. For starters, panelists agreed that social media is of utmost importance in reaching this demographic, and must be part of an overall communication strategy to stay relevant and connected.

The speakers also agreed that all millennials don’t necessarily fall into the defined age group, as there are many moms of millennials who are just as attuned and engaged with social media as their daughters and, as Simon noted, often shop together with mom footing the bill—so both their needs need to be met, and they must also be part of the reach.

Soare, who has become a leader in using social media, particularly Instagram, in growing her brand by leaps and bounds over just the past few years (and launching her iconic Contour Kit, the first in its category), told the crowd that she is indeed a millennial in the proficient way she engages with the various platforms.

Selfie Era

Fernandez told the audience that 51% of millennials think about what they’re going to look like in social media—and view themselves holistically. Soare, who boasts 6.4 million Instagram followers, agreed, saying, “It’s the selfie era—it’s all about them.”

When Soare was asked how she had engaged that stupendous number, she said it all happened three years ago when her daughter introduced her to the platform. She said she started out with it as an experiment and turned it into a strategy for Anastasia, which has transformed—and catapulted the eyebrow category into a global phenomenon.

“It’s basically the same concept as servicing customers in a salon,” she said. “Only now, I can reach people all over the world.” She gave an appreciative nod to Steve Jobs for providing enhanced cameras so pictures would be of better quality—a total necessity in her view for resonating with consumers—and for Anastasia fans who post selfies of their brow results. (Working on the same guidelines, Anastasia has also now launched what she calls a “new category”—liquid lipstick.)

When it comes to other social media platforms, Twitter was said to be successful with a different approach: “The less staged it looks, the better.”

Fernandez commented that Unilever’s Tresemmé has achieved success through Tumbler, while Snapchat was described as “irregular.”

That’s why McIntyre says Refinery29 doesn’t rely on just one platform. “We realize our readers are going to be everywhere.” She noted, “Facebook readers are looking for something different than those on Instagram.” So the brand posts different things in different places.

Several of the panelists also commented on the fact that many people are using social media for “pre-shopping,” and then using that info while perusing products in brick and mortar stores—which they agreed will also stay relevant as consumers still want to “touch and feel.”

The Personal Touch

Another strategy surrounding Refinery29 is that it has become a lifestyle brand.  McIntyre said women want to be their own brand. So they encourage followers to “be you,” “wear it the way you want.”

Soare agreed: “Show them and they can pick and choose what they want.” She added, “The moment you push them, they’ll push back.”

At Unilever, Fernandez said in some cases, using influencers has helped brands grow.

Simon believes that digital is only a piece of the puzzle, referring back to the hands-on influence that happens in-store—raising the question of how mass brands can provide a better experience in this regard.

She said a typical Ulta Beauty customer will enter the store and go straight to Color, maybe Mass first, but will then move on to Prestige where everything is touchable. This prompted some in the audience to ask if Mass brands perhaps need more of a testing model?

Still, Soare said 70% of Anastasia sales are ecommerce, coming from mobile phones—without touching and feeling—or, as repeat purchases. She said 39% of sales are U.S., the rest, international, primarily from Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia.

Sage Advice

Soare recommended that brands pursuing social media sales find “reverse mentors” as she had done—young people well-versed in all the nuances of all the platforms. She also stressed the importance of listening to the consumer and modifying products, etc., to meet their needs. “Be open and alert,” she said. Basically, take your cues from them and do whatever they want.

Ulta boosts business by creating traffic through in-store services for hair, skin and brow, “services that can’t be done online.” Simon said they also offer live, continuing learning experiences. “Millennials want to connect with brand owners and experts,” she said. She also alluded to the fact that as most Ulta stores are out in the “burbs,” they may be contemplating a move to more urban locations to connect with a greater cross-section of consumers.

Fernandez got to the crux facing retailers looking to capture this group, “Millennials don’t just want a brand, they want an experience—and they want to give back.” A challenging bill to fill.

Unlike at other CEW events, in tribute to the discussion of the evening, the crowd was encouraged to use their mobile phones to tweet and post photos.

At the end, the panel addressed the crowd, saying, “Thank you for coming. We are all millennials now.”

PHOTO, ABOVE, Top (by Patricia Willis Photography): Panel members (L-R): Moderator Jenny B. Fine, WWD; Anastasia Soare, CEO/founder, Anastasia Beverly Hills; Megan McIntyre, Refinery29; Kathryn Fernandez, Unilever; Tara Simon, ULTA Beauty.