It started with The Kylie Effect, and Millennial and Gen Z clients are still flocking to lip fillers and flips nearly a decade later. What’s been driving more recent demand for these treatments? We surveyed women across the US that had tried a lip treatment to find out, and we’ve even got pointers for how you can use that information to grow your business.
Kiss and Tell
Women say their main reason for getting a lip treatment was that they "like the way it looks" (Millennials, 33%; Gen Z, 32%). The second most common reason was they wanted a lip treatment before a special occasion (Millennials, 21%; Gen Z, 23%).
More broadly, these results emphasize that non-surgical treatments have become part of self-care for many women. In previous surveys, we’ve learned that more than 70% of women have or would consider getting a treatment like BOTOX®, fillers, or lasers, and 34% of women say they get a confidence boost from treatments.
Generational Divides
The biggest difference between the two groups was a larger percentage of Millennials were drawn to lip treatments for a sexier look (20% of Millennials, compared to 15% of Gen Z), while Gen Z clients wanted to feel more confident, (22% of Gen Z respondents, compared to 19% of Millennial respondents).
Another generational difference? Where each group learns about lip treatments.
Millennials prefer the personal approach, with 38% saying they first learned about them from friends or family members, compared to 25% of Gen Z-ers. For Gen Z, TikTok and Instagram played a bigger role, with 37% saying they learned about treatments on social media, compared to 19% of Millennials. Don’t assume that Gen Z is just getting lip filler because they are following others; this generation knows what they want and they are going for it!
Your immediate action items from this data? Get social! If Gen Z is turning to social media to learn about lip treatments, why not film tutorials about fillers and flips that show off your expertise? You know that Millennials prefer recs and info from their peers, so consider establishing a referral program for clients who send new faces your way. (Word of mouth is one of the best ways to drum up new business.)
Pay Attention
About 44% of clients across the board are saving up for lip treatments, but they take different approaches to paying for them. Gen Z is still benefiting from parental purse strings, and 18% of respondents in that group said their parents are footing the bill, compared to 7% of Millennials.
A nearly-equal percentage of Millennials (38%) and Gen Z-ers (37%) put their treatments on a credit card or payment plan. While neither group seems overly motivated by deals, 11% of Millennials use Groupon on med spa deals when booking treatments, compared to 5% of Gen Z clients.
And remember: The parent you have in the chair today may send you their kid tomorrow — or, at the very least, pay for the treatments. Don’t be shy about asking for referrals.
The Golden Age
Can we take a beat to celebrate how far the aesthetics industry has come? In 20 years, we’ve moved from fillers being a secret pick-me-up, to clients shouting from the rooftops about their favorite providers. Both women and men who try treatments overwhelmingly love the results, and are excited to tell their friends.
The demand for treatments isn’t slowing down. Making a few smart choices now in how you connect with Millennial and Gen Z clients now could set you up for decades of success in the long run.
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