Beauty in the Digital Age: How Social Media Shapes Gen Z’s Cosmetic Trends, Consumer Behavior, and Its Ethical Concerns

Zhihanyue Liu

doi:10.54254/2754-1169/2025.21839

Research Article

Open access

Published on 7 April 2025

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Liu,Z. (2025). Beauty in the Digital Age: How Social Media Shapes Gen Z’s Cosmetic Trends, Consumer Behavior, and Its Ethical Concerns. Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences,171,68-78.

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Beauty in the Digital Age: How Social Media Shapes Gen Z’s Cosmetic Trends, Consumer Behavior, and Its Ethical Concerns

Zhihanyue Liu *^,1,

¹ York House School

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

https://doi.org/10.54254/2754-1169/2025.21839

Abstract

Social media has significantly impacted the cosmetics industry today, with platforms like TikTok and Instagram that utilize marketing strategies ranging from viral trends to user-generated content in shaping consumer behavior. Although these strategies increase their visibility and sales, they raise concerns about transparency, ethical marketing, and the impact on adolescent consumers’ behavior. The increasing appeal of social media-driven cosmetic promotions has led to impulsive buying habits and the normalization of unattainable beauty standards. This paper examines the role of influencer marketing in the beauty industry. It evaluates the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) as a measure to improve product safety and corporate accountability. While MoCRA introduces essential regulatory changes, it does not fully address the deceptive advertising tactics used on digital platforms. As such, many small beauty brands remain exempt from strict compliance, allowing potentially unsafe products to reach teen consumers. This study explores the risks associated with social media-driven cosmetic marketing and proposes solutions, including more rigorous regulation of influencer endorsements, increased ingredient transparency, and enhanced consumer education. By advocating for stronger policies, this research emphasizes the need for a safer and more ethical beauty industry.

Keywords

Cosmetics, MoCRA, Influencers, Social Media, Gen-Z

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Management Research and Economic Development

Conference website: https://www.icmred.org/

ISBN：978-1-80590-029-0(Print) / 978-1-80590-030-6(Online)

Conference date: 30 May 2025

Editor：Canh Thien Dang

Series: Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences

Volume number: Vol.171

ISSN：2754-1169(Print) / 2754-1177(Online)

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