As anyone on BeautyTok knows, Gen Z likes to mix it up when it comes to their ~aesthetics~, whether it be cold girl or crying girl or mermaid core…it can be hard to keep up.

And while these often bold looks may seem a little, uh, out there, Gen Z’s interest in the beauty category is nothing to scroll past. The increasingly powerful demographic—which has a penchant to “treat themselves” with beauty products more than any other generation, per Mintel—has started to have a notable impact on a number of beauty and personal care categories.

“These are shoppers that are setting their purchasing habits for their life,” Anna Mayo, VP of Nielsen IQ’s beauty vertical, said. “So I think it’s extremely important to focus on them.”

From nails to lashes to fragrances, Gen Zers are changing long-standing beauty category dynamics, and establishing new subcategories, impacting CPG sales and innovation strategies along the way.

Faking it: One of the most notable categories seeing a Gen Z boost is artificial nails. NielsenIQ found that sales of artificial nails are set to outpace nail polish sales this year after artificial nails, aka press-ons, have seen four years of consistent growth, thanks in large part to Gen Z shoppers.

Keep reading here.—EC

In the constantly changing retail industry, there’s one thing we know for sure: Customers want experiences. They’re looking for exciting, exclusive, and interesting new ways to interact with your brand.

Think text message shopping, in-store events…*anything* to bridge the gap between online and traditional in-store shopping. And Square breaks it all down for you in their Future of Retail Report.

Square teamed up with Wakefield Research to survey 500 US retailers and 2k consumers ages 18 and up for insights on:

• the top retail trends of 2023, from virtual reality experiences to the emergence of the multi-hyphenate retailer
• tools and strategies to help you bring your ideas to life in store

Up your retail game.

“Bud Light unveiled a new ad as part of its “Easy to Summer” campaign, its first big marketing push since the brand’s partnership with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney sparked a right-wing backlash earlier this year,” writes Marketing Brew’s Jasmine Sheena:

The “Easy to Summer” ad and accompanying campaign come after a difficult spring for the brand. Conservatives called for a boycott of Bud Light after Mulvaney posted a photo of a custom Bud Light can that the brand sent her. In the ensuing backlash, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a statement saying the brand “never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people.”

Read the whole story here on Marketing Brew.

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Lindsay Holden spent nearly eight years in merchandising at Target before co-founding Odele, a clean hair and body care brand, and landing it on shelves at the retailer, along with stores like Ulta Beauty and CVS.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I think about shampoo so you don’t have to. No two days are the same.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? I used to book Serta sheep to make personal appearances at Serta stores. Yup. I was a wrangler of the Serta sheep, so to speak.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Founding Odele, of course! I literally built the brand with my partners over our kids’ nap times. We were scrappy and managing 1,000 other things at the same time, but we knew we were on to something and kept pushing through, creating the time for it. We believed so strongly that there was a place for yet another shampoo in the world, that if we put out a brand that was “all the things”—clean, inclusive, high-performing, shareable, and beautiful at an accessible price point—the consumer would take note. And we were correct.

Keep reading here.—EC

Today’s top retail reads.

Biting back: After a long pandemic hiatus, the all-you-can-eat buffet is on the rebound. “The media called buffets zombie companies—we didn’t know we were dead,” Golden Corral CEO Lance Trenary said. “But we’re the comeback kids.” (the New York Times)

Cruel summer: Why many farmers are shifting away from growing summer crops like tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini in favor of wintertime fare. (Civil Eats)

Report card: Breaking down Neiman Marcus Group’s first “People Report” and second annual ESG report issued this week. (WWD)

Smell that?: It’s the intoxicating scent of laundry luxury. Laundry Sauce partnered with fragrance experts to create the best-smelling laundry pods on the planet. Elevate your everyday and bid adieu to boring laundry.*

(Marketing) relationship coach: Elevate your strategy with relationship marketing and improve how your brand interacts with customers on a foundational level. Turn customers into loyal advocates with a crash course from Marigold’s comprehensive ebook.*

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Today’s customers demand a flawless, VIP experience. With social platforms dominating the shopping scene, every second counts. Join Retail Brew and Katie Mullen, chief customer officer at JCPenney, as we spill the details to delivering a five-star customer journey in a free virtual event TODAY.