The Gen Z Glow Down Is Real

Somewhere between the beautiful baby-Botoxed millennials (age 30 to 45) and the Sephora tween Gen Alphas are the mid-to-late Gen Zers (20 to 29) — the generation known for being digital natives, shimmying on TikTok, and pouting or staring. They’re still largely leading the charge of viral trends and are mostly too young to be cheugy — but some generational setbacks are making twentysomethings a little less bright-eyed and bushy-tailed than the age groups they’re sandwiched between. The result of this perfect storm? The Gen Z Glow Down.

For this generational cohort, it’s become increasingly hard to land a job with growth potential, and people between the ages of 25 and 29 earn an average salary of $59,800. Millennials were once told to stop buying avocado toast so they could afford a house, and now, older Gen Zers are grappling with their own financial trade-offs — like opting for a cocktail out with friends instead of the new upscale face wash everyone is talking about. Since twentysomethings may not be able to easily score promotions or control the cost of living, they’re sacrificing elements of their beauty routines for the sake of their wallets. A by-product of those choices is that they often end up reevaluating their relationship with their looks as a whole.

The Gen Z Glow Down doesn’t mean feeling straight-up drab, but instead of committing to hair, skin, makeup, tanning, waxing, and nails, they’re giving up certain luxuries or downgrading the cost of others. A custom nail art diehard turning to reusable press-ons. A committed bottle blonde opting for their natural hair color instead. They might want to be able to pay a pretty penny for in-office cosmetic procedures like their millennial foremothers, but their makeup comes from the drugstore. Read on for stories from three older Gen Zers about how they’re glowing down to save money and what they’ve learned along the way.

From Maxed Out To Minimalist

During Sophie’s early postgrad life in Atlanta, she was making $40,000, was paying $750 in rent, and felt like she had money to blow. She was also investing in an upgraded beauty routine after feeling like she didn’t do a lot of self-care in college due to a lack of time and a tight budget.

It took her one $400 trip to a Manhattan salon to decide she would never go blonde ever again.

When she started working full-time, she’d get a full blonde balayage three times a year (she’s a natural brunette), acrylic nails with dip powder, and a full bikini wax every five weeks. She also “religiously” fake-tanned during her time down south. “I really upped my game [from college], but I never felt like I was living outside of my means.”

Four years later, her job brought her to New York City, and even though her salary increased to $62,000, living in a city 60% more expensive than Atlanta made her become a bit of a minimalist. It took her one $400 trip to a Manhattan salon to decide she would never go blonde ever again.

“I was sick to my stomach. I said to myself, ‘This is the last time I am ever doing this,’” says Sophie, now 29. She had been dyeing her hair blonde in some capacity for nearly 11 years and never paid more than $250.

Soon after, she quit bikini waxes and scaled back on tans unless she had a big event like a wedding or work conference. The manis and waxes quickly became less of a priority once she stopped getting them consistently, and facials that double as a mindful wellness moment now top her list. Over the past four years, she’s more than doubled her income to $150,000, but her priorities have stuck. Though she still misses her consistent glow, she’d rather spend her money on really nice skin care or her quarterly trip to a spa, where a day pass costs $70 and services start at $170 — which is still less than a full blonde dye job, by the way.

Cost Per Use > Overconsumption

For Mikaela Wilson, a 26-year-old content creator based in Los Angeles, cost per use is king. On TikTok, she shares videos about the skin care and makeup she won’t spend money on (full-size perfumes are big no-no’s unless she’s already finished a full tester), and her lower-cost DIY treatments.

“I’d rather go out with my friends and spend money on food,” she says. “I hate when I feel like I need to maintain something.” She just moved into her own apartment, so she has cut back on unnecessary costs where possible since she’s no longer splitting home expenses with a roommate.

Now she rarely gets her nails done, treats herself to the occasional pedicure (she’s often in open-toed shoes or at the beach), gets her hair cut once a year without highlights, and prefers lower-cost brands like The Inkey List, La Roche-Posay, and medicube for her skin care. But when it comes to at-home cosmetic tools she can use over and over, she’s game to shell out cash.

“I’ll spend money on a red light therapy mask that I can do every day to make my skin clear so that I don’t have to spend money on makeup to cover it up,” Mikaela says. She has the Current Body LED mask, which retails for more $450, and also considers her $119 Crown Affair boar and nylon bristle brush worth the price. She says she noticed a near-instant difference in her skin and hair with these tools, which has helped her spend less on specialty products for breakouts or strand damage.

“[I prefer if] I can use [a beauty product] forever until it breaks one day, but hopefully it doesn’t. That, I can justify.”

Off Camera, On Sale

For Alyssa, 28, beauty is practically baked into her job description. As a news reporter making about $80,000 a year in New Orleans, her daily appearances on TV have made her prioritize her makeup and hair products above all else. “Everyone hates having a pimple, but it’s also so visible on camera — thousands of people can see a crater coming out of my face,” she says.

For the sake of her budget, Alyssa will only use her high-end products when she’s anchoring the morning show under fluorescent lights, yet mostly sticks to drugstore foundation and makeup dupes when she’s out in the field. She says her Danessa Myricks Blurring Balm ($39) and Huda Beauty loose powder ($39) are worth the splurge since they help her makeup stay for long days on the clock. Above all, though, she spends money on her curly hair journey.

“Even if it’s [saving] $50, that money can go to my groceries or drinks with friends.”

“I want my curls to always look good and presentable when I’m on air for our community,” she says. She has textured hair that doesn’t always require a protective style. To perfect it, she’s been going to a curly hair specialist ($300 per cut) and buying products that work for her “wash and go” routine.

While investing in her hair, she’s been begrudgingly scaling back her nail costs. Though she used to love showing off her personality with a full set of almond-shaped tips with hand-painted designs, she says, “I haven’t been getting as many designs because sometimes with tip, that’ll come out to almost $150.”

Right now, she’s sticking with nail services that land around $100, including the tip. “Even if it’s [saving] $50, that money can go to my groceries or drinks with friends.”

Alyssa also tends to her brows at home with hair removal creams or waxing strips, which get the job done even if the results aren’t 100% professional-grade. “If I can save that $15, $20, and either put gas in my car or get a coffee, I would much rather do that.”

Bare Face, Full Pockets

It’s those financial trade-offs that are leading to a glow down of sorts for the older members of Gen Z. Even if they’re able to get by with DIYs without anyone noticing, the choices they’re making keep their pockets just a little bit fuller. While for the time being, figuring out what’s worth the money may lead to some sacrifices, twentysomethings are looking ahead to when their budgets allow for more beauty treatments without breaking the bank.

Sophie says she’s “Botox-curious” but can’t fathom adding a regular $500 expense to her plate. Mikaela has looked into laser hair removal but doesn’t think she can swipe her card on that stress-free. Alyssa dreams of making enough money to schedule regular facials. But for the time being, their routines are heavily dictated by their budgets.

“In my early 20s my priorities were having as blonde of hair as possible, being virtually hairless everywhere else, and also having a perfect tan,” says Sophie, but the investments she currently feels comfortable making are for a different goal. “Now my top priority is having an absolutely lethal face card.”