Far from being merely a channel of influence, the digital world has now emerged as a defining framework for how we relate to ourselves.
For Generations Z and Alpha, personal image is shaped in an environment marked by an overabundance of visual content, rapidly changing trends, and the ubiquity of social media. In this context, more than one in two young people report feeling less comfortable in their own bodies as a result of this exposure.
This observation reflects a fundamental shift: beauty no longer rests on established standards, but on multiple, shifting, and heavily mediatized reference points.
A Shift in Practices and Representations
Three generational dynamics coexist:
- Millennials, the first generation to use social media, have turned it into a space for self-presentation and self-promotion
- Generation Z favors more spontaneous, visual, and conversational formats
- Generation Alpha is growing up from the very beginning in immersive environments, where the boundaries between the real and the virtual are more porous
This evolution reflects the shift from a digital world of self-representation to one of experimentation and identity-building.
A tension between awareness and exposure
While younger generations recognize the potentially negative effects of filters and photo editing, this awareness does not neutralize their influence.
It coexists with constant exposure, which helps establish new standards—ones that are sometimes difficult to meet.
Beauty as a Vehicle for Expression
In this context, beauty is moving away from a strictly aesthetic framework to become a medium for individual expression.
It plays a role in identity formation, self-affirmation, and integration into specific cultural spheres.
For industry stakeholders, this transformation requires moving beyond a prescriptive approach in favor of a more nuanced understanding of the dynamics of appropriation and usage.
