Why every generation requires a different approach.
By Emma Hindmarsh Conan, Founder of SomeplaceGood and GM of Murad Australia
Two clients. Two consecutive appointments. The same concern noted on the intake form, the same treatment booked, the same expectation of expertise waiting in the room. But the similarity ends there. The first client is 26. She found your clinic on TikTok, has already watched multiple videos explaining the treatment she’s booked, and arrives fluent in ingredient language. She references actives before you’ve even touched her skin. She’s not here to be convinced. Rather, she’s here to assess whether your expertise adds anything beyond what she already knows.
The second client is 54. She booked because her GP mentioned your name. She doesn’t want an ingredient lecture or a deep dive into formulations. What she wants is reassurance that you’ve seen this before, that you understand what’s happening in her skin, and that you’ll be honest about what works. Same intake form. Same consultation template. Completely different expectations of trust.
And this is where many clinicians, often unknowingly, fall short. Because even when the treatment is right, delivering both consultations in the same way – the same language, the same education style, the same signals of authority – means both clients leave feeling, in subtle ways, under-served.
Authority isn’t assumed anymore
For decades, authority in clinical skincare operated as a given. A uniform, a treatment room, and a strong foundation in science were enough to establish credibility. Clients arrived receptive, ready to follow expert guidance.
That model hasn’t disappeared, but it has fractured.
What has replaced it is far more nuanced: authority that must be interpreted, not assumed. And that interpretation changes generationally. We are now operating in a trust economy; a landscape where credibility is the ultimate differentiator, but where it is earned in different ways depending on who you are speaking to. The clinician’s role has shifted from simply delivering expertise to translating that expertise into a form the client can recognise and receive.
Understanding this shift is not just conceptually interesting but commercially powerful. Trust in aesthetics today underpins everything.
Three generations, three trust filters
Gen Z (18–28): The Verifiers
Gen Z clients are the most media-literate skincare consumers to date. Raised on sponsored content, gifted products and algorithm-driven recommendations, they have developed an instinctive filter for bias. Their response to a recommendation isn’t disbelief but it is verification.
They don’t assume you’re wrong, but they do assume there might be an agenda. That’s not cynicism, it’s conditioning. Their trust is layered and must be earned through authenticity rather than performance. What’s particularly important to understand is that they already come in informed. They’ve done the research. They’ve watched the videos. They’ve read the comments section. Credibility is no longer built through volume of information. It’s built through relevance.
Gen Z clients are highly attuned to the difference between demonstrating knowledge and displaying it. Generic statements about experience or broad explanations of skin conditions rarely land. What does land is specificity of a precise, observable insight about their skin, in that moment. When you say something they haven’t already read or heard, something that feels tailored and accurate, you create a moment of recognition. That’s where trust begins. And importantly, the consultation doesn’t end when they leave. They will verify what you’ve said. If it stands up, you don’t just gain trust – you gain advocacy.
Millennials (29–44): The Learners
Millennials operate on a different trust architecture. This is the generation that embraced accessible skincare education, particularly during lockdown when expert-led content became widely available in simple, engaging formats. For them, trust is built through understanding.
They don’t just want to know what to use, they want to know why. How the ingredient works, how it functions within a formulation, how it compares to other options, and what the long-term trajectory looks like for their skin. Education isn’t a bonus for this cohort but it’s essential.
Surface-level recommendations can feel transactional, even sales-driven. Depth, on the other hand, signals transparency and respect. It positions the clinician as someone willing to share knowledge rather than withhold it. When this need is met, Millennials become some of the most valuable clients in any clinic. They are consistent, compliant, and highly referral driven. They understand recommendations, and that understanding reinforces both results and loyalty. But when their need for explanation isn’t met, even a technically correct treatment can feel incomplete.
Gen X (45+): The Realists
Gen X clients bring a more measured perspective shaped by decades of exposure to beauty marketing that often overpromised and underdelivered. Their relationship with skincare is grounded in experience. They’ve tried the products. They’ve seen the trends, and they’ve developed a strong filter for what feels credible.
For them, the dominant question is: What actually works?
They are not here to be impressed. They are here for proof. In the consultation room, this translates to a preference for clarity and confidence over detail. Long explanations and ingredient breakdowns are less important than a clear, outcome-focused plan. What resonates most is recognition and the sense that you have seen this concern before and know exactly how to treat it.
A statement like “I see this often at this stage; here’s what’s happening and what we’re going to do” carries more weight than an extended educational explanation. This generation is willing to invest, often significantly, but only when they trust the outcome.
The neuroscience of trust
These generational differences are not just behavioural but moreover, they are rooted in how the brain processes authority. When we receive a recommendation from someone we perceive as a true authority, the brain reduces the effort required to make a decision. The prefrontal cortex partially offloads the cognitive burden, and the experience feels like relief rather than pressure.
This is why expert recommendations remain so powerful across all generations. However, that response only activates when the authority signal is correctly received. And that is where generational fluency becomes critical.
- For Gen Z, authority registers through precision – specific, personalised observations.
- For Millennials, it registers through depth – clear, detailed explanations.
- For Gen X, it registers through recognition – demonstrated experience and confidence.
Same expertise. Different transmission. Layered onto this is cognitive load. Today’s beauty consumer is navigating an overwhelming volume of information in the form of conflicting advice, competing claims, and endless product choices.
As information increases, decision-making becomes harder. Confusion becomes the default state. This is particularly evident in younger audiences, who may understand skincare terminology but lack the lived experience to contextualise it. They are informed but often overwhelmed.. This is where the clinician becomes essential, not just as an expert, but as an interpreter.
What this looks like in the room
The practical application of generational fluency doesn’t require a complete overhaul but just awareness and small adjustments. With Gen Z reduce information overload, focus on observation. Offer something specific and relevant to their skin in that moment. Let your expertise show through what you notice, not how much you say.
With Millennials go deeper than you think needed. explain the mechanism behind your recommendations and the reasoning behind your choices. Treat them as capable of understanding the full picture, because they are.
With Gen X, lead with clarity and confidence. Provide a clear plan grounded in experience. Reserve detailed education for when it’s requested. These are micro-adjustments in language and sequencing, but they have a significant impact on how your expertise is received.
The invisible problem
One of the most challenging aspects of this shift is that the consequences are often delayed and silent. A client who doesn’t feel understood rarely tells you. She doesn’t leave a negative review. She simply doesn’t rebook. The treatment may have been technically perfect. The results may even have been good. But if the communication didn’t align with how she processes trust, the experience feels incomplete.
This disconnect tends to show up in three key areas:
- Price sensitivity. Clients who don’t feel understood are more likely to question value. The same treatment plan, communicated differently, can be accepted without resistance.
- Retail compliance. Understanding drives consistency. A Millennial who understands the mechanism behind a product will use it faithfully. A Gen X client who lacks confidence in its effectiveness may use it inconsistently.
- Referral behaviour. Gen Z clients who feel they’ve found something genuine don’t just refer – they advocate. They become part of the broader conversation that builds your credibility.
The bigger picture
The skincare industry is evolving rapidly, but one truth remains constant: results matter, but relationships sustain. Clinicians sit in a uniquely powerful position. They have direct access to clients, the ability to assess and treat in real time, and the opportunity to build trust through ongoing interaction.
But trust is no longer automatic, and it is not universal.
The clinicians who recognise this, and who develop the ability to translate their expertise across generational lines, will be the ones who build lasting client relationships. They will see stronger retention, more referrals, and greater long-term stability. The good news is this: nothing new needs to be added. The science, knowledge and experience is already there. The only shift is in delivery.
Emma Hindmarsh Conan is the Founder of SomeplaceGoodTM and GM of Murad Australia. Emma hosts Coding Clinical Culture – a weekly podcast for clinicians, clinic owners and industry leaders who want the action behind the trend. The episode that inspired this article – Lost in Translation: The Generational Divide Your Consult is Ignoring – is available now on Apple and Spotify.
