Marketing through gaming platforms and the metaverse has become a go-to strategy for several beauty brands, especially those with a Gen Z-based audience. Roblox, in particular, has made its mark on the industry. The avatar-based website has hosted activations for names including Fenty Beauty, NYX Professional Makeup, and Maybelline, among others. With over 70 million active users per day, Roblox knows a thing or two when it comes to finding the best ways to engage its gamers. The platform's 2023 Digital Expression, Fashion & Beauty Trends Report compiles the responses of 1,545 Gen Z consumers in the US and UK who were questioned on their gaming preferences and general approach to the metaverse. BeautyMatter outlines the key findings:

Strength Through Self-Expression

While it has always been common for young people to care about their appearance, Gen Z has gone one step further, with many now fixated on how their online avatars look. For many, experimenting with an avatar's appearance has led to growing confidence in real life. Eighty-eight percent of Gen Z report that expressing themselves in immersive spaces has likely helped them feel more comfortable expressing themselves in the physical world, and a further 84% agree that their real-life style has been inspired by the way they created their avatar. Many also reported that online games help them make genuine friendship connections, which helps to improve their mental health.

After playing with an avatar on Roblox:

• 32% of users were influenced to change their hairstyle.
• 34% wore bolder fashion styles and/or colors. 
• 29% colored their hair.
• 29% became more open/comfortable dressing in a more gender-fluid way.
• 25% often work to look more like their avatars. 
• 54% are very or extremely inspired by what their avatar and other avatars wear.
• 62% say they care a lot that their avatar looks good to them, compared to 37% who say they care a lot that it looks good to others. 
• When customizing their avatars, 47% say it made them feel creative, 45% happy, 42% stylish, 42% unique, 38% confident, and 37% cool.
• 40% feel it's easier to present their authentic selves in the metaverse than in the physical world.
• Respondents were 2.2x more likely to say that expressing themselves in immersive spaces via their avatar feels better ("more me") than posting 2D photos from the physical world on social media. 
• 29% say their avatar has helped them build a connection with others.
• 25% say playing with an avatar helps to improve their mental health.

Bold Branding

Survey respondents stressed that they care greatly about distinct styles and brand recognition for their avatars. This had led to an opportunity for brands to create digital and physical world products that coincide with each other, driving desirability for the item in both environments.

• 52% state that "stylish digital clothes" are the attribute they pay the most attention to when deciding whether someone's avatar is cool.
• Three out of four say wearing fashions from a recognized brand is at least somewhat important, and 47% say it is extremely important.
• 84% say they are somewhat likely to consider purchasing a brand in real life if they see it on Roblox, and 54% say they are extremely likely to.
• 52% say they're comfortable budgeting up to $10 each month to spend on their avatar's appearance,19% are willing to spend up to $20 monthly, and an additional 18% are open to buying $50 to $100 of items every month.
• 43% want items they can wear in the digital world that match with their physical world items.
• 37% wish to see physical trending items replicated into the metaverse.
• 36% want rare, digital-only items that don't yet exist in the real world.
• 30% like big, recognizable branding, patterns, and logos for their avatars.
• 30% enjoy collaborations between brands and gamers.

While fashion is important, no look is complete without the perfect makeup and hairstyle. 

•  This year alone, users purchased more than 139 million hairstyles, up 20% over the year before, including more than 7.3 million people who bought five or more hairstyles on Roblox.
• 35% say it's important to customize their avatars makeup daily or weekly, with this figure growing to 51% among self-identifying female respondents. 

Overall, it is evident that avatar creation on Roblox is helping Gen Z to feel they can express themselves and make genuine connections based on how they are presented online. Businesses can turn this into an opportunity by creating branded wearables for avatars on the platform, as well as makeup options, which many users have stated they enjoy using. Ultimately, by presenting themselves on Roblox, brands will drive brand awareness with Gen Z, which can, in turn, create more sales of physical products.