What Gen Zers and millennials want from wellness brands 

While juice cleanses and charcoal everything had their moment, wellness is no longer just a trend. It’s a way of life for today’s younger generations. For millennials (born 1981-1996) and Gen Z (1997-2012), “wellness has become a daily, personalized practice rather than a set of occasional activities or purchases,” says a McKinsey article. The evolution has major implications for wellness brands looking to engage with this audience. 

That insight highlights the combined spending power of Gen Zers and millennials for wellness products and services. To uncover ways to delight this audience, let’s explore how these groups are redefining what they want from wellness brands. 

Individuality ranks high for this demographic, especially when it comes to wellness. They’re not looking for generic solutions; instead, they want tailored services. This trend spans across areas like mindfulness, holistic health, and physical appearance. 

Research from McKinsey shows that health and sleep are the top two priorities for both Gen Zers and millennials. Coming in third are appearance for Gen Z and mindfulness for millennials. 

Wellness routines that cater to these priorities, whether through custom skincare formulas or personalized fitness regimens, are more likely to resonate.  

Younger consumers increasingly seek services for relaxation, rejuvenation, and mental health. For example, offerings like wellness retreats and customized group yoga sessions are in demand. For in-person services, the McKinsey study reports 56% of U.S. buyers traveling two or more hours for wellness retreats, and 45% for thermal therapies or yoga classes. 

McKinsey’s research highlights a continued willingness from younger generations to spend on in-person experiences – nearly six out of 10 wellness travelers plan to make the trip again the following year. To stand out in a hyper-digital world, businesses can craft immersive experiences to help participants detox and re-center.

The lines between beauty and wellness are blurring, with young consumers expecting services like facials that incorporate meditative practices, or beauty products with health benefits – think collagen supplements and the like. A single package combining beauty and health is a strong draw for this demographic. 

According to McKinsey, Gen Zers are especially focused on appearance, with a growing preference for anti-aging products and preventive skincare. Medical spas today draw Gen Zers seeking skin maintenance on the reg, on top of older clients booking treatments for age reversal. 

For younger generations, wellness isn’t a flash-in-the-pan, feel-good-now notion. It’s about setting the stage for long-term health. Preventive approaches like IV nutrient therapy and supplements to optimize cellular health are becoming mainstream. 

McKinsey found that longevity-focused products appeal to all age groups, but younger consumers are taking a proactive stance, with solutions that address both immediate results (e.g., improved energy) and extended benefits (e.g., healthy aging). Brands that find ways to connect short-term gains to long-term health goals can gain from this shift. 

One size no longer fits all. Custom experiences are the way to go with millennials and Gen Zers. For young clients seeking skin maintenance, for example, that might look like a facial tailored precisely to their skin type and a post-treatment selfie station to share their results. A fitness session might be a custom workout plan delivered via mobile app and a wearable to track outcomes. 

A World Economic Forum article quantifies Gen Z’s “appetite for data.” Their survey found that 24% of Gen Zers wear a fitness or sleep tracker, and 18% use app-driven workouts. 

Apart from providing bespoke service experiences on-site, salons, spas, and medical spas can respond with AI-driven personalization and customer relationship management (CRM). These technologies empower businesses to hyper-personalize interactions based on preferences and demographics. 

In a recent Athletech article on how Gen Zers are calling the shots, Lesley Silvestre, director of customer success for software maker Zenoti, stresses the importance of personalized connections for this group:

Younger generations tend to favor brands that stay engaged with them across multiple touchpoints, from text messaging to app notifications. In “How Gen Z Consumer Behavior is Reshaping Retail,” market research firm NielsenIQ highlights the generation’s “proficiency with technology and preference for seamless, omnichannel experiences.” 

If omnichannel sounds overwhelming, it needn’t be. The right technology can help. For instance, AI-powered communication tools allow salons and spas to enrich customer conversations and touchpoints, fostering loyalty and increasing retention rates. 

The key to retaining Gen Zers and millennials is engaging them in ways they prefer, notes Silvestre. She says businesses are doing themselves a disservice if they lack the ability for customers to not only join, purchase retail, and book online but also manage things like memberships. 

Unlike Gen Xers and older millennials who adapted to technology later in life, Gen Zers are digital natives. The Athletech article calls them “notoriously averse to phone calls.” So, online booking, virtual consultations, and personalized recommendations powered by AI are expected, not optional. 

By adopting technologies that remove friction, wellness businesses can better serve their tech-savvy customers. Additionally, mobile apps that integrate booking, account history, and Uber-like checkouts make wellness services more accessible and appealing. 

Pro tip: 

To best engage millennials and Gen Z, businesses should offer: 

Understanding consumer behavior is the backbone of business success. Advanced analytics tools help businesses track visit and purchase history, service preferences, and engagement trends. With that data in hand, it’s easier to personalize many parts of the customer journey including marketing campaigns. Such insights paired with automation help wellness providers connect with their young audience in a way that feels both authentic and tailored. 

Data insights also empower wellness brands to refine and pivot. For instance, if younger customers are gravitating toward mindfulness classes or longevity services, providers can use that data to promote and expand those areas. 

As a lifestyle choice, wellness resonates deeply with millennials and Gen Zers. These groups form just over a third of the U.S. adult population but account for more than 41% of annual wellness spend, as reported by the McKinsey study. This data signals a massive opportunity for businesses willing to adapt to the expectations of younger customers. 

Understanding what resonates with this audience is a great place to start. To build connections that last, however, it takes more than excellent in-person service. How clients experience your brand between visits is just as important, especially for millennials and Gen Zers who value digital access to engage with brands on their own terms and in their own time. 

To help wellness businesses deepen customer connections, The Definitive Guide to Growth from Zenoti outlines three key actions: 

All three actions are ways to serve your Gen Z and millennial customers better. Want more details for each action? Download The Definitive Guide to Growth.