Eternal youth, anti-ageing skin creams and botox – these could be the products that scream boldly at you from hoardings. Hang on a moment though, there’s another segment in the cosmetics industry that’s doing really well, driven, not by well-heeled adults seeking eternal youth, but kids with spending power and a love of premium brands. According to a new report, the U.S. ‘teen’ (age 15-18) and ‘tween’ (age 8-14) grooming products market is expected to yield $8.5 billion by 2012.

Researchers attribute the success of this market to companies going all out to creatively advertise to U.S. teens and tweens, who are said to be highly brand-aware and product savvy.

They say this age group seeks romance, and doesn’t think too hard about spending big bucks for their skin and hair to look good. The report finds that skincare purchases by teens and tweens – or purchases by adults for them – are soaring above $3.2 billion this year. Similarly, haircare sales are pushing past $2.4 billion. Interestingly, in a market often obsessed with girls, Health and Beauty Care (HBC) sales to teen/tween boys are climbing toward the $2 billion mark.

Part of the success of this market stems from companies adopting creative battle tactics that encompass everything from mass advertising to flash mobs and text messaging, says the study. It points out that kids in the relevant age groups respond well to the soft-positioning of existing adult grooming items, brand-dedicated websites, product placement deals and text messaging campaigns. These advertising tools are becoming increasingly effective as kids are now able to pay for the increasingly sophisticated appearances they aim for, say the authors of the report.