If companies are aiming to win over Gen Y, which has proven to live, breath and accessorize via online social media, then the future is clear: ecommerce and social media is the force that will drive beauty sales.

Unlike email -- where messages can be highly personalized -- your Facebook posts are a one-size-fits-all proposition. So, deciding not only when to post, but what to post is a challenge. Based on what we heard, there are a few things to consider

Supremely confident in their own capabilities, Gen Y simply feels that they are the best equipped to deal with the day-to-day decisions on the front lines of technology and privacy.

This generation is bigger than the boomer generation and we as academic and professional leaders have a responsibility to ready our organizations to embrace their potential ... whenever they grow up.

This is a generation that doesn't simply want to be connected; they long to be part of something bigger, to have a voice that resonates in the larger chorus of ideas and sentiments that they share with their peers. An event, whether it's an online campaign or a live gathering, has the potential to galvanize, tapping and underscoring Gen Y's clearly defined values as it heightens awareness of a brand or cause.

Gen Y drove the adoption of open communication technologies and that adoption has led to adoption among Gen X, Boomers, and even senior citizens. Burn one customer today and they can tell people -- more people, faster than ever before -- that you burned them.

As we measure the marketing efforts that target Gen Y, we can see in an instant those efforts that leverage Gen Y's desire to be social versus those that merely try to leverage the latest technology. As you attempt to connect with Gen Y, make sure that you realize that technology is merely the means to an end and that the real motivator for Gen Y is being social.

As the president of a company that is nearly 80 years old and full of young people, I feel the need to continually evolve and change. So what will lead companies to success in the future? If you ask a Millennial, it's new ideas, integrated organizations, collaboration, innovation and an increased passion for change.

There is a great amount of research associated with Gen Y's commitment to the environment and its desire to better the planet and itself through both behavior and consumption. The truth is, though, as much as the passion is there, sometimes the action is not. What does this mean for marketers and how should you react? Tread lightly and stay true to who you are.

Among Gen Y consumers, we identified two groups with that use Facebook and Twitter about the same amount. "Enthusiasts" go online in search of information that supports their offline hobbies and interests such as food, sports, travel, music, etc. "Deal Seekers" go online in search of freebies, discounts, and coupons.