Online shopping portals are disrupting the traditional marketing paths and becoming the choice destination for beauty enthusiasts for both discovery and purchase.
It seems that every day we learn of a new success story; a brand attaining viral status and astronomical sales figures.
According to data from social media analytics firm Sprout Social, beauty and personal care accumulated over £370 million TikTok sales last year. Its data also shows that product discovery is the number one reason TikTok users interact with brands on the platform.
“TikTok and Instagram have become the new beauty counters. You don’t need glossy campaigns or a spot on the high street anymore”, says Rikke Wichmann Bruun, who is MD for client services at creative agency Cheil UK.
“All you need is the right creator, the right moment, and a shoppable link. Even the big guys are playing the game: e.l.f. has leaned into TikTok Shop with creator collabs and viral moments, while L’Oréal is backing livestream selling and AR try-ons across platforms. It’s fast, it’s direct, and it works – especially in beauty, where trust, authenticity, and visual results matter more than ever.”
So, what does it take to have your product go viral, gain a cult-like status, and a community of devoted followers? We showcase the brands that are currently making waves on social platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Make Beauty
Contemporary makeup and skincare brand Make Beauty demonstrates the power of a celebrity UGC to propel the profile of your brand on social media. When Hailey Bailey used Make Beauty’s Skin Mimetic Concealer during a social media tutorial, the brand wasted no time in shouting from the rooftops about the scoop.
Trend analytics platform, Spate, observed the brand’s astute response to Hailey’s video, commenting: “Make Beauty capitalized on the moment with paid influencer content and by launching a concealer and brush-bundle on TikTok Shop. Consumers on TikTok are testing Hailey’s pick, sharing first impressions on how it fits into their routine – often praising its hydrating, skin-like finish and suitability for sensitive skin.”
UKLASH
UKLASH is the perfect example of an emerging brand that has utilised social media to harness community, visibility, and impact. Launched in 2018, within a short space of time UKLASH has become the UK’s number one lash and brow serum brand.
The brand is acclaimed for its science-backed data and transformative results displayed through viral video reviews shared by its loyal fan base, to date, it has achieved over two million customers worldwide and is now recognised as a pioneer within the hair enhancement space.
Speaking to Cosmetics Design-Europe about the runaway success of his bestselling serum, brand founder Nima Pourian, said: “We’ve always focused on showing genuine results and real people’s experiences, not over-polished ads. TikTok is such a raw, fast-moving platform, people can spot paid or collabs straight away.”
Wonderskin
If you spend any amount of time on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram, you have likely seen a plethora of UGC featuring beauty enthusiasts applying the distinct blueish-purple gloss of Wonderskin Lip Tint, a smart lip stain that works in tandem with the user’s natural lip pigmentation. The unique nature of this product is a significant factor in its virality and success.
To date, Wonderskin Lip Tint has amassed over 14 million mentions on TikTok. Last year, the brand further capitalised on its dominance within the lip stain space by teaming up with Mexican restaurant chain Chipotle to release a limited-edition stain called “Lipotle”. Touted as a burrito-proof stain, the Lipolte was designed to further demonstrate the staying power of the brand’s hero product.
Wonderskin has taught that once your product has gone viral, finding ways to repurpose it and keep audiences engaged and intrigued will help you maintain a steady presence in a saturated market.
P Louise
It’s safe to say that makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur Paige Williams knows a thing or two about successfully marketing products on TikTok. As the founder and CEO of makeup brand P Louise, Paige is the ultimate TikTok Shop success story, having generated an impressive £1.6 million in sales within 24hours on the popular platform, breaking the record for most revenue generated in a day.
When asked to offer words of advice for brands who are struggling to cut above the noise on social media to create impact, Paige says, “You’ve got to know who you are, don’t copy what is already out there. If you don’t know what sets you apart, how can anyone else?”
“From day one, we have been unapologetically bold, authentic, and consistent. TikTok gave us a platform, but what makes it work is the way we show up,” she continued.
“We don’t just sell products; we build a world that people want to be part of. It is a full experience. It’s deeper than makeup and skincare - it’s a community that backs us every single step of the way.”
Made By Mitchell
One of TikTok’s brightest stars is Made By Mitchell. The popular makeup brand, with its trademark bright coloured products and packaging, continually achieves viral status by expertly combining a stellar strategy, visually creative content, and a keen focus on user engagement.
The brand was an early adopter of TikTok shop, a strategy that has paid off exponentially.
Commenting on the brand’s astronomical success, a spokesperson at Business.tiktokshop.com, stated, “Made by Mitchell (MBM) is a truly inspiring TikTok Shop success story.”
After joining in 2020, MBM quickly went viral thanks to its original hero product “Blursh” and Mitchell Halliday’s creative and authentic content.
“After reaching an impressive follower milestone of 500K, MBM leveraged the moment and launched targeted flash sales which started the campaign buzz,” continued the spokesperson.
Head of content at search and social agency Greenpark, Jane Fulcher, also attributes Made By Mitchell’s resounding success to giving its customers a bird’s eye view of brand-building in real time.
She stated: “Made by Mitchell built the founder’s presence and ground-up brand growth as a narrative thread to drive customer interest and loyalty. People want to be part of the story of these brands – be one of the first in the know, see their product boxed and sent, and connect with other fans of the products.”
Hair Syrup
Another brand that started during those uncertain days of the Covid pandemic in 2020 is hair restorative brand, Hair Syrup.
Founded by 24-year-old Lucie Macleod, a former student turned entrepreneur, Lucie created her brand of oils in her parents’ conservatory after experiencing damaged, overprocessed hair and struggling to find adequate products to treat it.
Hair Syrup quickly gained traction due to its product efficacy, user-generated content on TikTok, and content from Lucie documenting the highs and lows of bootstrapping a business. Unlike the days of old, brands continue to move away from ‘polished and perfect’ to ‘relatable and real’.
Kristina Chiappetta who is executive strategy director for brand consulting firm Landor, says: “With social commerce, there’s been a fundamental shift. The beauty brands winning are authentic, honest and even vulnerable, not idealised and hyper-aspirational.”
Considered the most popular viral hair product on social media, Hair Syrup is now sold in large chain retailers such as Boots and has experienced a 700% sales growth via TikTok Shop.
Dr. Melaxin
Dr Melaxin is the perfect example of how creating a social marketing mix of sponsored videos, content creator partnerships, and encouraging users to share ‘real-time results’ can lead to success on the app.
The brand’s viral product Peel Shot is a powerful exfoliant that scrubs dead skin without causing scarring or irritation. Due to the raw and unfiltered real-time results that we see when watching Peel Shot video demos, it’s not surprising that brand awareness has grown rapidly.
It now enjoys 27.9 million month-on-month views, making it one of the most searched beauty brands on TikTok right now.
