In 30 seconds:
- Packed full of viral skin care tips and product reviews, TikTok is changing the way we buy beauty.
- Cosmetic brands who establish a presence on beauty TikTok can expect to reap the benefits of a highly engaged audience of beauty fans.
- But to stand out from the crowd, cosmetic brands need to make sure their TikTok strategies are as sharp as their pigmented eyeliner.
There are few TikTok communities who are as engaged as those on Beauty TikTok.
The most popular beauty TikTok hashtags have picked up billions of views – #Makeup has over 225 billion – so it’s clear that there is a huge audience going to TikTok for their beauty fix.
And just like on the rest of the platform, you can bet that the majority of those TikTok users are made up of Gen Z consumers.
TikTok, with its 1 billion monthly active users, is the most popular social media platform amongst Gen Z. They’re reportedly opening the app 13 times a day, which means there’s plenty of opportunity to grab their attention.
But if you want your content to be heard above the influx of beauty hacks and beauty trends, you need a marketing strategy that engages Gen Z and showcases the very best of your brand. Here’s how to make that happen.
Beauty TikTok trends: What you need to know
We all know that the right TikTok trend can sell a product out overnight.
It’s what happened to Ocean Spray after *that* skateboarding video, and to feta after we all started making *that* pasta dish. Luckily for cosmetic brands, the TikTok effect is just as potent when it comes to beauty products.
For cosmetic brands just entering the TikTok space, there are a few basics to learn. First, TikTokers’ tendency to form micro communities extends to beauty. It means that there are thriving subcultures on the app surrounding all different aspects of the industry; from DIY hair styling, to makeup looks, skincare and beauty hacks.
By exploring the related hashtags (for instance, #makeuphacks), challenges and trending audios used in these niche communities, cosmetic brands will be able to develop a better understanding of what kind of content these audiences are searching for – and whose advice they listen to.
Which is important, because behind almost every successful TikTok trend is an influencer propelling the views forward.
Why you should use Beauty TikTok Influencers
Before TikTok, CeraVe was just the 15-year-old skin care brand your dermatologist might recommend. Not exactly glamorous.
But, after it’s cleanser and exfoliant was endorsed by #SkinTok superstar Hyram (@skincarebyhyram), customers were grabbing it from the shelves faster than it could be stocked.
That’s just one example of how TikTok has the ability to attract huge attention to any one brand or product – and if you hit the right notes with the beauty-obsessed audience, your brand’s makeup products could easily be next.
After all, the majority of Gen Zers say that social media is the place they come for shopping inspiration. If you want to become part of their makeup routine, this is where you need to be. And where do they start? With TikTok influencers, of course.
By offering a mix of entertaining and educational content, Beauty TikTok influencers have grown hugely popular accounts on the back of their short-form video content addressing all things beauty.
Why are they so successful? We’re breaking it down:
1. They’re trusted
Before buying a product, Gen Z are looking up the reviews. As a generation they’re known for their thriftiness – growing up in a time of global economic stress has made keen savers out of them, and they’re careful about where they spend their money.
Research has found that nearly 75% of Gen Z consumers will delay a purchase in order to read reviews and explore different brands – and that’s *after* retailers have caught their attention. Which isn’t easy either, considering they distrust traditional advertising methods.
This is where influencers step in. Unlike the traditional, celebrity-endorsed ads that the beauty industry is used to relying on, influencers can be the kind of makeup artists that attract Gen Z consumers with their candid insights.
One brand using this to their advantage is Tarte Cosmetics. The makeup brand worked with influencers through Fanbytes to promote their range of concealers, with each beauty TikTokker posting a video detailing why they like the product, and how it suited their different skin types.
@tartecosmetics so excited to be working with tarte cosmetics to talk to you guys about my fave - shape tape!! use code “BROOKE” to get 15% off! @brookemiccio ♬ original sound - tarte cosmetics
Using trusted beauty creators lends itself perfectly to promotional content that works: Gen Z are more likely to buy a product that’s recommended by a social influencer. Videos like beauty or skincare product reviews are popular amongst Gen Z users who want to know which items are worth their money – and by using a familiar face, brands can benefit from their trusted reputation.
2. They develop a relationship with users
Another good reason to work with influencers is their ability to develop a lasting relationship with audiences.
Their consistent uploading schedule can mean brands benefit from continuous relationship building and the positive user sentiment that comes from association with these much-liked faces.
Skincare brand Paula’s Choice recently discovered that the timeline between users discovering their brand and making a purchase can be as long as 50 days. Their recent campaign #BeautyBeginsWithTruth therefore aimed to amplify influencer voices by “pulsing” content over a longer period of time, and across a wider pool of creator voices, with gifts to 1,500 influencers.
It means their products reached a much wider audience, all of whom were shown Paula’s Choice as a top choice for skincare purchases.
@dermdoctor Stitch this to win $1k. No Purch. Nec. Go to @paulaschoice for T&C’s #BeautyBeginsWithTruth #PCPartner ♬ Soul Catcher - MikhailovMusic
This was a campaign Fanbytes were really proud to have worked on. Paula’s Choice set a campaign benchmark of 29.7 million views and reached 43.6 million. It goes to prove that an influencer marketing strategy for Beauty TikTok can really benefit from focusing on relationships with skincare products. After all, it’s called a “skincare routine” – to become part of a customer’s daily habit, marketing efforts need to reflect consistency.
3. They have lasting impact
When it comes to impactful and lasting results, Ambassador Programmes can be a great choice for generating brand and product awareness.
In our work with JOAH Beauty, we found that implementing an Ambassador Programme generated significant buzz around the brand – with bespoke TikTok content being regularly posted to help drive continuous brand awareness.
It’s one way influencers can help establish trust in a brand over a significant length of time, and provide plenty of TikTok-optimised content for your brand to repurpose.
@irisxgrace #ad never seen an eyeliner so blue 😳 using @joahbeauty Make her Gel-ous eyeliners!! #joahbeauty #ad #fyp ♬ original sound - iris
Currently, this programme is performing at over 3x the guaranteed view rate at approximately 700k views per month. If you’d like to read more about the best Beauty TikTok influencers and how to work with them, check out our article here.
The brands mastering Beauty TikTok
TikTok has levelled the playing field for beauty brands, creating a space for upcoming labels to directly connect with Gen Z. In our report, 15 Challenger Beauty Brands on TikTok, we take a look at the new beauty brands carving a name for themselves on TikTok, and uncover how they got it right. It’s free to download via the link below.
Top Beauty TikTok Tips: More ways to engage Gen Z
So you’ve found an influencer to launch your campaign, great! Now what?
To really make the most of a TikTok presence, brands should ensure their campaigns are balanced. Here are some more tips to consider before going live with your beauty campaign:
1. Enable Shopify Integration
eCommerce is a growing priority for TikTok, and the platform has recently introduced a wide range of new features to allow brands to sell products directly on the platform.
Beauty brands on TikTok that have integrated Shopify include Charlotte Tilbury, L’Oreal Paris, Rare Beauty, Glow Recipe and Sephora. But there are still brands that are hugely popular amongst Gen Z who haven’t taken this step yet – including Caudalie, Maybelline New York, The Ordinary and Revlon – so it’s a great opportunity to get ahead.
By enabling Shopify or another similar social commerce app, on your account, you can shorten the user journey between video and purchase, making it much easier for consumers to buy your products.
We go into detail on how to set up your TikTok account for eCommerce here.
2. Embrace the trends
The very best TikTok campaigns can spark entire trends around their concept. Just look at e.l.f Cosmetics. The brand quickly identified Gen Z’s love of a fun audio, and their own TikTok audio contribution ‘Eyes. Lips. Face’ went viral – hitting 1 billion views in less than a week.
With a viral trend under their belt, the brand scooped up hours of User-Generated Content, and no small amount of improved brand sentiment, too, as users embraced the opportunity to collaborate.
It’s not just audio that beauty brands can use, either. Recent TikTok trends within beauty include slugging, Euphoria-inspired glitter eyeshadow and Pride makeup looks tutorials. To stay abreast of the latest TikTok trends and how to use them, you can sign up for our weekly TikTok trends newsletter.
3. Showcase your values
Gen Z are a generation of activists; they view consumption as a matter of “ethical concern” and 93% expect the brands they support to take a stand on environmental issues.
It’s why showcasing your brand’s values is a great idea: it allows you to establish trust and brand loyalty amongst the generation of consumers most concerned with making ethical purchases.
That’s what Origins’ new campaign #ShowYourOrigins did. The brand took to TikTok with a campaign where, for every video made under their hashtag, they committed to planting a tree. The campaign effectively highlighted their values: the well-being of your skin and of the planet. Fanbytes worked with influencers to promote the message on TikTok and it was a hit with Gen Z, picking up an engagement rate of over 20%.
We wrote about our work on this campaign – and how more brands can support diverse voices in their marketing – in our article here.
4. Offer a deal
61% of consumers say coupons and discounts can inspire them to try a new brand. This is true of both online and offline purchases, but it’s a particularly promising strategy on TikTok, where users like to feel part of an exclusive community.
Brands like AGORA are using this to their advantage. They launched their mobile app, dedicated to giving Gen Z UK-based users a safe space to share their beauty, skincare and wellness tips and reviews, on TikTok.
@danispeaks Can’t believe I’ve only just discovered this app now! 😍 #Agoraedits Link in bio @agoraworld ♬ original sound - danispeaks
By highlighting the exclusive 75% off deals, the brand effectively leveraged Gen Zers’ love of a bargain to encourage app sign-ups.
The Key to Beauty TikTok Success
Beauty TikTok is a thriving community of Gen Z consumers, and there are a number of ways cosmetic brands can successfully leverage the social media platform to engage with them – just as long as they get with the times.
By embracing the new ways of advertising – influencers, app-exclusive deals, and a stronger focus on values – beauty brands can expect to reach TikTok‘s elusive ForYouPage (FYP) wih a viral TikTok, and retain Gen Z loyalty well into the future.
Get in touch to find out more about how Fanbytes can market your beauty brand to a Gen Z audience – whether it’s on Beauty TikTok or another of the younger generation’s favourite platforms.
Whether it’s sunscreen or mascara, matte eyeshadow or moisturizer, when it comes to creating hype amongst Gen Z, we’re the experts. Read on for more insights on Beauty TikTok and how we can elevate your campaigns – and ensure full coverage – on social media:
