TikToK is Almost Leading The UK’s Beauty Industry

Forget lipsticks under fluorescent lights and awkward in-store testers. These days, your next holy grail product is more likely to pop up between a cat video and a chaotic GRWM – all thanks to TikTok, the app that’s fast becoming the UK’s buzziest beauty retailer.

Yes, retailer. According to NielsenIQ, TikTok is now the UK’s fourth-largest seller of beauty products – right behind Amazon, Boots and LookFantastic. That’s one product sold every second on TikTok Shop UK. Not bad for an app once known purely for dance trends and memes.

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“TikTok has become the front door for beauty,” said Nadine Graf, president of EMEA at Estée Lauder Companies, during this year’s World Retail Congress. “There’s no prestige channel anymore. There’s a prestige presence, but not really a channel.” Translation: if you’re not showing up on social media, you’re already behind.

Estée Lauder – which owns brands like Clinique, Bobbi Brown and Aveda – is now rebuilding its strategy from the ground up to reach younger, digital-first consumers. “The shift is not incremental, it’s generational and cultural,” Graf added. “The way younger consumers engage with brands is radically different… we need to be where the consumer is, even though we don’t like them to be there.”

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TikTok’s “discovery commerce” model combines the best of browsing with the instant gratification of buying. Live shopping sessions and shoppable videos allow creators and brands to demo products, answer questions in real time, and drive sales with a swipe. Over 6,000 live beauty shopping sessions happen in the UK every single day.

And it’s paying off. UK-based brand P.Louise raked in £1.5 million in 12 hours during one TikTok Live. Meanwhile, Made by Mitchell went from £20 to £1 million in a day. No wonder major retailers are now snapping up viral-only names like Hair Syrup and Mallows Beauty.

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Even legacy brands are pivoting. The Ordinary is now on TikTok Shop; Clinique’s gaining ground on Amazon. “Beauty is the crown jewel of social commerce, with TikTok its natural stage,” said Nicholas Found, head of research at Retail Economics.

It’s also a great leveller. “We have a strong tradition in the UK of founder-led brands, and these brands can really sell their story on TikTok,” said Millie Kendall, CEO of the British Beauty Council.

So, whether you’re a start-up or a skincare giant, if your product’s not trending on TikTok – you’d better get scrolling.