From TikTok to Checkout, Viral Beauty Brands Are Transforming the Market

TikTok has transformed the beauty industry into a platform-driven landscape, where short-form content entertains, educates and drives consumer behavior, according to a wide-ranging report from Spate x YipitData. Virality-driven brands, often born or accelerated on TikTok, use creator partnerships, unfiltered tutorials, and digital fluency to quickly build trust and gain massive visibility. These brands thrive on speed and relatability, breaking into top engagement rankings and leveraging the platform to turn attention into real-world sales at an unprecedented pace.

"The brands that convert short-term buzz into lasting market share have been staying relevant by continuously launching products in exciting new formats or alongside new innovative techniques," says Yarden Horwitz, cofounder of Spate. "They pair these launches with strategic influencer partnerships to create momentum, amplify reach and keep consumers engaged beyond the initial viral moment."

Performance Over Personality?

"Having a founder with star power—as in Hailey Bieber’s case—can accelerate awareness, especially when paired with timely product launches tied to trends and aesthetics," says Yarden Horwitz of Spate.nikkimeelBut does this shift mean that, as McKinsey has argued, beauty is in a post-founder era?

"Yes and no," says Horwitz. "Having a founder with star power—as in Hailey Bieber’s case—can accelerate awareness, especially when paired with timely product launches tied to trends and aesthetics. But it’s not a prerequisite for success. Today, faceless brands can achieve similar impact by introducing innovative product formats or techniques and leveraging influencers and micro-influencers to tell that story at scale."

An analyst from YipitData adds, "In 1H 2025, Sephora makeup share shifts show that being founder-led isn’t enough—performance now matters more than personality. While Huda Beauty and One/Size gained share Y/Y, founder-forward brands like Rare Beauty and Charlotte Tilbury lost ground."

How Viral Beauty Brands Can Thrive with Omnichannel Strategies

To sustain success, viral brands must adopt omnichannel strategies, blending online dominance with physical retail presence. Ron Lach at PexelsThis shift has impacted retail channels, with more consumers turning to Amazon for fast, discovery-led purchases fueled by TikTok trends. From 2023 to 2025, Amazon’s share of spend among viral beauty shoppers is projected to grow from under 70% to over 75%, while traditional retailers like Ulta and Sephora experience a gradual decline. However, brick-and-mortar stores still play a significant role in categories like skin care, where loyalty and in-store experiences remain key.

To sustain success, viral brands must adopt omnichannel strategies, blending online dominance with physical retail presence. Platforms like Amazon provide unmatched reach and convenience for early momentum, while partnerships with retailers like Sephora and Ulta help expand visibility and build long-term growth. By meeting consumers across both digital and physical channels, brands can maximize reach and maintain relevance in a competitive market.

Cross-category Dynamics: Insights from Spate x YipitData

The Spate x Yipitdata research offers cross-category insights, including for hair, makeup, skin care and fragrance. To learn more, Global Cosmetic Industry reached out to the Spate and YipitData teams to understand how specific category dynamics are impacting results. 

Here's what we learned. 

Influencers vs. Doctors: Who’s Winning the Beauty Battle on Social Media?

"While virality-driven brands such as Anua and Medicube (pictured) have aligned themselves with medical professionals ... their momentum is being fueled by influencer partnerships and eligible-for-commission microinfluencer content," says Yarden Horwitz of Spate. Despite that beauty has shifted firmly into an efficacy-centric mindset, influencers still often trump doctors when it comes to social media engagement. 

"While virality-driven brands such as Anua and Medicube have aligned themselves with medical professionals (Anua has this top trending video, and Medicube has brought in their own medical pros to discuss issues), their momentum is being fueled by influencer partnerships and eligible-for-commission microinfluencer content," says Horwitz. "This suggests that scale and reach can ultimately outweigh the impact of medical endorsements.

K-Beauty Goes Beyond Skin Care: Fun, Flawless and Foundation Wins

K-beauty brands compete extraordinarily well in skin care. This has been less true for makeup, where many Korean labels have struggled. But there are exceptions.

An analyst from YipitData adds, "Brands like TirTir demonstrate that with the right mix of innovation, aesthetic appeal and platform-driven discovery, K-beauty can thrive in makeup too—especially in complexion products that align with their skin care roots."TirTir"Although K-Beauty has long been synonymous with skin care, brands like Fwee and TirTir are proving its potential in the makeup category," says Horwitz. "Skin care was an easy sell for K-beauty, given South Korea’s advanced routines and procedures. Now, as makeup trends shift toward 'fun' and 'dopamine beauty,' we can expect continued momentum for Asian beauty brands that deliver cute packaging and playful aesthetics."

The analyst from YipitData adds, "Brands like TirTir demonstrate that with the right mix of innovation, aesthetic appeal and platform-driven discovery, K-beauty can thrive in makeup too—especially in complexion products that align with their skin care roots."

The analyst adds, "Our data shows that TirTir gained ~7 pts YoY from April 2024 to April 2025 in foundation market share at Amazon (1P & 3P). The playbook is evolving, and more K-beauty entrants may follow suit."

From SkinTok to HairTok: What Hair Care Brands Can Learn to Shine

"Over the years, SkinTok has shifted from before-and-after content to ingredient efficacy, derma-backed authority, and—as seen with Medicube and Anua (pictured)—influencer partnerships and commission-eligible content," says Yarden Horwitz of Spate.AnuaHair care often focuses on dramatic before-and-after transformations. But does this make it harder for more practical, results-driven brands to stand out? And what insights can we take from SkinTok to help bridge the gap?

"The hair category looks to be mirroring skincare’s content evolution," says Horwitz. "Karseell’s before-and-after videos recall early-pandemic viral hits like the Green Tea Face Mask Stick, but with a seemingly more credible and effective product. Over the years, SkinTok has shifted from before-and-after content to ingredient efficacy, derma-backed authority, and—as seen with Medicube and Anua—influencer partnerships and commission-eligible content."

She adds, "While brands like Wavytalk are leveraging some of these strategies, brands like Karseell have a clear opportunity to adopt them to expand reach and sustain growth."

From Dupes to Curiosity: How Fragrance Brands Are Scenting Success

"While dupes perform well on TikTok, consumer interest can also be driven by curiosity," says Yarden Horwitz of Spate.Ron Lach at PexelsIn the world of fragrance, value has become a driving force behind the success of emerging brands. But how much does sensorial content—designed to capture and evoke scents—really matter? And is there still space for it in today’s market? 

"While dupes perform well on TikTok, consumer interest can also be driven by curiosity," says Horwitz. "Fragrances like pheromone perfume went viral as consumers wondered how the scent would smell on them personally. Brands can tap into this curiosity by partnering with influencers to challenge audiences to try the scent themselves — turning it into a question to answer or an experience to share."

She adds, "This approach is already highly effective in the food industry, where consumers feel compelled to taste new products or flavors and record their reactions."