TikTok is a powerhouse of beauty activity. With thousands of brands trying to showcase their beauty products and get fans on board, it’s hard to know how to slay the competition. We’re here to give you the weapons to do so.
TikTok has over 1 billion users, and in order to win them over, you need to know how to play the beauty TikTok game right. Hint – It’s less about airbrushing and more about authenticity. What better way to learn than from the masters themselves? We’re diving into the best beauty brands on TikTok and what your brand can learn from them in 2023. Notes at the ready.
Contents
Goat Exclusive Report: Top beauty brands on TikTok and what they’re getting right
Why does TikTok work for beauty brands?
Goat Exclusive Report: Top beauty brands on TikTok and what they’re getting right
What do 10 luxury, prestige, and challenger beauty brands have in common on TikTok?
In this Goat exclusive report, we look at the TikTok strategies of 10 brands to establish how they’ve effectively “hooked” their audience’s attention, and how they’ve been able to “hold” it.
Get your copy of our beauty report to find out!
1. Sol de Janeiro
Sol de Janeiro has a colorful TikTok account full of glowing faces and bold colors. Their sunny disposition doesn’t end with the kind of videos they put out. Their messaging, aesthetics, and influencer partnerships all scream “fun”. The place where they really stand out, though, is the comments section.
What can you learn from them?
This brand knows how to deliver on engagement. Not only does each of their videos have hundreds (sometimes thousands) of comments, but the people behind their social media marketing are replying to them on the daily. This constant show of affection keeps their fans coming back for more, plus, shows that they are listening to their customers. Building and engaging with a regular community of followers will increase brand loyalty. Brand loyalty can often lead to UGC on TikTok, too, so investing your time and energy into this means more meaningful connected relationships and the chance of further marketing.
2. Nivea
First off, we love working with Nivea. The beauty and skincare brand has led the way when it comes to adapting to TikTok. They have tweaked their TOV and brand positioning to work with the younger generations, and since 70% of TikTokers are under the age of 34, this was a wise move. Part of their strategy has been working with TikTok influencers and leaning into TikTok trends. Most recently, they even created their own dance challenge, with TikTok stars @mikbrothers leading the tutorial.
What can you learn from them?
Nivea has been working with lifestyle influencers to build UGC. How? By promoting a hashtag challenge. In the TikTok universe, hashtag challenges are gold. They drive user engagement through the roof by turning viewers into active participants. The best part? They’re easy to join, so you get authentic, user-generated content without the fuss. So, how can you make sure they go right for your brand? Jumpstart any dance challenge with influencers and paid ads. Getting the challenge out there to begin with is the toughest feat. So, if you’re getting creators on board who know how to talk to their audiences, you’re likely to see better traction for your initial efforts. So keep this in mind when taking a leaf out of Nivea’s book.
We’ve worked with Nivea for a number of years, and in August we helped with the relaunch of its official UK TikTok channel. Bringing in the fabulous Charley Marlow, we get up a series of hilarious and entertaining street interviews. The content proved to be engaging among the TikTok viewership, with comments like “This is one of the most entertaining ads” and “This is how every ad should look”.
What are the takeaways? Well, TikTok is above all a creator-driven channel. As much as possible, creators should be front and center of brand activity on the platform. As Nivea’s Head of Digital, Adam Wright, explained at our event, what they want to do on TikTok is give the microphone to others.
3. Rare Beauty
Think humor, tutorials, and unapologetic realness – that’s what you get when you turn up on Rare Beauty’s TikTok account. With tons of influencer videos showcasing their products in unique and funny ways, you can’t help but get hooked on their content. But where they really shine is in their real-life event coverage.
What can you learn from them?
Rare Beauty has hacked into the desire for real-life content. They have organized and hosted events with other brands and on their own. But the key here is that they have documented it and used it for content on TikTok. By inviting influencers to these events, they don’t just get the opportunity to create branded content, they get influencer content, too. With 60% of marketers agreeing that influencer-made content outperforms branded content, this really is a win-win for your social media strategy.
4. NYX Cosmetics
NYX Cosmetics has over 718k followers and is constantly putting out visually stunning content. They focus a lot on tutorials and showing off their products. But they’ve understood just how important influencer marketing can be in this process. So, they have partnered with many creators (especially make-up artists) to bring their products to the forefront.
What can you learn from them?
When it comes to product marketing, NYX know their stuff. Partnering with influencers in localized target markets, they have gone all out with launches. Focusing their efforts on one product launch, each influencer shows it off in their own way. NYX leans into the creator’s talents and TOV to allow for a more authentic approach. Since creators know what to do to hook their audience’s attention, you get a highly focused influencer-led campaign honing in on one product. Powerful stuff.
5. Estée Lauder
This premium makeup and skincare brand knows how to access target audiences. Yes, they use influencers in their TikTok marketing campaigns (which we already know works), but where they really shine, is their understanding of influencer marketing and who to work with.
What can you learn from them?
From massive influencers like @rogerwh0 talking about their new skincare line to nano-influencers like @robinspo, Estée Lauder have spread their netwide yet still kept it focused. What do we mean? It’s clear that they understand their target audiences and where they might be hanging out. Constant campaigns with mega-influencers can be beneficial if all you’re looking for is brand awareness, but to really get more sales, micro-influencers with much higher engagement rates may be better if you’re looking to target people in the consideration phase. The trick here is not to put all your eggs in one basket—partner with influencers with varying follower counts and engagement rates to measure your progress accurately. Then, pick the best-performing ones and amplify them through paid ads.
6. Elf Cosmetics
Elf are rocking it on TikTok. With comments on their videos like “THIS IS MARKETING 😂🤍” and “This is the best promo for a product I’ve ever seen,” it’s clear they’re killing it. One essential thing to note. Those comments were on an influencer-led video. By collaborating with the right creators, Elf has started making waves. Remember, though, the right influencer might not have to be ideal for your industry.
What can you learn from them?
Just because you’re a beauty brand, doesn’t mean you need to always partner with beauty influencers. Contrary to popular belief, the right influencer doesn’t even need to be in your industry (although sometimes that’s a helpful factor). Elf recently collaborated with American TV personality @snooki. She brought humor, relateability, and a whole new perspective on SPF. This was the video that sparked the comments we mentioned before. Sometimes an unexpected partnership can be the most fruitful. With this in mind, focus on the influencer’s TOV and values and make sure your brand aligns with them. This is how you can find collaborations that still fit in with your branding yet still capture attention.
7. Rimmel London
Rimmel London found a way of going viral on TikTok. Their Thrill Seeker Mascara gained viral popularity on the app. But how did it do so well? Kicking it off with influencer campaigns, Rimmel London got a ton of creators to rate the product. Their content then expanded with more people trying the product and creating UGC (user-generated content).
What can you learn from them?
Rimmel hasn’t just rested on one campaign. They have a constant stream of influencer partnerships as well as their own branded content. If there is one big lesson to learn here, it’s that consistency is king. Achieving virality is a bonus, but you shouldn’t strive for that alone. If you have created a product that goes viral, great, but make sure you ride the waves coming off of that content. If people are talking about it, join in the conversation. Rimmel London is great at replying, so you should be, too. Find out what people are saying about your viral content and implement that into your strategy. Then you can find long-term success on your TikTok account.
Why does TikTok work for beauty brands?
TikTok is a highly engaging platform. In fact, it’s the most engaging platform of all, making it an ideal place for beauty brands. This comes down to its authentic bones; at its core, it’s a place to be yourself. 64% of TikTok users say they can be their true selves on the app. Of course, beauty is all about individuality. So, celebrating that with relatable, authentic content is key. TikTok’s younger demographic craves relatability and shuns the polished, curated feeds found on other social platforms. Influencer marketing is the easiest way to build trust and truly come across as authentic.
Beauty is in the imperfections
So, what’s the TikTok secret sauce for beauty brands? It’s a mix of authenticity, smart influencer partnerships, and savvy engagement tactics. Whether it’s Sol de Janeiro’s radiant community-building or Elf’s unconventional collaborations, each of these brands has decoded what makes TikTok tick. If you want to excel on this platform, remember to keep it real, stay consistent, and don’t be afraid to take risks. Your brand doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be truthful.
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Are you a beauty brand looking to scale and connect with Gen Z audiences on TikTok? Find out more about how we can help you grow through social first marketing in the beauty space!
