From ‘Cold Girl Makeup’ to the ‘Morning Shed’, TikTok has become home to some of the biggest beauty trends. With hashtags such as #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt gaining billions of views, the app has become the most influential social media platform for consumers and beauty brands alike. We have seen brands move away from traditional marketing in favour of trending social media campaigns, changing the way products are advertised to keep up with the ever-changing nature of TikTok. But with the rapid growth of these viral beauty crazes comes an unavoidable question: what is the impact of these viral trends and are they sustainable for our beauty industry?
#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt
The phrase “I saw it on TikTok” is now a universal explanation for impulse beauty buys, showing the extent to which the platform has influenced consumer behaviour. A prime example of a beauty brand whose marketing has capitalised on the power of TikTok trends is Hailey Bieber’s beauty brand Rhode. Bieber built her brand entirely on the momentum of the viral ‘Clean Girl’ aesthetic, with minimalist, effortless products that promise ‘glazed donut’ skin and glossy lips – mirroring Hailey’s signature look. By tapping into this viral sensation in the peak of its hype, Rhode certainly created a TikTok buzz, featuring in countless ‘Get Ready With Me’ videos and selling out within just 48 hours of launching. Everything about Rhode is built for social media fame; we see her Pocket Blush named after the trending ‘Spicy Marg’ cocktail and her Barrier Butter has been endorsed by popular influencers such as Bella Hadid. With over 44 million likes on the app and the hashtag #RhodeSkin amassing over 80,000 posts with users showcasing their Rhodefavourites, the brand isn’t just selling products – it’s turning customers into marketers.
However, for every viral beauty trend that breaks the internet, there’s another waiting in line to replace it. The Tiktok ‘Sell-Out Effect’ fuels impulse buying, convincing users they need the latest beauty must-have featuring on their For You Page before it sells out. But the rapid turnover of these viral products has meant that both brands and consumers are struggling to keep up. Before Hailey dropped her TikTok famous Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment, it was the Glossier Balm Dotcom that held the title of the ‘It Girl’ lip product. Yet we saw fans instantly switch to Rhode, leaving Glossier behind and just another product that has fallen victim to short cycle TikTok fame. Equally the environmental impact that this beauty trend fatigue has is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. As brands fight to keep up with the demands of this sell-out effect, they often overproduce, leading to excess stock once the product is inevitably replaced by the next must-have item. Meanwhile we see consumers continuing to collect viral sensations that quickly lose their prestige, resulting in masses of wasted products. So just how long is it before the Rhode lip treatment that’s currently flying off shelves joins the other forgotten products at the bottom of our drawers?
As TikTok continues to shape the future of beauty, we must consider the longevity of these fleeting trends before adding the latest product to our baskets. While TikTok has made beauty more accessible than ever, it is important to ensure that these trends don’t come at the cost of sustainability – or financial waste. The next phase of TikTok beauty shouldn’t just focus on what is currently trending – but on creating trends that last.
