English Version | “Yes, I know, I saw it on TikTok”

Bad news run fast but never has fast as the speed with which a (new) trend spreads in the digital world. And that is precisely the most recent formula of the cosmetic industry: before it’s on the shelves, it’s on a ten second video on TikTok. 

“You don't have TikTok and it shows." These words were said by a co-worker, a few days before I knew I was going to write this text. For the fourth time in a few hours, the conversation had led to a pop culture reference that, once again, I had missed. Perhaps it is important to clarify that, for gen-Z, popular culture can mean many things but, these days, it always ends up being linked to TikTok. TikTok is where life happens. In 2021, this platform had more traffic than Google, and already this year, it was announced that more than half of zoomers are switching from searching on Google to searching on TikTok. That’s where you find the best recipes, the best books, the best clothes and of course the best Beauty tips. And there is no better proof of this than having a person without TikTok writing this text. The ubiquity of this social network made me resort to the popular saying "when you can't beat them, join them." And so I did.

On July 25, 2014 the first video on TikTok was published. It is almost anecdotal to look back and review that 18 second very low quality visual blur that depicts a city seen upside down. The video has over 18 million views and has gone viral for the simple fact that it was a trigger for the digital revolution we have today. By the end of 2021, TikTok passed the one billion active users mark, each one spending on average more than 95 minutes a day interacting with the platform. Interacting, that is, moving your thumb up and down slightly or, for the most fearless, leaving the couch for a second to memorize the choreography that is at the top of the trends. But TikTok is not only about dancing, and this is one of the ideas that should be clarified. The platform has such a large and diverse list of contents that thousands of communities are born within it, each one revealing a particular taste, discovered and guided by the algorithm. If there is one community that has made headlines all over the world, it is the Beauty community. The special relationship between TikTok and the Beauty industry is a lot like combining water and salt. Both merge without any obstacle and are the basic recipe for the habits that we adopt on a daily basis. From makeup tricks to skincare products’ reviews, there are many ways in which this social network goes hand in hand with Beauty. But how far can TikTok's power extend regarding the cosmetics industry? It's possible that we haven't reached its peak yet.

The tragic year of 2020 was anything but negative for the company that owns TikTok. With consumers trapped between four walls, the platform offered an outlet for escape and entertainment, resulting in an abrupt increase in the number of downloads and hours spent on this social network. It wasn't long before we began to realize what TikTok was capable of. Although a large majority of physical retail was closed, several Beauty brands observed a significant growth in their sales. Perhaps a consequence of the development of online retail? It contributed, sure, but many suit-and-tie executives were surprised to find the trigger for this success on TikTok. In June 2020, i-D magazine stated that CeraVe, one of the Beauty brands with the most viral products on TikTok, was experiencing 65% weekly growth in UK supermarkets. The brand Dr. Jart+, whose corrective cream Cicapair was mentioned millions of times on the platform, reported an 809% increase in searches for this product on search engines, as Glamour wrote. And several brands that were previously unknown to the general public have become strong names in the industry, showcasing products that sold out shortly after being put on the shelves. It’s the case of Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow line, or Merit Beauty's cream blush, a brand which has been several times called as "the next Glossier.”

But TikTok is not simply a product-selling machine. There is also a human side, centered on sharing knowledge and creating trends, that should not be ignored. Every day, common mortals share the tricks they like to include in their Beauty routine, and every once in a while one comes along that takes the industry by storm. That's what happened to Kelli Anne Sewell, celebrity makeup artist in New York and now creator of one of TikTok's biggest summer trends, the “gym lips.” “Basically, I love lip liner. I think it's beautiful to enhance the shape of your lips (…) and I always enjoyed overlining for that plump juicy look,” starts Kelli Anne by explaining to Vogue Portugal. “One day I was thinking how I didn't have a lip liner that matched my lip color perfectly and that maybe, if I could find one, overline my lips, it would look like I was still wearing no makeup but with plump juicy lips. So I shared this thought as I was getting ready for the gym and I just said ‘I think I'm going to call this my gym lip!’ and it randomly blew up.” The makeup artist is aware that this trend has not come to revolutionize the Beauty industry, because “lip lining has been around forever.” However, she feels that the secret for the success of gym lips is precisely on how simple and versatile it is. According to Kelli Anne, “it's not about a specific product that can sell out. Literally anyone can do gym lips. All skin tones, skin types, genders… Everyone. [It just takes] a liner that matches your lips perfectly and a hydrating lip mask (no sticky glosses).”

What does it feel like to blow up on TikTok? The American makeup artist says she only realized how big the platform was when she saw the trend reaching major brands and influencers in the cosmetics industry. “Brands and creators that I have dreamed of working with all of a sudden were posting ‘gym lip combos’ using some of their branded products to contribute to the trend and that's when it really hit,” she explains, adding that she was able to make some “new exciting connections” during those days and it was all a consequence of “TikTok doing its thing.” And even before being named the author of a trend with millions of views, the Beauty professional already recognized the many advantages of belonging to this platform, both as a consumer and makeup artist. “TikTok is where I go for inspiration. It keeps me as a creator on the pulse (…). It's also a great place to learn makeup hacks - tips and tricks that used to be ‘gate keeped’ in the Beauty industry. [This platform] really opens the door to sharing information and education and as artists I think it only makes us stronger and better to learn from other artists. From the viewpoint of the consumer, Kelli Anne also finds several advantages: “There are so many incredible Beauty offerings in the world almost to the point that it can be overwhelming. TikTok has given the consumer so much empowerment when it comes to makeup. Through consumable education, TikTok creators really shine lights on specific products and most importantly make makeup fun again.” 

At this point, we can say that the trend created by Kelli Anne has taken on a life of its own. Fewer and fewer people are mentioning her name when referring to gym lips, whether in a recreation of the makeup look on TikTok or in articles dissecting its popularity. Eliminating the creator from the creation is actually a common consequence of sharing ideas on this platform. However, for Kelli Anne, that's not a problem, it's just the way TikTok works. “I don't take it personally if I don't get tagged [when people talk about gym lips] because it's kind of like word of mouth.. Sometimes you hear something that resonates with you but you are not sure of the origin. I'm just happy people are sharing and connecting and trying something new for themselves.” Another particularity of this social network is that, just as trends spread very quickly, they also disappear at the same speed. The makeup trick shared by Kelli Anne started to go viral at the end of April, but since then many Beauty trends have come to steal her spotlight. Spider lashes, platinum blonde hair, kidcore, skin cycling, nail slugging and, more recently, sleepy eyes are just a few examples that portray how quickly information circulates on this social network. If, in the past, a Beauty trend could remain relevant for a few years, in TikTok few are the ones that live for more than a week.

There will never be a perfect digital platform, or even one that comes close to it. It is true that, except for a few cases, the Beauty community on TikTok promotes over-consumption, with its massive hauls and trends that fade overnight. It is also a strong marketing tool, where the hours we spend scrolling are turned into valuable data for the industry, data that defines our consumer profile and makes us a target for advertising - and all this without us realizing it (or did anyone even read the terms and conditions?). Still, the cosmetics industry has already benefited greatly from TikTok. The platform has become Beauty's primary medium, bringing brands closer to their audience and enabling a constant dialogue between the two parties. There is more education, more information. And, above all, more diversity. The advantage of living in a whirl of trends and product recommendations is that you can experiment with different aesthetics until you find the one that most identifies with you. The TikTok Beauty community itself has given rise to endless small communities that accept, understand, and help each other. There will never be a better recommendation for a black eye pencil than the one made by a goth girl, just as you can discover a huge variety of sustainable Beauty brands by searching #cleanbeauty. TikTok is doing what Instagram has only succeeded in perpetuating: eliminating Beauty standards and bringing it back to the desire for individual expression. No bullshit attached.

“It's going to sound crazy but I think you just need to give up control on TikTok and cast a wide net of content to see what hits. Have fun with it and don't overthink it,” Kelli Anne answered when we asked her what was the secret to be successful on this platform. “The community you create is your greatest feedback tool. They are the ones consuming your content so listen to them and their needs and create for that,” she concludes. The skepticism that took me over when I started writing this text was completely disarmed by this declaration of authenticity. It is not every day that we witness the revolution of an industry and that is why, when I finished this paragraph, I went to install TikTok. 

Translated from the original on The Gossip Issue of Vogue Portugal.Full credits and stories on the print issue.