TikTok Shop Reshapes Beauty Marketing Amid K-Beauty Growth

Social media now plays a different role in consumer spending than it did a decade ago. Platforms have moved beyond content sharing to become direct sales channels.

TikTok has altered the shopping journey by allowing influencers to link products directly within content. A clothing item, accessory or makeup palette can be purchased without leaving the app.

More than 30,000 beauty brands now operate on the platform. Category growth stands at 26%.

Social commerce creates new channels

TikTok Shop launched officially in the US in September 2023 after beta testing in the UK and Indonesia in 2021. By 2025, the platform had become the UK's fourth largest beauty retailer following 60% year on year growth.

According to the DHL E-Commerce Trends Report 2025, 70% of shoppers have made a purchase through social media. The report shows 82% of shoppers are influenced by viral trends, with Gen Z particularly responsive.

The platform is changing product discovery and purchase influence. Customer recommendations, 'Get Ready With Me' videos and skincare routine tutorials are altering how young consumers engage with beauty products.

Marketing strategies now need to account for these new touchpoints. Traditional ecommerce websites face competition from integrated social shopping experiences.

K-beauty marketing drives platform searches

Korean cultural exports have gained traction over the past 15 years through K-pop and K-drama. Korean skincare products have followed, marketed around achieving a soft and dewy aesthetic popularised by Korean idols and social media content.

At a London industry showcase in January, TikTok demonstrated how Discovery Commerce on TikTok Shop is reshaping the beauty industry. The platform recorded a 125% increase in K-beauty searches, with consumers seeking to achieve a 'glass skin' look.

The past year saw UK launches from K-beauty brands including Medicube, Beauty of Joseon and BIOHEAL BOH, targeting British consumers. In January, TikTok reported that #kbeauty ranked as the third most used beauty hashtag in the UK.

"UK consumers are increasingly seeking skincare that delivers real results, and K-beauty's multi-step, ingredient-led routines resonate strongly here," explains Lexy Shim, Team Lead on the TikTok Shop Marketing Team at Medicube.

"On TikTok Shop, we've seen how education and engagement drives purchase decisions. Shoppable videos and LIVE Shopping sessions also allow us to connect directly with customers, helping them understand and embrace routines like 'glass skin' step by step."

Educational content and live streaming create direct customer connections. These marketing formats allow brands to demonstrate product application and explain multi-step routines in real time.

Market data shows export expansion

According to Korean-based business consulting firm KOISRA, the South Korean beauty market was valued at US$25bn in 2025. This makes it the fifth largest globally and first in per capita spending.

K-beauty product exports reached US$9.35bn in 2024. The popularity stems from transformative serums, innovative ingredients such as snail mucin and a focus on hydration. Marketing emphasises high quality products, anti-aging properties and targeting of Gen Z and Millennials.

"With market data, and strong partnerships spanning more than 20 years, we are creating a unique and differentiated shopping experience to allow more customers to enjoy healthy and beautiful lifestyles," says Sun Jung Lee, CEO of Olive Young, a leading player in K-beauty.

Brand positioning centres on ingredient innovation and routine-based approaches. This approach to marketing differentiates K-beauty from Western skincare brands that typically promote individual hero products.

Western brands adopt Korean positioning

When K-beauty first entered the Western market in 2011, exports stood at  US$650m. Within six years, this had risen to US$4bn. Seoul Ceuticals launched in 2017 to capitalise on this growth.

"We started to see this increase in growth in interest in K-beauty, and began developing a skincare brand to meet that demand… when we really saw it emerging in the US," says Seoul Ceuticals' Director of Retail Relationships Ann Majeski.

"It has been extremely successful. We've seen a global acceptance and demand for the K-beauty products."

Seoul Ceuticals manufactures products in the US but sources ingredients from South Korea. The company markets itself as a K-beauty brand based on this ingredient sourcing. This approach is contested by some in the industry, including Seung-Goo Kim, Co-founder of Hwarang.

"The products should be manufactured by a Korean manufacturer," emphasises Seung-Goo.

US-based companies are embedding Korean products and marketing strategies within their brands. As South Korea continues with its innovation and marketing strategy, more Western brands could adopt a similar positioning.

The question for marketers is whether authenticity claims will matter to consumers or whether K-beauty becomes a product category rather than a geographical designation.