TikTok Shop US: A game-changer in the Beauty retail landscape

The Beauty and Personal Care category is booming with sales growing +11.8% year-to-date. Despite inflationary pressures, consumers have spoken—beauty and personal care are priorities. Now, a new retail player is getting into the game. 

Launched in September 2023, TikTok Shop US brings “shoppable videos and LIVE streams directly to For You feeds across the country—and give(s) brands, merchants, and creators the tools to sell directly through shoppable content on the TikTok app.”  

TikTok Shop is poised to disrupt the retail space, especially in the Beauty category, where social media profoundly influences purchasing decisions. 

The meteoric rise of TikTok, and now, it’s e-commerce platform, offers a plethora of opportunities for Beauty brand collaboration and sales expansion—and a growing need for data to track success and guide strategies. 

Early success and unusual trends

During its September launch, TikTok Shop ranked twentieth in Health and Beauty sales among e-commerce retailers. During this period, Health and Beauty products accounted for 85% of total TikTok shop sales in the US.  

Within Health & Beauty, the top-selling categories were: 

• Facial Skin Care 
• Vitamins & Supplements 
• Fragrance 
• Teeth Whitening Kits 

• Lip Cosmetics  

It’s not surprising to see Facial Skin Care and Lip Cosmetics (products that qualify as Beauty impulse purchases) rising to the top of the list, but categories like Vitamins & Supplements and Teeth Whitening Kits generally aren’t considered impulse categories. TikTok Shop is already driving an interesting new retail dynamic. 

The Beauty industry will need to watch this emerging retailer to fully understand online trends. NIQ can provide you with best-in-class data and analytics that provide the full view of the Beauty category.