The Rise of Social Media: Transforming Beauty Marketing

In the last decade, social media has completely changed how we discover and connect with beauty brands. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and even Snapchat have turned everyday people into influencers, helped brands grow from nothing, and created a space where anyone can share their own beauty story.

It’s no longer just about celebrities in commercials or photoshopped magazine ads. Now, beauty marketing is happening in real time, on your phone, in your feed, and even in the comments section of a makeup tutorial.

Let’s break down how this all happened and what it means for the future of beauty.

Influencers Are the New Celebrities

In the past, big beauty brands paid celebrities to be the face of their products. Think of models or actresses in perfect makeup holding a lipstick in a glossy ad. But now? You’re just as likely to see a product go viral because a creator on TikTok used it in a GRWM (Get Ready With Me) video.

Influencers, whether they have a few thousand followers or millions, are the ones people trust. That’s because they usually share personal, real life experiences. They do swatches, first impressions, and show the results without fancy lighting or editing. That honesty is what makes them so powerful in marketing.

For example, Rare Beauty partnered with tons of influencers when it launched. Instead of focusing on Selena Gomez as the only face of the brand, they worked with people of all skin types, colors, and genders to show how the makeup looked in real life (Cucu, 2024). This helped people feel included and seen. And of course, there’s Kylie Jenner, who used her massive Instagram following to turn a small lipstick brand into a beauty empire worth hundreds of millions of dollars (Mejia, 2017). She didn’t need traditional ads, her posts alone drove sales.

User-Generated Content: Why Real Reviews Matter

If you’ve ever bought something because you saw someone else using it on TikTok or YouTube, that’s user-generated content (UGC) at work. UGC is when everyday people post about a product they love. This could be an unboxing, a quick review, or a makeup tutorial. And guess what? Brands love this. It’s free promotion, and it feels way more trustworthy than a polished ad.

Glossier is a perfect example. They’ve built their brand by sharing content from real customers. People post their skincare routines, “shelfies” (photos of their products), and even bare-faced selfies, and Glossier reposts them. This makes fans feel like part of the brand instead of just buyers. This kind of content builds community, which is something Gen Z and younger audiences really care about. It makes beauty feel less intimidating and more about self-expression.

Social Media Is Made for Beauty

Beauty is something we see, which is why it works so well on visual platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Whether it’s a 15-second video showing a foundation blending perfectly into the skin or a 3-minute tutorial on how to get the perfect eyeliner wing, people love watching beauty content. Social media lets people show off the full experience, how a product looks, feels, applies, and even how it wears throughout the day. And the shorter, fast-paced nature of content keeps it fun and easy to scroll through.

Fenty Beauty nailed this with their launch campaign. They made a big splash by showing 40 different foundation shades on people of all backgrounds (F, A., n.d.). Not only was it inclusive, but the content was made to be shared. People were excited to see themselves represented and posted their own looks using Fenty products. That helped the campaign go viral.

Beauty Trends Are Now For Everyone

Before social media, beauty trends were created by fashion designers, magazines, or celebrities. You had to wait for a runway show or a glossy cover to find out what was “in.” Now? A TikTok sound and a viral video can create a trend overnight.

Think of trends like the “clean girl” look, graphic eyeliner, or glazed donut nails. These didn’t come from magazines, they came from creators, and they spread because people could try them and share their own versions. Everyone gets to take part, and that’s what makes it so exciting.

Social media has also made beauty more inclusive. People of all shapes, sizes, genders, and skin tones are becoming beauty creators. It’s not about one standard anymore. It’s about celebrating what makes you, you (Waters, 2021).

What’s Next for Beauty Marketing?

Social media is always changing. New platforms, new tools, and even AI are shaping the way beauty brands connect with their audience. But one thing is clear: people want real, honest, and creative content.

Whether it's a quick TikTok showing off a new lip gloss, a deep-dive YouTube review, or just someone posting their skincare routine on Instagram, beauty marketing today is about connection. Brands that listen to their audiences, share real stories, and include everyone are the ones winning.

So next time you scroll past a beauty post, just remember, you’re not just watching marketing happen. You’re part of it!

REFERENCES

Cucu, E. (2024, June 11). Rare beauty’s marketing strategy: Socialinsider. Socialinsider Blog: Social media marketing insights and industry tips. https://www.socialinsider.io/blog/rare-beauty-marketing-strategy/ 

F, A. (n.d.). Breaking barriers: Fenty Beauty’s marketing strategy: Brand Vision. RSS. https://www.brandvm.com/post/fenty-beautys-marketing 

Mejia, Z. (2017, September 14). How Kylie Jenner turned her $29 lipstick business into a $420 million empire in 18 months. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/14/how-kylie-jenner-turned-kylie-cosmetics-into-a-420-million-empire.html 

Waters, T. (2021, January 12). A decade of instagram: How an app impacted body image and redefined beauty standards. The Unedit. https://www.the-unedit.com/posts/2020/10/6/a-decade-of-instagram-how-an-app-impacted-body-image-and-redefined-beauty-standards