LTK’s summer 2024 webinar provided a detailed study to find out, with insights into evolving beauty trends informed by more than 1,000 participants—and the answer was clear: Creator Commerce™ is successful for beauty brands. Because these products have a universal appeal across demographics, the number of beauty brands collaborating with Creators keeps increasing in an effort to drive growth and customer loyalty.
Explore our expert insights from the webinar, from trends driving influencer marketing for beauty brands to effective strategies for partnering with content Creators. Read on—and watch the full on-demand webinar—to discover tactics to amplify your influencer marketing strategy.
The Future of Beauty Trends in Creator Commerce™
LTK’s thirst for shopping trends knows no bounds, and in the summer of 2024, we embarked on a journey to understand the latest shopping behaviors across categories and age groups. What we learned about the beauty sector alone was striking:
- Beauty is the top indulgence category for the general population.
- Millennials and Gen Zers buy beauty products online more than the general population does.
Knowing this, beauty brands must maintain a presence where customers and prospects prefer to shop. Many are accomplishing this by collaborating with social media influencers, especially on Instagram and TikTok. Creators can help brands not only market their products but also anticipate and shape beauty trends.
Key Trends for Beauty Brands and Influencers
What makes influencer marketing for beauty brands most effective? Today’s consumers don’t like being sold to. They’re looking to be engaged in a true-to-life fashion, giving way to several notable trends.
1. Short-form video content
Short-form content channels such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube short clips are leading the way in marketing beauty products. Customers across social media platforms respond better to video content, so platforms such as Instagram have begun prioritizing video content in their algorithms to compete with TikTok.
2. Less Photoshop and editing
Rather than excessively edited images, the trend has shifted toward promoting a realistic appearance. Photo editing hasn’t been entirely discarded by brands, but touch-ups are minimal. Current brand images for beauty influencer campaigns frequently feature natural-looking bodies, stretch marks, body hair, and scars.
3. More authenticity
Beauty influencers are moving away from the traditional “selling” approach to branding and letting audiences in on their lifestyle. Influencer marketing in the beauty industry means being real and authentic, where Creators share snippets of their daily lives and the products that enrich them. They invite consumers into their homes and share their dietary habits, bedtime routines, and the books they are reading.
4. Increased diversity
Arguably, the most crucial trend in influencer marketing for beauty brands is the devotion to representing everyone. Today’s campaigns show different skin tones, hair textures, sizes, races, cultures, and lifestyles in both models and products.
5. Personalized beauty products
Personalization is the key to effective marketing, and more influencers are showcasing products that cater to customer needs. By personalizing beauty products—such as by adding the customer's name to the product packaging, using engaging brand language, or even catering to their beauty regimen—brands can tap into the buyer's unique identity.
Best Practices for Beauty Brands Looking for Influencers
Understanding the latest trends for beauty influencer campaigns is just part of the equation. Brands need to keep several best practices in mind when looking for content Creators.
1. Prioritize more than follower count
A massive follower count may catch your attention, but it only goes so far. Ensure that any given Creator aligns with your brand values and see if their engagement rates are just as impressive.
2. Use audience insights and historical performance data
Knowing about prior success can help your brand understand what’s possible for its beauty influencer campaigns. Use an influencer marketing platform that provides information to target the best influencers based on audience insights and past performance data.
3. Collaborate with influencers who can connect with Gen Z
Young consumers have the potential to provide the longest-term revenue if you can market to them effectively. Your influencer partners should understand Gen Z's shopping habits, content consumption patterns, and expectations from a brand.
4. Partner with influencers from diverse backgrounds
Because diversity is so important today, taking it into account when choosing Creator partners can provide value. Influencers from various backgrounds can help your brand connect with diverse audiences from every walk of life.
5. Collaborate with influencers who are up to date with social media platforms
Remember what we noted about video content? Its popularity continues to grow. With this surge and new social media platforms constantly emerging, collaborating with the most adaptable and on-trend influencers can be beneficial.
Discover the Power of Creator Commerce™ with LTK
Looking to shake up your beauty influencer campaigns? Choosing the right partner and tactics goes beyond follower count. Take the time to understand influencer audiences, historical performance, and expertise. Influencer marketing for beauty brands is most successful with diverse Creators who understand Gen Z and the content that resonates across social media platforms—driving substantial growth for your brand.
Find top-performing Creators, manage end-to-end campaigns, boost your reach, and monitor influencer marketing campaigns with the right platform. LTK Creator Commerce™ is an all-in-one influencer marketing platform and five-star shopping app. It’s revolutionizing e-commerce, allowing content Creators to share, promote, and sell their favorite products with tried-and-tested strategies and giving 5,000+ brands access to millions of shoppers to boost influence and sales.
Interested in learning more about current trends and how to respond to them effectively? Check out our on-demand webinar. And if you’re ready to take the next step, turn to LTK to find top-performing Creators, manage campaigns, reach new audiences, and track your success. Get started with LTK today!
This post was originally published in Nov. 2022 and updated in July 2024.