The latest findings in Circana’s special beauty report look at how brands on TikTok Shop continue to drive the category’s overall growth and brand discovery globally. The platform’s beauty and personal care category has seen $2.08bn in sales - which makes it the largest category on the social media platform’s e-commerce arm, outperforming women’s apparel by more than $500mn, according to Circana’s latest beauty report’s data from January to June 2026. 

TikTok Shop has also become a beauty-first commerce platform across various markets, not just seeing strength in the U.S. Beauty ranks number two in the U.K., which reinforces its role within the social commerce space. In comparison to other e-commerce beauty retailers, TikTok Shop ranks third in beauty e-commerce - trailing behind pure-play e-commerce and specialty retailer channels. And within the overall beauty retail space, TikTok’s beauty ranks below off-price beauty retailers. TikTok has also become one of the major ways for consumer discovery and purchasing. The overall shopping ecosystem of the social media app remains discovery-driven and democratized. Demographically, TikTok has always maintained a reputation of being most popular among Gen Z audiences, but that’s not always the case; social commerce spending actually skews higher toward Gen X and older Millennial audiences. 

Consumers on the platform also continue to be highly engaged with the beauty industry. On average, shoppers spent $24.39 per unit, only $6 below the $31 price point for cross-industry spending. Shoppers are continuously on the hunt for brands that are authentic and niche - as opposed to purchasing traditional prestige category leaders, as TikTok consumers are more influenced by creator credibility and efficacy rather than heritage brand awareness. Now they are turning to brands like Medicube, Based, Bask & Lather, Bare Anatomy and Root Labs.