TikTok & Instagram’s Impact on Cosmetic Trends

From GRWM videos to before-and-after posts that are so captivating you find yourself stopping mid-scroll, TikTok and Instagram are exploding with cosmetic trends more quickly than ever, and brands are catching on. But what does this mean for how we think about beauty, makeup, and our own selves?

Overview of Social Media’s Influence on Beauty Standards

Social media not only has altered how we find information about wrinkle creams and the latest fashion trends, but also what beauty can look like. Now, in the age of TikTok and Instagram, where filtered photos and flawless skin appear to be a dime a dozen, the space between filtered beauty and real-life beauty feels even smaller. Trends now have a quicker life cycle than ever, often set by content creators with millions of followers and even more influence. Brands get it: working with high-profile influencers is the new way to release a product and set trends.

And it works. A Statista survey revealed that U.S. consumers, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are spending more on beauty products that are directly related to social media influence. And it’s not just about purchasing makeup, either. The rate of people who saved the filtered selfies as example photos for their cosmetic consultations was 65% in a 2023 study.

It’s an indication, then, of how profoundly social media has shaped our beauty perceptions, not only what we want to buy, but also how we want to appear. The digital realm has become a mirror, and most of the time, people are pursuing the version of themselves that they see on-screen.

TikTok’s Role in Driving Cosmetic Trends

TikTok is like the Wild West of beauty trends: fast, adventurous and hugely influential. Its short-form videos are engineered to seduce you, and before you know it, you’ve gone from watching one ‘Get Ready With Me’ to Googling what a lip flip is and checking out what goes into a fox eye lift. That type of content is effective because it’s so fast and visual. You watch a transformation in under a minute, and suddenly you’re thinking, ‘Do I need that too?’

An explanation for why TikTok trends spread so quickly is the algorithm’s workings. Watch a couple of beauty-related videos, and your feed will soon be an active stream of makeup tips, procedures, and product suggestions. So, how do trends have such popular energy behind them?

Brands are paying attention. One notable example is CeraVe’s collaboration with TikTok influencer Hyram. His content about the brand’s products was genuine and relatable, and, in turn, his videos went on to amass over 132 million views and garner CeraVe more than 300,000 new followers on TikTok alone. A separate campaign from e.l.f. Cosmetics attracted a lot of buzz as it caught on quickly with music that went viral and other high-profile influencers.

And when you witness collaborations of this variety, they feel natural and authentic, which is why they work so well for TikTok. When a person sees someone they already know and trust raving about a product or trying a revolutionary procedure, it prompts a level of curiosity that frequently translates into real-world action. TikTok doesn’t just lean into what’s trending in beauty; it creates the trend, drives demand, and shapes the next thing we’re all abuzz about.

Instagram’s Long-standing Impact

Long before TikTok dominated our screens, Instagram was our go-to for beauty inspiration, and in many ways, it still is. Instagram, with its polished, curated aesthetic, presented the perfect opportunity for what would soon become the ‘Instagram Face’: flawless skin, clumpy eyelashes, full cheekbones, puffed lips, arched eyebrows, and a jawline so sharp it could pop a balloon. Popularised by famous faces, such as the Kardashians, the heavily edited, filter-friendly aesthetic became the gold standard of beauty on the platform in record time.

Instagram has always been more about perfection than TikTok’s spontaneous, unfiltered feel. Users meticulously curate their feeds, influencers design their posts as if they were magazine spreads, and filters can subtly (or not so subtly) retouch everything from skin tone to facial features. The result? Well, there’s that age-old ‘pressure to be a certain way’, and it doesn’t just apply to photos.

Instagram, too, has played a massive role in normalising cosmetic procedures. Influencer endorsements of procedures like lip fillers, Botox, and jawline contouring have helped normalise the treatments. When you scroll through your feed and see people who look a certain way, it’s easy to start feeling like you should too.

Still, Instagram’s sway is changing. Stories and Reels have provided the platform with a more casual, behind-the-scenes vibe, toning down the feeling that the perfect life is just out of reach. However, when it comes to defining beauty standards, Instagram still carries significant weight, particularly among the platform’s consumers, and above all, among users who prefer the glossy, aspirational look.

Cross-Platform Trends and Differences

Although TikTok and Instagram influence cosmetic trends, their methods tend to differ slightly and are often targeted at different viewers. TikTok is populated mainly by younger individuals, particularly those aged 18 to 24, so trends appear more cutting-edge, fleeting, and rough around the edges. Instagram, however, has an older core demographic (25- to 34-year-olds), and it still plays up that polished, curated attitude.

The platforms may be different, but there is obviously an overlap. The ‘filtered look’ – smooth skin, sculpted features, and bright under-eyes is everywhere, from TikTok’s ‘Get Ready with Me’ (GRWM) videos to perfectly edited Instagram selfies. Both of these platforms have led to an increase in requests from patients for cosmetic procedures to achieve the appearance of these filtered images, says Dr. Robert Wald.

Still, there are obvious differences. The format of TikTok’s short-form videos makes it more difficult to hide behind editing, while Instagram’s static posts can be more manipulated with Photoshop and filters. It means that, more than TikTok, where real-time trends often gain traction, Instagram solidifies more lasting beauty ideals. But together? They are creating a vicious cycle, one that reinforces what is considered beautiful, as well as what people aspire to look like in real life.

Consumer Behaviour and Decision-Making

If you scroll through TikTok or Instagram, it can be easy to forget just how much this content can influence real-life decisions. They plant ideas, spark curiosity, and frequently prompt people to seriously consider cosmetic procedures they may never have given a second thought to.

For many, the motivation isn’t about dramatic transformation. It’s about ‘tweaking’ something small, achieving symmetry, enhancing features, or just looking more like the filtered version of themselves. A lot of this comes down to perception. When social media constantly shows faces that are smoothed, sculpted, and subtly enhanced, it starts to feel like that’s the norm.

TikTok and, to a certain extent, Instagram have democratised cosmetic procedures, making them appear much more attainable and far less taboo. People are more openly discussing what they’ve had done, which removes some of the stigma, but it also increases the demand. Viewers don’t merely seek the product or the skincare routine; they want the results, and on social media, they appear to be instant.

Ethical and Safety Considerations

With so many beauty trends going viral, there is a growing concern about the ethics of it all. TikTok and Instagram may make adjustments seem nonchalant and risk-free, but that isn’t always true. Procedures, including fox eye lifts, filler dissolving, and lip flips, are sometimes presented without proper context, resulting in people receiving either unrealistic expectations or limited information.

The pressure to follow trends can also prompt users to make snap judgments, particularly among younger users who may not fully appreciate the associated risks. Today’s trends can fall out of style within months, but cosmetic work can have lasting effects.

This is why professional guidance is so necessary. A qualified practitioner will tell you whether a treatment is right for you, not simply that it’s trending. Meanwhile, as cosmetic culture expands online, it’s crucial to stay informed, ask questions, and not just rely on the popularity of trendy posts in your feed to make decisions.

Conclusion

That the way we think about beauty is increasingly shaped by social media is obvious, most specifically by TikTok and Instagram. Viral trends and filter culture, as well as influencer-led campaigns, are shaping our real-life choices about cosmetic treatments like never before. While they have made beauty feel more accessible and open, they have also blurred the lines between inspiration and unreasonable expectation. 

While the trends continue to move at lightning speed, the secret is to stay informed, prioritise your own comfort, and remind yourself that beauty is not one-size-fits-all, no matter what appears on your feed.