Influencer marketing platform Lefty has published its Beauty Industry Report, analysing 250,000 influencers tracking 500 beauty brands across eleven categories on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Weibo.

The global beauty industry generated $33.4 billion in Earned Media Value (EMV) in 2025, with year-on-year growth slowing to 5% as audience attention became increasingly fragmented.

Celebrity beauty: from clout to community ownership

• Top-performing celebrity brands including Rare Beauty, Fenty and Rhode saw their founders’ Share of Voice decline significantly in 2025, yet their top-three rankings remained unaffected as creator communities stepped in.
• Rhode saw a 107% surge in post volume; Lemme recorded a 346% explosion.
• Brands with lower audience-founder overlap - such as Rare Beauty, whose community is built around mental health and inclusivity - demonstrated stronger long-term brand independence.

Luxury & prestige: TikTok becomes the primary growth engine

• Luxury beauty grew by just 4% overall, but TikTok visibility grew by 49%, becoming the primary growth engine for the segment as Weibo and Instagram declined.
• Carolina Herrera Beauty and Jean Paul Gaultier Fragrances were among the fastest-growing brands, fuelled by TikTok.
• The top five global luxury brands by EMV were: YSL Beauty ($1.3bn), Dior Beauty ($1.2bn), Lancôme ($1.1bn), Charlotte Tilbury ($949m) and Armani Beauty ($852m).

Masstige: the biggest beauty category got louder

• Masstige reached $8.4bn in total EMV, up 11% year-on-year, with post volume surpassing 1 million posts - up 45% - driven by existing creators posting more frequently rather than new entrants.
• TikTok expanded its share of voice to 61%, whilst Instagram contracted to 35%.
• Huda Beauty was the leading brand across the entire beauty industry in 2025, with founder Huda Kattan’s personal account driving $34m in EMV directly.
• The top five global masstige brands by EMV were: Huda Beauty ($1.7bn), MAC Cosmetics ($1.1bn), NARS ($982m), Benefit ($922m) and Makeup by Mario ($647m).

APAC brands: two distinct growth strategies

• K-Beauty scaled globally through TikTok Shop, cross-market celebrity partnerships, and viral aesthetics including “glass skin”, which generated $386m in total visibility. Ingredient-led innovation such as PDRN reinforced the category’s scientific credibility.
• The top K-Beauty brands by EMV were: Medicube ($546m), Mixsoon ($306m) and Skin1004 ($295m).
• C-Beauty deepened its domestic position, generating $562m in EMV on Weibo, driven by celebrity ambassador programmes and scientific credibility.

Wellness & supplements: one market, two playbooks

• The wellness and fitness segment grew by 45% year-on-year. Fitness thrived on community and identity through micro-creators, whilst supplements became increasingly transaction-driven via mega-influencers, affiliate programmes and TikTok Shop.
• The top brands by EMV were: MyProtein ($209m), Strava ($105m) and Lemme ($102m).

Derma brands: scientific credibility meets entertainment

• The derma category reached $6.1bn in EMV, overwhelmingly fuelled by TikTok. Dermatologists were overtaken by creators integrating skincare naturally into daily routines.
• Sunscreen grew 57% year-on-year to $742m EMV; Q1 2025 saw a 278% surge as consumers moved research and purchasing forward by a full season. La Roche-Posay owned 56% of the category total.
• The top derma brands by EMV were: La Roche-Posay ($1.6bn), CeraVe ($1.4bn) and Vichy ($757m).

Niche fragrance & beauty tech: the fragmented market

• Niche fragrance entered a more mature phase as consumers shifted from viral unboxing to building personal scent identities. Tom Ford Fragrance’s market share fell from 30% in 2023 to 13% in 2025, with Kayali rising to a 14% share of voice.
• In beauty tech, Dyson and GHD lost pace to newer challengers including Shark Beauty, whilst beauty devices surged on the back of viral hero products.
• The top beauty tech brands by EMV were: GHD ($176m), Dyson Hair ($166m) and Shark Beauty ($141m).

What this means for 2026

• The three forces that defined beauty in 2025 - TikTok’s dominance, the redistribution of authority, and the compounding value of community - are set to intensify further.
• The social landscape is becoming more dynamic than ever, with evolving platform algorithms and faster trend cycles challenging how beauty brands capture and retain attention.
• Reach alone will no longer be enough to drive sustained success. The next wave of growth will favour brands that deepen community engagement, tailor strategies to each platform, and build lasting relevance.
• Those that adapt early will be best positioned to outperform the market.

For more information, visit lefty.io.

lefty × DIARY directory

Unlock 30M+ influencer profiles with advanced filters and demographic insights. DIARY directory members receive -15% per year. Request a demo here.