Glossy Pop Newsletter: These founders built their brands on TikTok — this is what they think about the potential ban

May 3, 2024 Mary

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Lisa Guerrera joined TikTok in 2020, before the skin-care brand she co-founded, Experiment, launched its first product.

“At the time, there weren’t many chemists or dermatologists on the app, and I was seeing a lot of misinformation about skin care,” said Guerrera, a trained chemist, regarding why she started posting. When Experiment soft-launched in November 2020, Guerrera had already built a platform and relationships with other TikTok influencers. The brand bootstrapped its first launch, a silicone sheet mask dubbed Avant Guard. Today, Guerrera has over 61,000 followers on the platform. On April 19, Experiment announced a $3.3 million seed round, led by Greycroft.

Other creators have also contributed to Experiment’s growth. In November 2022, the brand launched its first true topical product, a glycerin-packed hydrating serum called Super Saturated. A few months later, Mikayla Nogueira stitched a post about the serum, which led to the brand selling through months of inventory ahead of schedule. Nogueira had around 14.5 million followers at the time.

“[That experience] showed the power of gifting, the power of TikTok and the way people build on each other’s content,” Guerrera said. “We don’t see that [virality] as often on Instagram.” Guerrera has 2,700 followers on Instagram; Experiment has over 7,000 followers on TikTok and 15,000 on Instagram.

Charlotte Palermino, co-founder of Dieux skin care, also grew a personal social following before launching her brand — she now has over 423,000 followers on TikTok and 324,000 on Instagram, while Dieux has over 81,000 on TikTok and 119,000 on Instagram.

In many ways, Dieux and Experiment have parallel TikTok origins. Dieux’s first launch, a silicone under-eye mask dubbed the Forever Eye Mask, went viral thanks to other creators on TikTok. “On Instagram, people would post [the product] to Stories and the grid, but it didn’t go viral,” she said. On TikTok, meanwhile, people would make videos talking about something random, like their “icks,” while wearing the mask. And it became “a mainstay” of the platform, she said.

Chelsea Kramer, founder of Parke — a clothing line with a focus on denim — grew her following as she launched her business. The brand launched in 2022 and, to date, its unpaid posts on the app are “basically the only marketing” it’s done so far, she said. She has over 76,000 followers on the app and 33,000 on Instagram; Parke has over 9,000 on TikTok and 21,000 on Instagram.

TikTok has changed the game for brands — both in how they grow and how they market. “We now discover consumer products on social media. That’s a big way that our economy works,” Guerrera said. “When was the last time you looked at a print ad [to discover a new product]?”

And, since its launch in September 2023, TikTok Shop has changed how many people shop.

There are 150 million TikTok users in the U.S., making it the app’s largest market. But on April 24, President Joe Biden signed a bill that could lead to a local ban on the app. Though they built their brands on the app, the brand founders I spoke to about the potential ban, introduced above, said they’re not afraid for the future of their brands but are strongly opposed to a ban, nonetheless.

“When you take one of the three [major social media] platforms off the board, you’re affecting a lot of people and [the way that] businesses grow in America,” Guerrera said. For “mom and pop businesses with no VC backing,” TikTok has provided a path to organic growth, she said.

The bill passed by Congress cites national security concerns as a justification for a ban, given the app’s Chinese ties, but Guerrera is skeptical. “Instead of just saying ‘China’ and ‘cybersecurity’ over and over again, [the government should answer] what TikTok is doing [wrong],” she said. “It’s taken more precautions than most U.S. companies, in terms of cybersecurity, so I think it’s hypocritical.”

Palermino said that the ban concerned her more as a citizen than a business owner. “As a democracy, we’d have a lot of things to worry about,” she said.

“We would have been a successful brand without TikTok, because the products are fantastic and that’s the most important thing,” Palermino said. “But it would have taken longer to get to where we are.” And, if the ban were to be carried out now, Dieux would be OK because it leverages many social channels, she said. “You can’t put all of your eggs in one basket. If your entire strategy is TikTok, then you’re in trouble anyway.”

As for Kramer, she said that, in the event of a ban, she would start using Instagram’s Reels more often. She would also leverage YouTube for posting her preferred “day-in-the-life”-style content. To date, she’s opted to prioritize just one platform, choosing TikTok, for the sake of time.

Regardless of TikTok’s fate, it’s safe to say that short-form video isn’t going anywhere.

Meanwhile, email is Experiment’s most impactful marketing channel, Guerrera said. “We’ve always doubled down our own channels, which are our most profitable,” she added.

Ultimately, a TikTok ban would be a loss “for small, new brands that are growing,” she said, adding, “TikTok is a lot of work, but I feel really strongly about the upside of TikTok and what it can do. We’ve seen the benefit of those huge viral moments and what they can yield for a brand.”

Collabs of the week

Bubble x Inside Out 2

Glossy Pop Newsletter: These founders built their brands on TikTok — this is what they think about the potential ban

Bubble, the Gen Z- and Gen Alpha-favorite brand, launched its first-ever collaboration this week, with the Disney movie “Inside Out 2.”

“When Disney reached out about exploring a partnership, I knew it was a perfect fit and we had to make it come to fruition,” founder and CEO Shai Eisenman told Glossy. She noted that the brand’s values and mission of helping its community “face the day” perfectly align with the movie’s lessons about facing new emotions.

“Skin care and emotions are intrinsically linked, and we first start to experience this as we hit puberty, as illustrated by [the movie’s character] Riley,” Eisenman said. “[This partnership] is a message to our community and the world that it’s OK to face your feelings and we are here to help.” Shop it here.

Jennifer Behr x Julia Berolzheimer

“Most of the collaborations we’ve worked on come about because of aesthetic inspiration or personal relationships, but this collaboration actually came about because of both,” said Jennifer Behr. She was referring to her namesake brand’s latest collab, with influencer Julia Berolzheimer (1.3 million Instagram followers), which debuted this week. According to Behr, Berolzheimer has worn and gifted Jennifer Behr jewelry for years.

The collection comprises earrings, hair bows, a statement of a turquoise necklace and a silk scarf. For Berolzheimer, the project was exciting as it marked her first accessory collection. “It was truly a collaborative effort, and getting to feed off of each other’s infectious creativity made the whole process both inspiring and fun,” she said. Shop it here.

Spate Trend Watch: Heated eye masks rise in popularity

Heated eye masks have emerged as a trend, drawing an average of nearly 5,000 average monthly Google searches, marking year-over-year growth of 66.6%. Consumers are actively seeking information on heated eye masks, particularly for addressing dry eyes. They’re also looking to learn about the benefits of these masks and ensure they are safe, given the inclusion of scents such as lavender. The masks’ benefits are said to include alleviating dry eyes and supporting a good night’s sleep.

Among top-searched brands in the category is Popmask, with its Starry Eyes Self Warming Eye Mask. The product is known for its fragrance-free formula that provides relaxation and relief to tired eyes, according to the brand. Consumers are also interested in electric heated eye masks that can be used multiple times. Specifically, they’re searching for the Wizard Research electric heated dry eye mask.

“Heated eye masks represent more than just a product—they’re a blend of innovation and self-care, providing a cozy respite for tired eyes,” said Spate co-founder Yarden Horwitz. “As brands embrace this growing trend, it’s not just about offering solutions; it’s also about fostering a deeper connection to overall well-being.”