A major beauty brand is enticing all its UK employees to earn a cut of any sales they drive on TikTok Shop in a bid to cash in on the rapid rise of the influencer-led beauty market.
MAC Cosmetics is kitting out shops with mini studios for its makeup artists to host live shopping shows when it launches on TikTok Shop on April 2.
It says it is the first major beauty brand in the UK to give every member of staff the opportunity to opt in as an affiliate and sell on the social media platform.
Those who become faces of the live channel will be offered a percentage of any sale that they drive on TikTok Shop.
The makeup artists will be encouraged to host tutorials and product demonstrations, with items available to buy directly through the app.
MAC, which is part of the Estee Lauder group of beauty brands, said the first live shopping show will stream from its Carnaby Street store in London.
It is hoping that tapping into social media shoppers will also bring more people into its more than 230 standalone shops and concessions.
TikTok Shop burst onto the UK’s retail scene in 2021 and, in recent years, has become a significant force in the world of e-commerce, reaching millions of people who use the video-sharing app and converting many into shoppers with a few taps.
Many content creators can earn a commission on products that they sell through the app when they co-operate with a brand or retailer.
Major retailers like Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s are now selling products on the marketplace alongside thousands of smaller businesses and brands.
The app has particularly been part of a boom for the beauty market, with beauty sales on the platform soaring by 60% year-on-year in 2025, fuelled by trends such as Korean skincare.
But the spread of in-app shopping has also prompted concerns about so-called impulse buying, particularly among younger consumers who are often targeted by influencer-led marketing.
Sara Staniford, the vice president and general manager of MAC in the UK and Ireland, said: “MAC has always been driven by our artists and the communities they create.
“TikTok Shop gives us an exciting new way to celebrate that creativity and connect with beauty lovers in real time.
“It puts our artists exactly where they belong, at the centre of the conversation.”
