In recent months, hair care products have sparked a wave of popularity on TikTok, with many brands quickly going viral through short videos and becoming “blockbuster makers” in the hair care market. This phenomenon is not only related to TikTok’s unique communication model, but also closely tied to brands’ marketing strategies in their global layout.

Today, TuKe will take you through real cases to analyze the reasons behind the popularity of hair care products on TikTok, and explore how brands can use this platform for global marketing.

Why has TikTok become the cradle of viral hair care products?

1. Short video format perfectly showcases hair care product results

TikTok’s short video format is ideal for displaying the immediate effects of hair care products, especially through “before and after” content. This model allows users to intuitively feel the efficacy of the products, quickly sparking purchase desire.

Take Olaplex as an example,Olaplex is a hair care brand focused on repairing damaged hair. On TikTok, many beauty and hair care influencers share “before and after” comparisons after using Olaplex products, showing the obvious transformation from dry, split hair to smooth and silky hair.

These videos have a strong visual impact, attracting a large number of viewers and imitators, quickly pushing the product into the global market. Olaplex has also been widely spread for its professional repair function, accumulating over a million followers on TikTok.

Olaplex’s KOL content Source: TikTok

2. Real user experience enhances trust

Compared to traditional advertising, the sharing by ordinary users and KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) on TikTok carries higher credibility. When users see people around them using products, they are more likely to resonate and feel the urge to buy.

For example,the personal care brand The Ordinary launched the “Peptide Hair Density Serum”, which quickly went viral on TikTok through multiple user feedback videos.

Users showcased the hairline growth effect after using the serum, sparking widespread attention and discussion. This authentic user experience and proven results led to extensive word-of-mouth, further boosting the product’s global sales.

The Ordinary influencer recommendation video Source: TikTok

3. Trend challenges drive brand communication

The widely popular challenge activities on TikTok provide a powerful tool for promoting hair care products. Brands can participate in or initiate trending challenges to inspire user-generated content and rapid dissemination.

L'Oréal, in promoting its Elvive hair care series, launched a “hair care challenge” encouraging users to show the changes in their hair before and after using the products.

Through these fun challenges, brands easily attract global user participation, and the challenge videos are widely shared, making L'Oréal Elvive products go viral in multiple countries. These successful operations further strengthen the brand’s influence in the global market.

L'Oréal hair care challenge Source: TikTok

How can brands use TikTok for global marketing?

Since TikTok provides excellent exposure opportunities for hair care products, how can brands further leverage this platform to expand into the global market?

TuKe divides these methods into five points, with the first two being: collaborating with KOLs to build brand trust; launching creative challenges to increase user engagement.

These two points were illustrated with examples such as Olaplex just now. So TuKe will now focus on the following three points.

1. Precise ad placement to improve conversion

TikTok’s precise ad placement tools provide strong support for brands’ advertising campaigns in the global market. Brands can customize ad content based on different user groups’ interests, geographic locations, and consumption habits, ensuring ads reach target customers accurately.

For example,the American hair care brand Function of Beauty used TikTok’s ad platform to target users in different countries and regions with precise ad targeting.

By analyzing market demand, the brand launched ads emphasizing customization and personalized hair care for Asian users, while focusing more on natural and harmless ingredients in the European and American markets. With TikTok’s data support, Function of Beauty successfully increased ad click-through rates and conversion.

Function of Beauty ads on TikTok Source: TikTok

2. Localized content to meet different market needs

There are significant cultural differences in the global market, so brands need to consider localized content production in their promotion to better resonate with local consumers. Through localized product promotion and marketing strategies, brands can effectively increase acceptance in different markets.

For example,Australian hair care brand BondiBoost launched customized hair care products targeting issues like high temperatures and air pollution when entering the Asian market.

Through localized content promotion on TikTok, the brand not only addressed users’ actual needs but also conveyed its environmental protection philosophy, winning the favor of Asian consumers.

BondiBoost independent site and TikTok homepage

3. Active interaction and quick response to user feedback

In global promotion, timely response to user feedback is crucial for brand reputation and market strategy adjustment. Brands need to maintain good interaction with users through TikTok and other social platforms, and optimize products and content based on market demand.

Korean hair care brand Innisfree, after entering the European and American markets, found through user feedback that the fragrance of its hair care products did not suit local consumers’ preferences.

So the brand quickly responded by launching fragrance-free products and widely promoting them on TikTok, emphasizing the natural ingredients and environmental philosophy. This adjustment not only helped the brand regain user trust in the European and American markets, but also further strengthened its global influence.

Innisfree’s matrix accounts on TikTok

From this perspective, the explosive success of hair care products on TikTok is not only a reflection of brand product strength, but also a combination of social media marketing strategies and globalization trends.

By collaborating with KOLs, launching creative challenges, precise ad placement, and localized content marketing, brands can effectively leverage TikTok to quickly enter the global market.

But once the market is opened, understanding and catering to the needs of different markets is the key to determining whether a brand can achieve long-term success.