The impact of TikTok on consumer behaviour in the beauty and fashion industries

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34630/tth.v6i1.7280

Keywords:

TikTok, Consumer Behaviour, Algorithm, Purchase Decision, Impulsive Consumption

Abstract

In a digital landscape characterised by the growing prominence of social media, TikTok has been significantly transforming consumer behaviour, particularly in the beauty and fashion industries. Thanks to the popularity of short-form video content and the increasing precision of personalised algorithms, this social media platform can develop and catapult trends almost instantly, ultimately making both organic and sponsored content more persuasive. In this article, we analyse how this dynamic contributes to accelerating the purchase decision-making process, making it more immediate, emotional, and driven by social validation. Various phenomena are explored, highlighting their direct impact on purchase intent. As a contribution, it is demonstrated that, despite the opportunities created for brands in terms of proximity and conversion, TikTok also raises significant challenges, namely the increase of impulsive consumption and the need to promote more conscious and responsible practices in the digital environment.

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Published

2026-07:-27

How to Cite

Pascoal, B. (2026). The impact of TikTok on consumer behaviour in the beauty and fashion industries. The Trends Hub, Revista De Tendências Em Comunicação E Ciências Empresariais, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.34630/tth.v6i1.7280