Billions of Views, Millions in Value: The Social Media Showdown Reshaping Beauty’s Global Order

The UK beauty industry has never been short of power struggles, but the latest numbers show the battlefield has shifted from department store counters to TikTok feeds and Instagram grids. According to the 2025 Beauty Rankings report from influencer marketing platform Kolsquare, L’Oréal Paris has muscled its way past Charlotte Tilbury to dominate both platforms, rewriting the rules of digital clout in the process.

For a brand as established as L’Oréal Paris, topping the charts might sound unsurprising. But the sheer scale of its victory is staggering. On TikTok, the French giant racked up an eye-watering £238.5 million in Earned Media Value (EMV), driven by 14,523 creator-led posts, a dizzying 5.1 billion views, and 82 million engagements. On Instagram, it didn’t just show up — it conquered, banking another £28.6 million EMV across nearly 13,000 posts.

Charlotte Tilbury, the darling of British beauty and a brand that has long defined luxury glamour for the Instagram era, has been forced to cede its crown. Once the reigning queen of both platforms, Tilbury has slipped to #4 on TikTok (£102.7M EMV) and #2 on Instagram (£28.5M EMV). Still formidable, yes, but her dethroning signals something bigger: the UK’s homegrown champion is up against an international behemoth with near-limitless reach.

And yet, Charlotte Tilbury isn’t fading quietly. With 15,113 influencers still championing its products on Instagram, its global appeal and distinctly British identity continue to resonate. For all of L’Oréal’s scale, Tilbury’s strategy remains rooted in community and aspiration — an approach that keeps her brand enviably aspirational in an increasingly crowded space.

The wider rankings show just how fragmented and fast-moving the beauty scene has become. NYX Cosmetics held its ground on TikTok, securing the top spot thanks to an enviable combination of relatability and mass-market appeal, while Huda Beauty climbed to #2. Indie disruptor Made by Mitchell made headlines of its own, leaping from #12 into the top 10, proving that agility and personality can cut through noise at scale.

Skincare, too, has turned into a battleground. CeraVe overtook La Roche-Posay on TikTok with £107.4M EMV, while Ole Henriksen staged the comeback of the year, surging 67 places on Instagram to clinch the #1 skincare position with a sharp 7% engagement rate. Meanwhile, Eborian is carving out cult status with a jaw-dropping 13.7% engagement — proof that niche brands can spark passion where giants sometimes only generate noise.

Haircare and fragrance aren’t being left behind either. On TikTok, Garnier rules haircare, but on Instagram, prestige wins out — Kérastase dominates thanks to deeper engagement and a premium positioning. In fragrance, Maison Francis Kurkdjian has captured TikTok’s top spot, while Kilian Paris commands Instagram with the highest engagement rate in the top 10 at 8.1%. In an era where digital-first storytelling matters more than glossy print ads, these shifts feel seismic.

Perhaps the most telling insight from Kolsquare’s report is that engagement trumps volume. NYX Cosmetics, for instance, secured its #3 Instagram ranking with fewer posts than competitors, but a far higher engagement rate of 6.5%. In a space where brands often chase numbers, this is a reminder that resonance matters more than noise.

“These results show how fragmented and fast-moving the UK beauty landscape has become,” says Quentin Bordage, CEO at Kolsquare. “TikTok is a global stage where scale and creativity win, while Instagram rewards targeted, high-engagement strategies. British brands like Charlotte Tilbury are still powerful players, but international competition has never been fiercer.”

Behind the numbers, the story is clear: beauty is no longer just about the product in your bathroom cabinet, but about the conversation it sparks online. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram and othe social media channels aren’t just distribution channels — they’re arenas where cultural capital is forged and global reputations made. L’Oréal Paris may have claimed the crown this year, but in a world where one viral product can redraw the map overnight, no brand can afford to rest easy.

Source: Kolsquare, 2025 Beauty Rankings Report