Beauty / news
Beauty creators look past viral hits to hold on to audiences
Four beauty creators used a Pop NYC panel during New York Fashion Week to explain how they keep viewers watching after a first viral moment, leaning on personal stories and audience feedback rather than tricks for chasing reach.
Meredith Duxbury became a familiar face on TikTok through a foundation routine she applied by hand to cover her freckles, a technique that drew millions of viewers curious about why she skipped a brush or sponge.
Speaking on a panel moderated by Emily Jensen, Duxbury was joined by makeup artist Aditya Madiraju, beauty creator Shay Sullivan and hairstylist Matt Newman, who posts as Matt Loves Hair. All four built followings through beauty content, and their discussion centered less on how to break through than on how to keep an audience once it arrives.
Duxbury said viewer comments reshaped her output. She started out posting lip-sync videos without speaking, but followers who first came for the foundation method began asking for content about her work and her personal life, prompting her to let them see more of what she does day to day.
Sullivan described a comparable pivot. She continues to post hair and beauty videos, but began showing more of her personality after her husband urged her to demonstrate that there was more to her than her appearance.
For each creator, the shift reflects a common challenge in beauty content: converting a single popular routine or trend into an enduring relationship with viewers.