TikTok Shop Beauty Chief Expects Holiday Sales Jump as Brands Go Live

Salpekar, who oversees beauty, food and beverage at TikTok Shop, said the increase will apply both to the platform overall and to its beauty categories, framing the coming quarter as a step up from the prior year's holiday period.

The biggest shift he flagged is the role of live selling. Creator mega-lives will return, but brands themselves going live now account for a much bigger proportion of the business, and Salpekar said multiple brands are expected to stage their own mega-lives. More brands are adopting the format than a year ago, and they are staying live for longer, which he tied to the engagement the interactive model generates.

Giftable formats remain the seasonal workhorse. Gift sets, advent calendars, bundles, regimen packs and discovery sets have performed strongly every year and are doing so again, with Salpekar pointing to a Sephora advent calendar released through a Drop Shop as a standout that is selling particularly well via live. He said sets will matter even more in this year's fourth quarter than in the last one.

Korean beauty is broadening beyond skincare. Makeup is now trending more strongly, and haircare is beginning to pick up within the category.

In fragrance, Salpekar described a shift toward body mists and paired body mist and eau de parfum duos as an emerging preference among shoppers.