TikTok Shop’s Ajay Salpekar doesn’t mind that brands like Medicube and Beauty of Joseon — which initially rose to prominence via the platform — are now making their way into establishment beauty retail.
“It’s actually a very strong signal that TikTok Shop is changing beauty shopping and product discovery for the better, in a way that is lasting,” said Salpekar, who is general manager of beauty at TikTok Shop, on the WWD Beauty of Tomorrow podcast.
Indeed, TikTok Shop has been a key catalyst for some of the biggest trends of today, from K-beauty to indie fragrance to live selling and more. In fact, in just two-and-a-half years, TikTok Shop has firmly established itself as a top 10 beauty retailer in the U.S., as well as the region’s fastest-growing, per NIQ.
“There’s a generation of shoppers whose habits are being formed right now on TikTok,” said Salpekar, adding that 60 percent of fragrance content viewers on TikTok are men, meanwhile sales of Korean beauty products have seen a triple-digit sales increase year-over-year on the platform.
“Couple that with the fact that three in four TikTok users use the platform to search — that’s a pretty compelling signal to brands, even those at premium price points, that this is where you should be engaging with your audience,” said the executive, adding that in 2026, the retailer is looking to keep steady on the gas pedal.
“Across fragrance, body, skin care, hair care and cosmetics — we are still scratching the surface,” Salpekar said.
To listen to the conversation, CLICK HERE.
