While influencers have been launching beauty brands for quite some time now, most can attribute their success to YouTube. Now however, the launch of a beauty line is being embraced by the TikTok generation.
Shanae and Renae Nel, known aptly as the Nel Twins, are 20-year-old TikTok influencer twins who boast 1.2 million followers on their shared account. They generally post videos involving dance routines, lip syncing, comedy sketches and beauty tutorials. And now, they have unveiled a lip gloss collection – making them the first TikTok influencers to launch a beauty line.
Named the ‘Nel Gel’ Collection, the line of three lip glosses are priced just under US$12 on their DTC site. The brand is currently being promoted on the twins' TikTok account, as well as by other TikTok stars across TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat, who were all gifted the products to review.
“We sort of joined the craze,” Shanae Nel said. “The reason we chose lip gloss is we literally wear it all the time. Lip gloss is more hydrating to the lips, whereas matte looks quite dry and uncomfortable.”
The products are being produced in collaboration with Florence Adepoju, the founder of cult beauty brand, MDMflow. Adepoju also works with the Nel Twins as the head of retail partnerships at Fanbytes, the Gen-Z-targeted talent agency that represents them.
“We’re using this idea of beauty being the new merch, the same way that historically you’d go to a concert and you’d wear a T-shirt from your favorite band or artist,” Adepoju said.
Adepoju revealed that at least two other influencers represented by Fanbytes also have beauty launches in the pipeline, including a lipstick line and a setting spray. And even more launches are expected to come to fruition once the COVID-19 quarantine period is over and brick-and-motar retailers are back in business.
