Utilizing TikTok as a platform, LGBT-owned businesses Issy Cosmetics and Klued ensures everyone, regardless of gender identity or skin tone, has a space in the beauty industry.
Given the increasing preferences for diversity and inclusivity in the beauty industry today, brands need to adapt quickly and find ways to satisfy the needs of their customers. With that in mind, Issy Cosmetics and Klued have partnered up to offer a positive change in the industry. These LGBT-owned businesses have found an opportunity in TikTok Shop to expand their reach and promote a more inclusive version of beauty.
Issy Cosmetics has been known to work towards redefining beauty standards in the Philippines. Founded in 2019 by CEO Jasmin Ang and Creative Director Joel Martin Andrade, the brand caters to a diverse group of individuals through a wide range of makeup and skincare products. Their wide variety of products aim to ensure that everyone, regardless of gender identity or skin tone, can represent themselves. They have especially shown their commitment to this goal by offering an extensive range of shades and by providing options that consider all individuals across the gender spectrum.
“The biggest inspiration behind Issy is the lack of diversity in the local market when we started in beauty. Five years ago, in 2019, beauty was so limited. There was such a lack of options, a lack of inclusivity. When we had the chance to create our brand, we said we would change this all. We are going to give people options, their shades, and something to be proud of locally,” says Joel Martin Andrade
On the other hand, Klued is a brand that was established in 2022 and is more widely recognized for entering the skincare industry. The brand is co-founded by Maximo Canega and Emilio Chua, with the main goal of providing premium quality products for customers while being accessible to everyone. Klued is committed to filling the significant gap in the market by offering tailored skincare solutions that address specific concerns. In doing this, it is ideal that customers can understand how to achieve the best results with their products. This consumer-centric approach is the reason why Klued has been able to gain so many loyal customers in such a short period of time.
“Klued has been designed to offer premium quality skincare that everyone can afford,” shares Maximo Canega. “There are many skincare brands out there, but the specific skincare that targets individual concerns is the gap we need to fill,”
TikTok played a huge role in the expansion of both companies, especially in reaching a wider audience. Issy Cosmetics discovered the TikTok Shop in 2022 and recognized the opportunity and potential of using this platform. Issy Cosmetics experienced a remarkable 800% growth in just one year of using the platform, showcasing how vital this was in the expansion of the brand.
“Even when TikTok Shop was still new, we already decided to be onboard with them. When we started TikTok, at that time, it was just an entertainment platform. And then when we heard that they’re launching a TikTok Shop, we knew there would be great opportunities on the platform,” shares the Sales Director of Issy Cosmetics, Allyson Jewel Andrade.
With Klued, they had their first product launch on TikTok Shop which went viral all over the platform. This proved to be a great opportunity for them to reach a wider audience and bridge the gap between the brand and its consumers.
“TikTok Shop has been very supportive to us. They constantly support us in the areas we need to improve. It’s really helpful because it’s driving a lot of our sales. Since day one, they have been there for us, and that’s why we are where we are now,” says Emilio Chua.
For both Issy Cosmetics and Klued, Tiktok Shop’s live streaming feature was one of the biggest contributors to such growth. This feature allowed the brands to directly engage with customers through a dynamic and interactive shopping experience, which furthermore exemplified their goal towards a more consumer-centric approach. Issy Cosmetics recognized 50% of their sales to be from live streaming alone while Klued was able to capitalize on more features such as LIVE coupons and free shipping to enhance the shopping experience. This was an advantage for the brands as they were able to interact with customers in real time, answer questions, and demonstrate product usage.
Aside from live streaming, TikTok Shop is also able to simplify the shopping process for consumers, which offers convenience and a better shopping experience overall. Since their app and features are easy to navigate through, Issy Cosmetics and Klued have been able to not only increase the growth of their brands but also build and maintain a loyal community of customers.
“TikTok Shop is such a unique platform and it’s also very creative,” says Allyson. “So it helps brands like us build a community and at the same time grow the business because the customer and seller experience is very seamless. From discovery to purchase, it’s all possible in one app”
Looking at the way Issy Cosmetics and Klued were able to utilize TikTok Shop, this shows how powerful digital platforms are for businesses. It is certain that with the significant growth and communities that both brands have built, they will continue to further innovate and promote inclusivity/diversity in the beauty industry for the years to come.
