Each week, it seems there's a new trending beauty brand vying for our attention, with endless brands dubbed "viral" - something beauty expert and HELLO! Beauty Collective member Donna Francis is cautious about.
"To be honest, I feel like any product has the potential to go viral on TikTok due to the temperamental way that the algorithm works," Donna says. "This makes me even more skeptical about any products that do explode on my feed, as it isn't necessarily a sign that it's any good or actually works."
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Donna admits that there are some exceptions to the rule - brands that blow up in a big way, but are truly worth the hype. Read on for the viral brands that deserve all the views they get…
Donna Francis: Alpha H
© trenton butler
"Suspicions surrounding viral brands aside, I have been the subject of a viral TikTok on my @thebeautyed channel thanks to talking about the amazing benefits ofAlpha H 'Liquid Gold', £44, a product I have been using for years.
"The cult buy is a liquid exfoliator that gently removes the dulling dead cells on the surface of your skin, which helps your complexion appear smooth and glowing. Almost 1 million TikTok views later, I still vouch that it's a miracle worker. It won't freeze your muscles like Botox does, but it really helps to skin glow and look the best it can at any age."
Glynis Barber: Trinny London
"Trinny Woodall is certainly having a moment, and boy, does she deserve it. We've watched her in real time over the last few years, putting out her brilliant videos on Instagram, as she started her makeup business from scratch.
"I will never, ever tire of watching Trinny put an outfit together. I'm in complete awe of how she takes a simple ensemble and does something none of us would ever think of, which completely elevates and transforms it.
"She used her styling videos as bait to get our attention as she slowly began toshow us her makeup collection as it dropped.
"Cleverly, she started sharing videos throwing on her makeup while in her car at the crack of dawn, looking a little worse for wear. She'd use her fingers to smudge a bit of colour on her lids and then she'd smear some colour on her lips and somehow look amazing.
"She makes it all look so easy and she looks beautiful in all of it. Of course, we don't all have her big, luscious lips that seem to look amazing in every single colour, but despite this, I found myself wanting to try all of her makeup.
"But is it any good? Yes, it is and she's made it uber easy to apply - just as in her videos. There's one product in her range that I think is one of the best products ever made in the history of the world. 'Miracle Blur', £28.
"It is indeed miraculous as it blurs fine lines all over the face. I'm obsessed with it. It's a paste, but with a lovely smooth consistency, that you apply over areas with lines and it truly blurs them.
"I use it on my upper lip where those dreaded barcode lines appear. As the years go by, I'm using it in more areas including down the sides of my mouth and underneath my bottom lip.
"I live in constant fear that these pots of joy will sell out, so usually order two at a time. Thank you, Trinny for your fabulous pots and the endless entertainment."
Sidra Imtiaz: Parfums de Marly
"I always joke that I'm nothing if not basic - if the girlies are wearing it, best believe I want to be in on the hype too. But occasionally, I go rogue and find something of my own accord.
"One such example is the Parfums de Marly fragrance brand. A few years ago, in a little boutique in Brooklyn, I stumbled across the cult favourite, 'Delina', £255, and it was one of the first perfumes I fell head (nose?!) over heels for at first sniff.
"I always gravitate towards floral scents, but something about the way the rich rose and lily is underpinned with a powdery musk, cut through with fresh fruity notes of rhubarb and lychee just absolutely floored me.
"Little did I know that this brand and their perfumes were legendary amongst those in the know, and slowly over the last few years Parfums de Marly has gained popularity, catalysed by the ever-growing 'FragranceTok' category on TikTok.
"I save my bottle for special occasions, but it still gets me stopped in the street every time I wear it, and I see people react the same way I did when I first smelled it. Addictive and long-lasting, I know lots of my loved ones have invested in a bottle since smelling mine, and whilst the price tag isn't cheap, I'd save up over and over for it."
Vanese Maddix: Caudalie and Made by Mitchell
"Alongside my testing and raving about underrated beauty brands, there are several viral brands that I genuinely rate and agree are worth the hype.
"Starting with Caudalie, whose Vinoperfect collection gets a lot of love and for good reason. I've been using the 'Brightening Dark Spot Serum' and the 'Brightening Eye Cream' for a couple of years now, on and off, and I can’t get enough.
"I alternate most nights between the eye cream and a retinol eye cream, as it brightens up my eye area when I’m experiencing dullness. As for the serum, it's my go-to for adding hydration and radiance to my skin.
"Next is Made By Mitchell, a brand that anyone who has scrolled on TikTok for more than five minutes is sure to have heard of. Like Donna, when it comes to brands that are viral I wonder whether it's just the algorithm continuously promoting them to me, but this is a tried-and-tested brand that I completely get the hype over.
"Whilst not every product from the brand is for me, the ones in my makeup rotation (aka the 'Curve Case', £52, and 'Blursh Bronzed', £16,) are so worth exploring if you aren't familiar. There’s also something about the founder, Mitchell Halliday's genuine passion for everything he creates that makes me love it even more."
Melanie Macleod: ELF
"Everything ELF touches turns to gold, and I think it's the combination of truly impressive formulas, coupled with a price point many people consider affordable, that makes it fly off the shelves.
"I'm not even on TikTok, but the virality of the brand's 'Glow Revivor Lip Oil', £8, still reached me, and now I have one in every bag.
“It’s not just the viral items that are worth adding to your basket, virtual or IRL though. I'm smitten with the brand's 'Hottest Drops', £10, duo, which hydrates and bronzes - a double whammy! Get it before it inevitably goes viral and sells out."
