Our Beauty Editor Put Viral TikTok Brands to the Test — Here’s What’s *Actually* Worth Buying

Our Beauty Editor Put Viral TikTok Brands to the Test — Here’s What’s Actually Worth Buying

Putting the cult brands through their paces, so you don’t have to.

TikTok can be a fickle beauty playground; one week a brand’s in, the next it’s out. So the question remains: how exactly are you meant to figure out the best products to shop? If you find yourself pulled in different directions by viral TikTok beauty brands, things are about to get simpler from here on out. I’ve put myself in the proverbial line of duty, testing, blending, and buffing my way through the apps’ most talked-about brands and products to determine the true standouts—so you don’t have to. Strap in and get that Space NK wishlist at the ready.

Merit

Merit promises the ultimate beauty arsenal for a 5-minute makeup routine, and boy, do they deliver. The brand’s minimalist products have quietly taken over social media—and my everyday makeup kit. Part of what I love about Merit is the intention behind their packaging. Their products are designed to be tossed in your handbag and applied on the go—even on a tube packed to the rafters—and still leave you looking polished by the end. And they absolutely deliver.

This is perhaps most true with The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick, which feels like a face crayon (satisfying), providing medium yet natural coverage for low-effort days. Merit’s collection of Flush Balm Cheek Colors continues to make the rounds on TikTok—and for good reason. They are practical, effective, and deliver an effortless blush in seconds. If I were to recommend any other product from this brand, it would be the Brow 1980 Volumizing Pomade—a go-to product for full, fluffy brows that hold (and if you’ve seen mine, they take a lot to tame).

TOP PICKS FROM MERIT

Kosas

With over 200 million views on its brand hashtag, it’s safe to say Kosas is what you might call a viral TikTok beauty brand. Recently launched in the UK, and popping up in a Space NK near you, this influencer-favourite label prides itself on responsible, skincare-ingredient-infused formulas.

One of my standouts from the Kosas range is their Revealer Concealer. Creamy, buildable and comfortable to wear, this concealer is a great multipurpose product to have in your makeup stash—effective for the undereyes and pinpoint concealing alike. Another winner is the Soulgazer Intensifying Gel Liner—richly pigmented and genuinely budge-proof (no, really). If, like me, you can never get enough of brow products and don’t always want a heavy tint, you’ll love the Airbrow Clear. Say what you will about Kosas, but their products last, and this brow gel is no exception. It might even save you a few quid on monthly brow lamination.

TOP PICKS FROM KOSAS

Milk Makeup

Milk is one of the OG sustainable beauty brands, and that alone deserves kudos. What makes it even more impressive is how it stays relevant and viral despite the many brands that have followed in its footsteps. If there’s one Milk Makeup product you’ll have seen on your FYP lately, it’s the Cooling Water Jelly Tints. While these definitely get my stamp of approval—when applied correctly, they offer a beautifully subtle glow (don’t apply the jelly straight to your cheek, trust me, I learned that the hard way)—the real standout from this line comes from the base category.

I’ll be so bold as to say that the Hydrogrip Gel Tint is one of the best base products I’ve ever used—hydrating, imperfection-blurring and just the right amount of coverage. ‘Your skin but better’ is an overused makeup cliché, but this truly lives up to it. This tint serves as another welcome addition to the Hydrogrip range alongside my favourite setting spray.

TOP PICKS FROM MILK MAKEUP

Refy

Few beauty labels have taken TikTok by storm quite like Refy. Easily earning the title of IT-brand brand and leading the ‘Clean Girl’ charge, Refy embraces minimalist products that perfectly tick the boxes for a seamless, chic makeup routine. If you, too, are a devoted lover of Chanel’s Les Beiges cream bronzer but are seeking a responsible alternative, Refy’s offering delivers a comparable sun-kissed radiance. It’s easy to blend and avoids the orange muddiness that can often come with cream bronzers.

Another standout from the Refy range is its lip glosses, which tread a fine line between a balm and gloss—effortlessly doubling as both and ideal for everyday wear. The formula feels comfortable and non-tacky, sitting perfectly over a few swipes of lip liner.

I’m usually not a huge fan of makeup primers—they often feel unnecessary for me—but the Glow and Sculpt Primer feels refreshingly skincare-adjacent, delivering a cooling, dewy effect just before makeup. The roller packaging might be a bit gimmicky, but hey, there’s nothing wrong with that every now and then.

TOP PICKS FROM REFY

Ilia

Another brand making big waves on TikTok is Ilia, a French beauty label that perfects the ‘no makeup’ makeup look—in a way that feels effortlessly Parisian and cool, of course.

Within this brand, I found my new favourite mascara—maybe one of my all-time favourites—the Limitless Lash Mascara. Lengthening, volumising, and, perhaps most importantly, never smudging or flaking throughout the day, this mascara has got your back the way few others will. I never experience fallout or transfer, and if there’s one product you should shop from Ilia, it’s this. They’ve even dropped a new brown shade—perfect for stripped-back summer looks.

Hot on the heels of my top Ilia picks are the Multi-sticks, delivering the most beautiful flush across cheeks, eyes, lips—wherever you want. And that’s the beauty of them. The brand’s Eye Stylus Shadow Sticks are another standout, creating a pigmented wash of colour that’s easy to build up or keep subtle. I also find this cream formula doesn’t crease on my notoriously crease-prone eyelids.

TOP PICKS FROM ILIA

Saie

Saie has all the ingredients of a viral brand—sleek packaging, effective formulas, and a cult following. With bold hues and beautiful payoffs that put natural skin first, it’s easy for a minimalist like me to fall in love with this brand.

First up, let’s talk Dew Blush. Not only do I love the doe-foot applicator of this blush (it’s a nice change from the stick formulas dominating lately), but the richly pigmented formula is surprisingly easy to blend on the cheeks—it’s a product that melts effortlessly into the skin. Saie’s Glossybounce Hydrating Lip Oil has also recently found a permanent spot in my handbag. It feels like the love child of a dewy lipstick and a nourishing lip balm, with a delicate shimmer that doesn’t go OTT.

TOP PICKS FROM SAIE

Ultra Violette

If there was ever a brand to trust with your SPF top-ups this summer, it’s an Aussie one—and TikTok will tell you it’s Ultra Violette. Arguably the brand that made sunscreen cool, and my go-to suncare line, Ultra Violette makes SPF application feel anything but a chore.

My MVP will always be the Supreme Screen Hydrating Facial Skinscreen SPF 50+ for its unmatched glow and moisturiser-like feel, but the brand’s latest launch, Future Fluid SPF 50+ Superlight Mineral Skinscreen, could be swiftly coming for its crown. The label’s first mineral formula, tinted and perfect for minimal summer beauty routines, this SPF gently blurs imperfections and delivers that coveted post-holiday radiance in the convenience of a bottle.

When looking to stock up on body suncream, the Extreme Screen Hydrating Body & Hand Skinscreen SPF 50+ offers a hydrating, delicately coconut-scented, upgrade from your drugstore heroes. I can take or leave the subtle glitter, but it’s a lovely touch for holidays and summer days that effortlessly transition from beach to early evening drinks.