Thu Vo

THE ROLE OF INFLUENCERS IN MARKETING IN THE BEAUTY

INDUSTRY

Thesis
CENTRIA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
Business Management
May 2023
ABSTRACT

Centria University Date Author

of Applied Sciences May 2023 Thu Vo

Degree programme
Business Management
Name of thesis
THE ROLE OF INFLUENCERS IN MARKETING IN THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY
Centria supervisor Pages
Ann-Christine Johnsson 38 + 4
Instructor representing commissioning institution or company

People are becoming more and more acclimated to shopping online, where there are several options
among hundreds of various brands, in line with the current trend. So which product will they choose,
and what factors will affect their decision? Consumers are more likely to trust recommendations and
reviews from family and friends regarding products than they trust brand advertisements. In addition,
influencers have had a big impact on the beauty market recently. These people have sizable fan bases
on social media sites such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, and they make use of those channels
to advertise and review beauty goods, give advice and how-to videos, and collaborate with cosmetic
companies.

The primary purpose of this thesis was to investigate the extent to which influencers have an effect on
the purchasing decisions that individuals make about beauty products. The thesis provides a few illus-
trations to demonstrate how influencers who have collaborated with brands have been able to success-
fully boost revenue for those brands while also enhancing their reputation.

In order to collect a random sample of one hundred responses from the research survey, secondary
data and quantitative approaches were employed. These were gathered by making use of the resources
that are currently available. It was important to take into consideration not only the other aspects of
having an impact in the beauty industry but also the degree to which the relationships in question
were effective in driving up sales.

The findings of this study provided some insights regarding psychology as well as customer behavior.
The analysis was based on the impact that beauty industry influencers have had on the beauty busi-
ness. Therefore, during this time when the number of influencers is growing, businesses in the beauty
industry need to take the appropriate steps in terms of the company's image and direction in order to
find the most suitable person who will have a significant impact on sales as well as the marketing
strategy to take advantage of the current state of the consumer.

Key words
Beauty industry, customer behaviour, influencer marketing, social media.
ABSTRACT
CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1

2 SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR ............................................ 3

2.1 Influencer marketing ................................................................................................................. 3
2.1.1 Social media marketing ....................................................................................................4
2.1.2 Affiliate marketing ........................................................................................................... 6
2.2 Marketing strategy .................................................................................................................... 7
2.2.1 Promotion and advertising ............................................................................................... 8
2.2.2 Influencer marketing in the beauty industry................................................................. 12
2.3 Consumer behavior ................................................................................................................. 13
2.3.1 Consumer decision-making process ............................................................................... 14
2.3.2 Consumer psychology ..................................................................................................... 16
2.4 The impact of influencer marketing on beauty industry ....................................................... 17
2.4.1 How do influencers affect consumer behavior? ............................................................ 17
2.4.2 Finding the right influencer ........................................................................................... 18

3 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BEAUTY INDUSTRY AND INFLUENCERS .......................... 20

3.1 Case study: Kylie Jenner ......................................................................................................... 20
3.2 Case study: Jeffree Star .......................................................................................................... 22

4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................. 24

4.1 Research method ..................................................................................................................... 24
4.2 Data collection ......................................................................................................................... 24
4.3 Questionnaire design ............................................................................................................... 25
4.4 Result analysis ......................................................................................................................... 26
4.5 Discussion of findings .............................................................................................................. 33
4.6 Recommendations.................................................................................................................... 33

5 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................. 35

REFERENCES................................................................................................................................. 37
APPENDICES

FIGURES
FIGURE 1. The age of 100 respondents ............................................................................................. 26
FIGURE 2. The genders of participants .............................................................................................. 26
FIGURE 3. The time the respondents spend on social media .............................................................. 27
FIGURE 4. Number of accounts that respondents have ...................................................................... 27
FIGURE 5. Respondents' total amount of time spent on social media platforms ................................. 28
FIGURE 6. Number of respondents whether or not they follow influencers ........................................ 28
FIGURE 7. The reasons for respondents' celebrity or influencer following ......................................... 29
FIGURE 8. Influencers frequently advise people to buy things whether they need them or not ........... 29
FIGURE 9. How finding new beauty products has become simpler thanks to influencer marketing .... 30
FIGURE 10. They were asked if they had ever been dissatisfied with a product that influencers had
suggested ........................................................................................................................................... 30
FIGURE 11. Consumer opinions about influencer marketing, with or without, have a substantial impact
on consumer purchasing decisions in the beauty business ................................................................... 31
FIGURE 12. Methods by which an influencer can sway respondent’s purchasing decisions ............... 31

PICTURES
PICTURE 1. Influencer marketing global size from 2016 to 2022 ....................................................... 4
PICTURE 2. Beauty influencers in Tik Tok ........................................................................................ 5
PICTURE 3. The growth of fashion and beauty brands' affiliate marketing ......................................... 7
PICTURE 4. Beauty product of Gruum ............................................................................................ 10
PICTURE 5. Sharing tutorials makeup products by MAC Cosmetics on Youtube ............................. 11
PICTURE 6. Sephora on Tik Tok ...................................................................................................... 12
PICTURE 7. Video shorts about influencers marketing in the beauty industry................................... 13
PICTURE 8. Five-step of customer decision-making process ............................................................ 15
PICTURE 9. Lisa- Black Pink collab with Mac Cosmetics ................................................................ 16
PICTURE 10. Kylie Cosmetics Instagram ......................................................................................... 21
PICTURE 11. Jeffree Star in his makeup look with his brand ............................................................ 23

TABLES
TABLE 1. Consumer feedback on a beauty product recommended by a social media influencer you trust
.......................................................................................................................................................... 32
TABLE 2. Consumer perception about the usage of influencer marketing in the beauty industry will
continue to rise in the future ............................................................................................................... 32
TABLE 3. Respondents' perspectives on influencer marketing have resulted in a broader range of beauty
items being advertised on social media ............................................................................................... 32
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1 INTRODUCTION

In recent years, the beauty industry has undergone a dramatic upheaval due to the growth of social me-
dia platforms and the rapid expansion of digital technologies to accommodate cosmetic procedures in
our business and how we connect with our customers. Everyone's knowledge needs to be updated on a
consistent basis because never have business concepts been more globally diverse. The use of influ-
encer marketing as a technique for beauty companies to reach their target audience, especially younger
customers who tend to interact with a lot of content shared on social media, has become an increas-
ingly popular strategy in recent years.

This thesis examines the significance of influencer marketing in the beauty industry as well as the
methods that beauty companies employ to make use of influencers in order to promote their products.
Forbes magazine predicts that by the year 2022, up to 42 percent of young people between the ages of
18 and 24 will choose the road of beauty. This prediction is based on the fact that the hashtag "beauti-
ful" has been used on Instagram to achieve 490 million degrees. Also, the top 200 beauty-related vid-
eos on YouTube are generated by users 86% of the time, rather than the creators drawing from their
own experiences or using marketing for products and services (Forbes 2022).

The contemporary digital era has resulted in substantial shifts in user habits, and a variety of factors
will continue to play a role in the decisions that customers make regarding their purchases. People are
becoming more sensitive to and wary of aggressive marketing items on platforms, in banners, in public
places, and other similar settings, more than 27% of people who use social media platforms have in-
stalled ad blocking software on their devices in order to perhaps avoid advertising since they favour
reading about the social media experiences of other people, particularly those of their friends or reputa-
ble influencers (Bishop 2021).

Our world is expanding at a faster and more powerful rate than it ever has before; persons of any age
are now capable of utilising the Internet with the same ease as younger users. This would imply that
almost everyone living in the same world uses at least one social media platform. Aside from employ-
ing influencers or utilising the strategies pertaining to influencers that were discussed before, there are
additional methods of advertising that can be used by either large or small businesses that are expand-
ing their operations. It should come as no surprise that "word of mouth" is one of the least complicated
strategies to get products in front of consumers. People increasingly prefer to do their shopping online,
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where they have access to a greater number of evaluations and feedback from other customers. This
shift in consumer behaviour is partially attributable to the Covid outbreak. The pandemic was the
cause of a cataclysmic economic collapse that affected all companies, no matter how large or little they
were, even newly established local brands or tiny businesses, which made the situation much more
dire. But they have made design innovations, increased customer service, and developed strategies to
reach each and every customer in each and every category in the quickest and most effective way pos-
sible.

Based on aim of studying the impact of influencer marketing in the beauty sector and how beauty com-
panies engage with influencers to promote their products, a list of questions to solve the research topic
is produced.
 Question 1. What is the current state of influencer marketing in the beauty industry and how
has it evolved over time?
 Question 2. How do beauty companies select and partner with influencers to promote their
products, and what criteria do they use to measure the success of these partnerships?
 Question 3. How do consumers perceive and respond to influencer marketing in the beauty in-
dustry, and what factors influence their decision to purchase products promoted by influenc-
ers?

The purpose of this study was to understand the impact and the role of influencer marketing in beauty
industry by determining the potential of influencer marketing and its influence on the purchasing deci-
sions of consumers. Specifically, this thesis was done by identifying the potential of influencer market-
ing. This thesis will also investigate how influencers and beauty companies can collaborate to produce
successful marketing campaigns, as well as the impact that influencer marketing has on consumer be-
haviour, namely consumer habits and attachment to brands.

The research will make use of quantitative research methods, such as polling customers in the beauty
business in order to provide insights into the efficiency of influencer marketing in the sector, and it
provides suggestions for companies that are attempting to improve their strategies with influencer mar-
keting. Because in addition to being a marketing tool, they are social networking assets that companies
can utilise to work together to achieve their marketing objectives (Geyser 2023 b).
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2 SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Within the confines of this chapter, I will talk about the basics of influencer marketing in addition to
other marketing ideas that pertain to peripheral topics. The process of identifying influential people in
order to promote new items or collaborate on the development of new trends. In spite of the fact that
this creates chances and space for the expansion of the business, it also creates problems that need to
be conquered in order to persuade a new group of individuals to become clients.

Research should be done on two areas of customer behaviour: the motivation behind the customer's
choice to acquire the goods, as well as the state of mind the customer was in at the time of the purchase
or why people give more product ratings and recommendations of their friends, acquaintances, and
other influential people than they do in the constant marketing efforts of corporations. As a result of
this, in order to achieve extraordinary success for everyone involved, brands need to discover influenc-
ers who support the goals they have set for themselves or the standards they have established for their
products.

2.1 Influencer marketing

There are a large number of promotional videos or a large number of blogs in which social media in-
fluencers and content creators discuss their favourite products or services and provide either positive or
negative feedback on those items or services. The term influencer marketing refers to a legitimate kind
of internet sales that combines conventional and new sales strategies in order to achieve greater levels
of success and differentiation (Geyser 2023 b). In 2016, the phrase influencer marketing was included
in 465% of Google searches, and 67% of businesses used Instagram for the purpose of influencer mar-
keting. In addition, companies invest about $1 in influencer marketing, which results in a return of
$5.20 for the business (Geyser 2023 b).

Improved brand visibility, more traffic, and better communication with a brand's target demographic
are all goals of influencer marketing, which was developed to meet these needs (Baker 2021). It is
clear that word-of-mouth advertising has been an essential component of marketing strategies for a
very long time, as seen by the undeniable triumph of marketing in practically every sector. Consumers
 4

are consistently more likely to believe a referral coming from a friend or family members (PICTURE
1).

PICTURE 1. Influencer marketing global size from 2016 to 2022 (Geyser 2023 a)

The influencer marketing industry is one that is consistently expanding; as a result, the market has in-
creased from $1.7 billion in 2016 to $13.8 billion in 2021, demonstrating consistent growth over the
course of the past three years. By the year 2022, the market is projected to expand into an industry
worth $16.4 billion (Santora 2023). The problem of Covid 19 has led to an increase in the use of vari-
ous forms of media, such as the production of content, the booking of advertising space by companies
on websites like YouTube or Tik Tok, and Instagram through the creation of new content and short
films that are simple to access for people of all ages, including children and the elderly (Santora 2023).

2.1.1 Social media marketing

Individuals in this current era rely on social media for both their communication needs and their educa-
tional requirements. As a result, companies promote their brands and products through the use of pho-
 5

tographs or short films. In addition, they will work together with well-known people in the entertain-
ment industry, such as singers, actors, and others, in order to market their goods in a way that is simple
for customers to understand. When the influencers become more well-known, the companies will pro-
mote their goods even further. Key opinion leaders will continue to be engaged with by brands as they
grow increasingly popular so that the brands' products and visuals can be exposed to a larger audience.

Companies use social media in a manner that is analogous to that of the beauty industry in order to
reach all customer groups and collaborate with influencers and celebrities in order to advertise their
goods or services. To be more specific, the beauty industry is completely dependent on social media
(PICTURE 2).

PICTURE 2. Beauty influencers in Tik Tok (Spruch– Feiner 2023)

Moreover, when the Covid 19 outbreak made everything worse, individuals were required to work
from home, or their Gen Z colleagues were required to be in a confined space, they spent more time on
social networks and activities such as routinely browsing social networks or beginning to create con-
tent on it. Over 3 billion people have downloaded TikTok, and content linked to beauty makes up a
 6

significant portion of the videos that are uploaded to the platform (Dean 2023). Only cosmetics tutori-
als and advice for 15-year-olds have gained the attention and popularity among adolescents (Flora
2020).

The experience that an influencer has had while utilising a product or service will be shared with their
audience, and this will, in turn, affect the audience's decisions regarding purchases or usage of a
brand's services. In addition, the vast majority of young people in today's society are swayed in their
purchasing decisions by social media influencers on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Tik-
Tok. These individuals advocate products that they themselves have tried and found to be reliable and
trustworthy. They can present themselves to viewers and customers by purchasing adverts from com-
panies that specialise in the beauty industry.

2.1.2 Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing means earning a commission for direct promotion as a result of the important role
that influencers play in the promotion of brands, products, and services in today's society. This is because
influencers play an important role in the promotion of these things. Goods or service offered by an
influencers with the objective of attracting customers to the website of the merchant (Brayer 2021). Also,
consumers have a tendency to follow affiliate marketing because it is easy to grow, low risk, and requires
little financial investment. You should challenge yourself to attempt affiliate marketing when there is
very little risk involved and it doesn't cost anything to get started. Because of this, there are a lot of
young people in Vietnam today who have been using affiliate marketing because starting an affiliate
marketing programme for an e-commerce business is a win-win situation for both parties involved as a
job to earn additional primary income for oneself and one's family. Because of this, there are lots of
young people in Vietnam today who have been using affiliate marketing (Molenaar 2023) (PICTURE
3).
 7

PICTURE 3. The growth of fashion and beauty brands' affiliate marketing (Katz 2023)

The market for influencers is expanding at an alarming rate across many different industries, but par-
ticularly in the cosmetics sector. The beauty industry is one of the most lucrative markets in the world,
and it spans a wide variety of product categories, including cosmetics for skin care and hair care, fra-
grances and colours, and so on. Nonetheless, because of the pandemic, this industry has also remained
somewhat stagnant, although industry experts project that it will bring in approximately 716 billion
dollars by the year 2025 (Mileva 2023).

Because this study presents a possibly less expensive alternative with a higher return on investment
than marketing based on pure influencers, affiliate marketing is typically only a minor element of the
business strategy that is employed by businesses from the very beginning. Nonetheless, during the
height of the epidemic, both e-commerce in general and affiliate marketing specifically have experi-
enced enormous growth, and more than half of all affiliate programmes have witnessed an increase in
revenue during this time (Katz 2023).

2.2 Marketing strategy

 8

Since the pandemic, the world has seen significant transformations, including an energy or political
crisis, a slowdown in economic growth, and a revolution in the manner in which people earn and spend
money in their day-to-day lives. day. Additionally, because of the pandemic, the beauty sector has
been significantly impacted, and as a result, business strategists need to adjust the ways in which they
sell their products and contact customers, employing new methods such as marketing or influencer
marketing. Even though life is locked down, it has brought about significant improvements in both ef-
ficiency and profits. Considering this fact, customers' consumption patterns have rapidly and unexpect-
edly shifted, and companies have quickly caught up to the trend of establishing links with social media
influencers in addition to collaborating with celebrities or well-known performers in order to foster co-
operation and increase sales.

As a result of the ongoing development of social networking platforms, the current trend among peo-
ple, particularly members of generation Z, is an especially strong preference for watching short video
on platforms like as TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram. Since this time, beauty companies and beauty
influencers have collaborated on the production of material linked to the beauty sector, which has re-
sulted in enormous financial gains for the beauty industry both during and after the Covid 19 pan-
demic. Over the time that was measured, the top 200 beauty videos on YouTube saw 68.5% of their
combined total views come from people watching cosmetics lesson videos. Within the same period,
the advertisement was responsible for 7% of all video views that were related to beauty, which brought
to our attention the fact that the strength lies in shorter videos (Coleman 2022).

2.2.1 Promotion and advertising

In the contemporary age, the social networking platform is the place to go to inform people about a new
offering, whether it be a good or a service. There are many innovative techniques to cater to the require-
ments of customers or to follow the fashions of young people, and this is especially true when the rapidly
expanding beauty business is led by retailers. When a company offers new products and services in the
beauty sector, they will devise a strategy to reach people simply and properly across more client catego-
ries as the number of influencers continues to rise. This will allow the company to cater to a wider range
of consumers.
 9

Beauty bloggers or influencers as an indirect marketing tool for firms, while for beauty customers, being
able to see desired products recommended by influencers, they track can lead to an urgent purchase
choice for a particular product or service (Coleman 2022).

When consumer habits changed, such that they no longer needed to go to a brick-and-mortar store to
shop but instead shopped online. Brands and companies had to quickly change their marketing cam-
paigns in order to have the ability to sell more products or when launching a certain product in order to
get the attention of a large number of people and make it easy for everyone to get their hands on it.

There are always many strategies to attract customers through social networks, particularly young peo-
ple. This is especially true for younger generations. Why do companies typically organise straightfor-
ward contests like giveaways just before releasing a new beauty product? So, when they launch this
giveaway, it will result in an overwhelming amount of interactions, a rise in the number of followers,
and more exposure for brands. Users of social media platforms will connect with brands or businesses
by submitting comments and links to their personal pages in order to increase their chances of winning
rewards (Palka 2023) (PICTURE 4).
 10

PICTURE 4. Beauty product of Gruum (Palka 2023)

Users have an advantage over those in other industries when it comes to the beauty sector since they can
easily upload short videos in which they offer advice or instruction regarding products that they have
already purchased or are considering purchasing. For instance, large and well-known brands such as
MAC Cosmetics frequently develop movies that instruct users on how to make the most of their products
and offer pointers on how to get better makeup looks with those items (PICTURE 5).
 11

PICTURE 5. Sharing tutorials and makeup products by MAC Cosmetics on Youtube (Palka 2023)

However, because it is a relatively new social network, it is only appropriate for reviewing products or
sharing personal experiences rather than organising giveaways for followers, Tik Tok is another great
social platform for finding customers and increasing the attention of Gen Z or Millennials to brands.
Also, leading major retailers like Sephora as well as emerging or recently established beauty firms have
the option of using Tik Tok to create short movies promoting their products or to partner with influencers
who provide information about their items, product experience. Launching or developing products that
are suited for customers is another component of marketing strategy (PICTURE 6).
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PICTURE 6. Sephora on Tik Tok (Palka 2023)

2.2.2 Influencer marketing in the beauty industry

One of the marketing methods that all brands, no matter how large or little, need to implement is called
influencer marketing. Influencers typically have a large number of followers, which allows them to be
financially supported by the sales of the goods or services they review; alternatively, if an influencer has
a personal experience with a brand or product, this qualifies them as a creator representative for that
brand or product in a manner that is understandable to the influencer's audience (March 2022).

A partnership between a company or brand and an influencer will result in the latter showcasing the
former's wares within the content of a sponsored video, reels, or short videos, which may include images,
videos, and reviews that are shared with others that engage in influencer tracking. Videos such as un-
boxings, makeup lessons, and product reviews could be included in these advertisements (PICTURE 7).
 13

PICTURE 7. Video shorts about influencers marketing in the beauty industry (Surabhi 2022)

Long-term collaborations between beauty brands and influencers, in which the influencer acts as a brand
ambassador and promotes the company's products on a consistent basis to their followers, are another
option for beauty companies looking to work with influencers. In fact, influencers have the ability to
produce sponsored posts, which may include captions or video messages endorsing a particular product
or service in exchange for monetary compensation. In addition, beauty companies or brands might invite
influencers to product launch events or other promotional events where the influencers can test out new
products and give their thoughts on their experiences with their followers.

Overall, beauty brands who connect with influencers are able to reach a larger audience, capitalize on
the authority and authenticity of the influencer, and produce compelling content that resonates with their
target market. It is an effective method of marketing that is gaining more and more traction in the cos-
metics and beauty business these days.

2.3 Consumer behavior

It is necessary for beauty organizations to have a solid understanding of consumer behavior in the beauty
sector in order to develop successful marketing strategies and effectively address client requirements
and preferences. When it comes to providing consumer service and developing products that are tailored
to the requirements of the market and the people who make up the target audience, there are a number
 14

of elements that influence consumer behavior. One of those elements is the individual interests of con-
sumers, such as the preference some consumers have for natural and organic products while others
choose high-end luxury goods. It is essential for a beauty brand to understand the preferences of their
target audience in order to produce items that would appeal to those interests. Aside from that, the use
of social media and influencers has a huge effect on the purchasing decisions of customers in the beauty
sector. When it comes to selecting purchases, many consumers base their choices on the suggestions and
reviews provided by influencers in whom they place their faith.

Many consumers have a strong attachment to particular beauty brands and items. This is usually the
result of a favorable interaction with the brand or the notion that the company's values are congruent
with the customer's own. Nonetheless, price is an essential element for many customers when purchasing
beauty items. This is due to the fact that although these customers may be prepared to pay more for high-
quality products or for brands in which they have faith, they also have the opportunity to seek for deals
and discounts. Also, consumers value simplicity and an easy learning curve when it comes to purchasing
beauty items. Consumers are more likely to make a purchase of a product if it has a low learning curve
and can be easily incorporated into their regular routine (Kelwig 2023).

2.3.1 Consumer decision-making process

A consumer's choice to make a purchase typically involves a multi-step procedure that ultimately cul-
minates in the final decision. Following the completion of the stages as a series of actions (PICTURE
8), the consumer will make a choice regarding whether or not to make a purchase.
 15

PICTURE 8. Five steps of customer decision-making process (Mehlman 2023)

Consumers in today's digital environment have access to hundreds of millions of different sources from
which they can gather comparative information between different retailers selling the same goods. Con-
sumers have very little time to scrutinize and peruse information about a product, and if it doesn't catch
the eye, they'll skip it very quickly and leave nothing if it's unattractive. To reach the right consumer
needs of digital customers, one of the main measures that must be taken is to adjust the marketing plan
so that it is effective. In addition, the ability to persuade customers must also be adaptive and relevant
relating to the consumer purchasing decision-making process (Mehlman 2023).

Throughout this process, a consumer's decision-making can be influenced by a variety of factors, such
as a brand's reputation, product quality, price, and customer service levels. By addressing these variables
and providing solutions tailored to the individual needs and preferences of consumers, successful mar-
keting strategies can assist companies in attracting new consumers and keeping them engaged. In addi-
tion, Kollat and Blackwell's buyer behavior model operates on a five-stage process that describes how
consumers make purchasing decisions: problem/need recognition, information search, evaluation of al-
ternatives to meet the need, purchase decision and post-purchase behavior (John 2021).
 16

2.3.2 Consumer psychology

The psychology of the consumer is an extremely important factor in the purchasing decisions made in
the beauty sector. People of all genders have the right to be beautiful, and they have the freedom to do
anything they want without fear of being judged by modern society's standards and trends on beauty,
which are becoming more and more accepting of unconventional appearances. The phenomenon known
as the "crowd effect" will be responsible for the creation of all the latest beauty trends. In addition,
influential celebrities will be responsible for the creation of new beauty or dress trends for everyone,
particularly the young people who are particularly driven. For instance, well-known celebrities, whether
they be actresses, singers, or even, more recently, K-pop idols, are setting the pattern for the times; as a
result, their merchandise is extremely popular and quickly sells out, especially something that was uti-
lized by my idol, the phrase for which is cheap moment with idol (PICTURE 9).

PICTURE 9. Lisa Black Pink collab with Mac Cosmetics (Tingley 2021)

Emotional appeal, which includes the use of emotive imagery, storytelling, and messaging, can also be
a successful technique to connect with people on a deeper level. Companies that can forge an emotional
connection with their consumer base are more likely to inspire brand loyalty and preference. In addition,
the packaging and presentation of a product can play a crucial part in the beauty market. Consumers
 17

frequently form snap opinions regarding a product's quality based just on how it seems to them. In a
congested market, brands that invest in environmentally responsible, innovative, and aesthetically pleas-
ing packaging have a better chance of standing out from the competition and attracting customers who
place importance on both aesthetics and ecological responsibility (Tingley 2021).

2.4 The impact of influencer marketing on beauty industry

In recent years, influencer marketing has had a significant impact on the beauty industry. Beauty influ-
encers, who are often individuals with a large social media following, have become a valuable asset for
beauty brands looking to promote their products.

One of the key benefits of influencer marketing in the beauty industry is the ability to reach a large and
engaged audience. Many beauty influencers have millions of followers who are interested in makeup,
skincare, and other beauty products. By partnering with these influencers, beauty brands can tap into
this audience and promote their products in a way that feels authentic and relatable (Barnhart 2018).

2.4.1 How do influencers affect consumer behavior?

Moreover, influencer marketing enables beauty firms to target particular demographics as well as
niches in the market. For instance, a company that specializes in natural or organic beauty products can
partner with influencers who have a similar focus, enabling them to reach a specific group of custom-
ers who are interested in purchasing those kinds of products. This can be accomplished by forming
strategic alliances.

In addition to this, the use of influencer marketing for beauty products can assist in the development of
trust and credibility. When an influencer endorses a product, the influencer's audience frequently inter-
prets the endorsement as a personal suggestion rather than a conventional form of marketing. This can
help to develop a sense of trust between the brand and the consumer, which in turn can ultimately lead
to higher sales and client loyalty (Clootrack 2023).

Nevertheless, there are also some possible downsides in using influencer marketing in the beauty busi-
ness, which is important to keep in mind. The problem of lack of transparency and disclosure is one of
 18

the most significant issues. It is essential for influencers to make it very obvious to their followers
about any affiliations or collaborations they have with brands, so that their followers are aware of any
potential conflicts of interest that may be present.

By posting the reviews, comments, likes, tweets, and pins of their satisfied consumers on social media,
marketers are bringing more transparency to the platform and boosting conversion rates. rate of prod-
uct sales. One of the main industries that makes effective use of customer social media presence and
sharing of their images, comments, and videos is the beauty and cosmetics sector. All brand websites
will benefit from consumer feedbacks since it will increase consumer trust (Clootrack 2023).

2.4.2 Finding the right influencer

When all firms became aware of the significance of influencers and key opinion leader in shaping cus-
tomers' purchasing decisions, they began investing in the study of new marketing tactics to conform to
the norms and fashions of society. Because it will affect the firm as a whole in terms of its image and
reputation, choosing a spokesperson to promote a brand requires a great deal of thought and deliberation
on the part of the brand itself. If the campaign is successful, it will provide the opportunity to give
consumers more information or updates about the business. Combined campaigns with prominent ce-
lebrities like actors and singers will be examples of these types of celebrities offering a direct impact on
both marketing and sales right away (Eilon 2022).

It is highly challenging to conduct the necessary study before making a decision to select an appropriate
individual. The organization needs to determine who its ideal clients are; in other words, who is the
brand aiming to connect with? Which age bracket, gender, and geographical region do they fall into?
What kinds of pastimes do they enjoy? As soon as the company has a solid understanding of its core
demographic, it can start to zero in on the influencers who are likely to appeal to those consumers. When
determining who your brand's ideal customer is, the next step is to investigate beauty industry influencers
that have a fan base that is compatible with that of your brand's ideal customer. Examine the person's
content, engagement rates, and overall brand image to determine whether they are a suitable fit for the
company.

Working with influencers can benefit both sides in the long run. Influencers can utilize their platform to
advocate for goods and services they genuinely believe in while also making money from sponsored
 19

posts and business collaborations. But brands can use an influencer's reputation and network to attract
new clients and boost sales (Jian 2022).
 20

3 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BEAUTY INDUSTRY AND INFLUENCERS

There is a strong connection between the beauty business and influencers due to the fact that influencers
are crucial in the marketing of beauty goods and trends to the audiences that they serve. Influencers are
persons who are able to analyse consumer behaviour and increase sales in the beauty industry. Influenc-
ers often have significant followings on social media platforms and are capable of using those platforms.

A lot of different beauty companies work together with different influencers to produce sponsored con-
tent in order to advertise their products. In exchange for promoting a brand's items to their followers,
influencers can sometimes receive commissions or even free products from the brand. Because many
customers put a lot of stock in the viewpoints and suggestions made by the influencers, they follow on
social media, this form of marketing tactic has been shown to be successful.

Aside from advertising items, influencers also have an effect on the social beauty trends that are now
happening and a large number of followers. They could present novel approaches to makeup application,
haircuts, or skincare routines, all of which would almost immediately become widespread among their
devotees. Numerous cosmetics companies pay close attention to these tendencies and, as a result, may
launch brand-new products or modify their marketing approaches in order to compete (Eilon 2022).

3.1 Case study: Kylie Jenner

Thanks to the reality TV programme Keeping Up with the Kardashians, many people are familiar with
Kylie. As of right now, she is the youngest self-made billionaire and a very successful, well-known
young woman. By taking full use of her notoriety on social media, particularly Instagram, Kylie suc-
cessfully advertises her brand. She keeps expanding the brand and attracting attention for her cosmet-
ics company, Kylie Cosmetics (Ratnaparkhe 2021) (PICTURE 10).
 21

PICTURE 10. Kylie Cosmetics Instagram (Ratnaparkhe 2023)

Kylie Jenner has amassed over 250 million followers across all of her social media platforms, making
her the most followed person on the internet. Her followers, who look up to her as a beauty influencer,
appreciate the fact that she is open and transparent with them about her grooming regimen, favourite
products, and makeup tips. Because of her influence, there is a growing demand in the things that she
advertises. As a result, her brand and the other products that she sells are frequently sold out and there
are waiting lists for them.

Kylie Jenner is renowned for being the one to set new standards in terms of beauty, from the use of
daring lipstick colours to the maintenance of long, manicured nails. Her beauty choices frequently go
viral, and many other beauty businesses quickly follow suit by creating their own renditions of the
classic looks she has popularised.

Kylie Jenner is credited with popularising a number of different cosmetics trends, which is one of the
ways she has impacted the beauty business. For instance, she is responsible for a surge in interest in lip
fillers as a result of the popularity of her distinctive full lips, and her use of matte liquid lipstick has
motivated numerous other beauty businesses to develop products along similar lines that are compara-
ble. In addition, the fact that she uses shimmer highlighters and eyeshadows that are bright and vivid
has contributed to the increased popularity of those items among consumers (Mohamed 2018).
 22

In addition, Kylie Jenner has changed the way that cosmetics are marketed and sold, which has had a
significant impact on the beauty business. While other brands typically rely on celebrities and social
media influencers to help spread the word about their products, she has taken advantage of social me-
dia platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat to promote her goods directly to her audience. This has
contributed to the development of a new marketing model in the beauty sector that places a greater em-
phasis on marketing via social media and influencers. This not only saved her a significant amount of
money that she would have spent on promotions conducted by third parties, but it also saved her a sig-
nificant amount of money that she may have lost as a result of the possibility of being conned by
someone in a position of power (Mohamed 2018).

3.2 Case study: Jeffree Star

Although Jeffree Star began his career as a musician, her beauty and makeup tutorials on MySpace and
YouTube have helped her become well-known. In 2014, he finally introduced his own cosmetics line,
Jeffree Star Cosmetics. The company has grown significantly since its inception in the beauty sector
thanks to the enormous popularity of its bold and distinctive colour lipsticks (Sandler 2019).

Jeffree Star is a prominent player in promoting social media use in the beauty industry and has partner-
ships with a number of other well-known firms, thus his influence goes beyond his own company.
Early adopter of social media, Jeffree Star has amassed a sizable fan base on sites like YouTube and
Instagram. Additionally, he has produced makeup tutorials and displayed his products on his platforms
(Sandler 2019) (PICTURE 9).
 23

PICTURE 11. Jeffree Star in his makeup look with his brand (Sandler 2019)

Jeffree Star has collaborated on limited edition collections with Morphe, Benefit, Manny MUA and
Shane Dawson and several other well-known cosmetic companies. These collaborations have helped
expand his reach and influence, as well as introduce his brand to a new audience. Jeffree Star has ad-
vocated for better representation of marginalised communities in the beauty business by speaking out
on issues of inclusion and diversity. He is also well recognised for criticising businesses that are not
integrated, which has assisted in moving the industry in the direction of being more inclusive (Sandler
2019).

Overall, Jeffree Star's effect on the beauty industry has had a significant impact in many areas, includ-
ing the creation of new companies and business models, increased inclusivity and diversity, and new
industry benchmarks for innovation and excellence.
 24

4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter will present the study objectives, methodologies, and questionnaire design in order to ac-
complish the purpose for this thesis. In addition to this, it provides a more in-depth explanation of the
factors that led to the selection of these strategies as well as the steps involved in implementing them.
The analysis that was completed as a result will be spoken about and looked through. Finally, some
suggestions that have been derived from the analysis.

4.1 Research method

This thesis makes use of a quantitative approach to research and collects data through the use of surveys.
This approach allows for the collection of a relatively big quantity of data in a short amount of time and
at a very low cost. In addition, the quantitative research approach was selected since it allows for the
measurement of the issue through the utilisation of an online survey or a sampling tool to obtain numer-
ical data from a specific group of possible viewers (Questionpro 2022 a). Specifically, this is accom-
plished by determining the potential of influencer marketing and talking about the many outcomes that
may be attainable in the future as a result of this a survey. This thesis will also study how beauty brands
and influencers can collaborate to produce successful marketing campaigns, as well as the impact that
influencer marketing has on the behaviour of individuals consumption, specifically purchasing patterns
and emotional attachment to brands.

The same principles apply to probability sampling as they do to traditional random sampling. The survey
had one hundred people participate in it, and the percentage of those that responded was one hundred
percent. There is a total of fifteen questions in the survey that inquired about the respondents' impressions
of social media influencers as well as the context of their responses. The survey of beauty products is
carried out online for the purposes of assessing and producing forecasts regarding the future of product
promotion and influencer marketing. In addition, the people that participated in the survey are mostly
friends and co-workers, and it takes each of them approximately five minutes to do a survey.

4.2 Data collection

 25

Quantitative data collection methods typically result in the collection of metrics that are expressed in
numerical form, such as the frequency of response, mean, and standard deviation. These metrics can be
analysed through the use of statistical software, and they are frequently used in surveys, experiments,
and other research methods to gain direct knowledge and an initial understanding of the research prob-
lem. Additionally, the quantitative information has been meticulously organised for statistical and math-
ematical analysis, which makes it possible to exhibit it in the form of charts and graphs; hence, the
quantitative data is numerical, and as a result, it represents both the primary data accurately and objective
data (Questionpro 2022 b).

Any form of data gathering, whether it be offline or online, that contributes to the acquisition of digital
data is a tried-and-true method of quantitative data collection. And in this thesis, data is gathered by
extracting information from a survey that contains informational questions in order to be able to analyse
the behaviour of consumers of cosmetics and the degree to which influencers are appealing on social
networks.

After going through numerous iterations to ensure that the questions are suitable and reasonable, I have
made it a point to build the survey in such a way that the responses to the questions provide a significant
amount of detailed information. When I surveyed friends, co-workers, and relatives of varying ages
about their perceptions on the roles played by influencers in the beauty industry, it took me more than a
month to get a total of one hundred responses from people of varying ages.

4.3 Questionnaire design

The information required for this thesis was gathered through the use of a survey that consisted of a total
of 15 questions. The purpose of the survey was to investigate the true role that influencers play in the
beauty business and provide a guide on how to convince customers to buy a product. The first portion
of the survey consisted of questions concerning the respondents' ages as well as their genders. The re-
spondents' ages were broken down into three distinct age categories for the purpose of this section of the
survey: those who were under the age of 18, those who were between the ages of 18 and 25, and those
who were over the age of 25.

In the second part of the study, participants were given a series of multiple-choice questions to answer
concerning their behaviour on social networks and their opinions regarding influential users. There are
 26

also questions constructed on a Likert scale with five points that measure variables identified from a
variety of opinions, ranging from 1 to 5 (for example, from strongly disagreeing to strongly agreeing),
as well as scores for how and in the future the evolution of consumer behaviour will be influenced by
influencers.

4.4 Result analysis

The first question is one about the respondent's background that asks for an age range in order to examine
people's consuming behaviour through social platforms. More than 46 percent of the respondents are
between the ages of 18 and 25, according to the results of this question. In spite of this, more than 30
percent of the participants aged over 25 took part in the study on the function of marketing influencers
in the beauty business. The remaining 24 percent of the respondents were young people under the age
of 18 (FIGURE 1).

FIGURE 1. The age of 100 respondents

Furthermore, the majority of the participants were female (47%) while only 32% were male. The rest
were others sharing quite big (FIGURE 2).

FIGURE 2. The genders of participants

 27

Figure 3 is to conduct a poll on the behaviours of users of social networks to determine the average
amount of time users spend on various social networking sites. More than 44% of the individuals spend
between 3 and 6 hours per day using social networks, while more than 20% of the people spend a sig-
nificant amount of time using social networks, specifically for more than 6 hours per day. On the other
hand, approximately 35% of the people spend relatively little time.

FIGURE 3. The time the respondents spend on social media

Aside from that, how many accounts do they have across the various social media sites (FIGURE 4),
and which of those platforms do they utilise the most (FIGURE 4)?

FIGURE 4. Number of accounts that respondents have

People who have four different social media accounts make up most of the total population, while those
who have three different accounts come in second. In addition, the number of people who have more
 28

than 5 accounts also accounts for a certain amount, while on the flip side, the number of people who
have just one account counts for 6% of the total population.

FIGURE 5. Respondents' total amount of time spent on social media platforms

According to the respondents' answers, people mostly use YouTube and Facebook, while Instagram, Tik
Tok and other platforms are less and almost equal.

The next two questions are related to the ways in which users connect with social networks. The first
question asks whether users follow individuals on social media platforms (FIGURE 6), and the second
question inquires whether users follow people for the purpose of social media and for what reason (FIG-
URE 7) is this being done?

FIGURE 6. Number of respondents whether or not they follow influencers

People follow celebrities and other influential people on social media for the purpose of having fun
(69%). While the remaining people follow influencers because they believe that the influencers live a
lifestyle that is similar to their own (52%), or because they believe that the influencers' content is partic-
ularly interesting (48%). After that comes beauty content, which accounts for a significant percentage
 29

of roughly 43%, followed by fitness and sports, which are also highly popular and have 45% of the total.
Other content is interesting as well, though not to the same extent as the categories mentioned above.

FIGURE 7. The reasons for respondents' celebrity or influencer following

People have a propensity to shop online currently, and most shoppers will look at product evaluations
written by key opinion leaders or influencers to learn about the individual's own experiences with the
product or service before deciding whether or not to buy it or use it. The following questions, which are
also connected to the next one, provide insights into the people who purchased products from their in-
fluencers. Given that this thesis is discussing the beauty market, the following questions are also relevant
to the following questions. The score ranges from one (completely disagree) to five (absolutely agree)
on a scale from one to five. On a scale from 1 to 5, only 3% of respondents chose "completely disagree,"
while 40% choose "agree," and 31% remain indifferent (FIGURE 8).

FIGURE 8. Influencers frequently advise people to buy things whether they need them or not

As a result of the ongoing growth of the beauty sector, an extensive variety of new services and products
are being developed to meet the requirements of each and every customer, particularly those who are
fascinated by aesthetics. Because of this, the platforms for social networking are the perfect places to
 30

promote new images or campaigns of businesses, which makes marketing techniques more effective for
the objective of reaching more people overall. A question was posed to the participants to determine
whether or not they believed that the social platform was responsible for their successful product dis-
covery (FIGURE 9).

FIGURE 9. How finding new beauty products has become simpler thanks to influencer marketing

38% of the respondents believed it to be true and consented with the question, while 14% of the respond-
ents had the opposite opinion.

In addition, when the individuals have purchased or used things advised by key opinion leaders or ce-
lebrities, have they ever been disappointed, or have they always been delighted with the products? Out
of the 35% of the people who are not concerned with this topic, 31% people say that they have, at one
point or another, been dissatisfied with a purchase (FIGURE 10).

FIGURE 10. The respondents were asked if they had ever been dissatisfied with a product that influenc-
ers had suggested

Additionally, when celebrities or influencers begin to have a certain position in society, and even when
influencers are regarded a formal career, people begin to realise that it affects how firms sell and distrib-
ute products to customers. This is especially true when celebrities or influencers begin to have a certain
 31

place in society. Therefore, up to 41% of the participants have chosen to agree with the assumption that
influencer marketing has a substantial impact on the purchasing decisions of customers in the beauty
business, while 9% of the respondents have chosen to disagree with this statement (FIGURE 11).

FIGURE 11. Consumer opinions about influencer marketing have a substantial impact on consumer
purchasing decisions in the beauty business

FIGURE 12. Methods by which an influencer can sway respondent’s purchasing decisions

The above question is an important question to ask for information on how influencers do what they do
to influence purchasing decisions. There are four possible responses to this question: "provide facts,"
"provide a discount vouchers," "share experiences," and "upload new content regularly". (FIGURE 12).

The following three questions, each on a scale ranging from 0 to 10, are designed to elicit responses
from respondents regarding their feelings and thoughts towards influencer marketing. The information
shown in table below (TABLES 1, TABLE 2, AND TABLE 3) indicates that the role of influencers will
continue to expand in the future while reaping significantly fewer benefits than that both today and in
the future.
 32

TABLE 1. Consumer feedback on a beauty product recommended by a social media influencer you trust

The typical response to this question is 6.9, which reflects the fact that customers typically rely their
purchases on the recommendations of large or minor influencers. This indicates that people are steadily
growing the trend of shopping online more without going to the store in order to listen to the seller's
recommendations. Online shopping has been increasingly popular in recent years. They are able to make
direct purchases of things by relying on the suggestions and recommendations made by influencers.

TABLE 2. Consumer perception if the usage of influencer marketing in the beauty industry will continue
to rise in the future

Both the beauty business and technology are continuously advancing, and it is believed that influencer
marketing plays a vital part in both developments. With a mean score of 7.2, it is impossible to argue
against the fact that people have a high level of appreciation for the development of influencer marketing.

TABLE 3. Respondents' perspectives if influencer marketing has resulted in a broader range of beauty
items being advertised on social media

Respondents on average giving influencer marketing a score of 7.2 out of 10 believe that it has the ability
to produce more variety in beauty products, as opposed to the monotonous traditional advertisements.
 33

4.5 Discussion of findings

Over the past few years, there has been a steady rise in the significance of the function that influencer
marketing plays in the beauty business. The potential that influencers have to sway consumer opinion
and propel product sales is something that beauty brands have begun to recognise. These organisations
are able to efficiently reach their target audience, boost product engagement, and develop brand aware-
ness by forming partnerships with influential people in their respective fields.

When it comes to purchasing a product or making use of a service in any business, but especially in the
beauty industry, the majority of consumers have a preconceived notion about what to expect. More than
83 percent of people who use social media platforms follow someone else on those sites in order to
access a variety of content that is tailored to the users' specific areas of interest or orientation. The re-
spondents are aware of the significant role that influencers play in the process of offering product reviews
and recommendations. As a consequence of this, influencers will generate material for their audiences,
such as videos, blog entries, or social media postings, in which they explain their experience with the
product while providing an unbiased view. This information will then be presented to the audiences they
have.

It is essential to keep in mind that authenticity and transparency are two of the most critical components
of effective influencer marketing initiatives. Consumers place a high value on honest opinions and an-
ticipate influencers to disclose any financial relationships with sponsors or partners. It is expected that
the partnership between beauty companies and influencers will continue to be an essential component
of marketing strategy in spite of the ongoing evolution of the beauty sector. This will enable brands to
communicate productively with their audience and promote product sales. This study offers helpful rec-
ommendations for beauty companies, which direct them to provide fair attention when choosing the sort
of influencers to include in a particular marketing campaign and enable them to easily reach everyone
in a variety of various classes.

4.6 Recommendations

The following are some suggestions based on a conversation regarding the function that influencer mar-
keting plays in the beauty industry and the ways in which beauty companies collaborate with influencers
to promote their products. To begin, the companies or brands need to find the proper influencers. To do
 34

this, we need to undertake extensive research to find influencers that connect with the ideals of your
brand, the target audience, and the niche that sector occupies. They should look for influencers that have
a real interest in the things that the firm sells and who can advocate those products in a genuine way to
their audience. Then they should think about forming ongoing collaborations with influential people
rather than forming one-time agreements with them. Because of this, greater brand integration is possi-
ble, and over time, a more genuine connection may be fostered with their target audience.

However, corporations ought to encourage evaluations that are truthful. It can be tempting to only look
for favourable evaluations of brand’s product, but they should encourage influencers to provide feedback
that is honest about their offering. It is possible for an organisation to strengthen its brand credibility and
demonstrate a commitment to improvement using genuine reviews, even if the reviews contain construc-
tive criticism. In addition, brands should pay close attention to the process of measuring and tracking
success since it is a vital element of the overall process. When conducting influencer marketing initia-
tives, it is important to establish clear objectives and targets in order to analyse key performance indica-
tors (KPIs) such as engagement rates, conversions, and brand mentions in order to evaluate the efficacy
of each collaboration. Make use of this data to maximise return on investment and optimise any future
cooperation.

Investigate micro-influencers and specialised markets to investigate the possibility of forming partner-
ships with individuals that have a smaller following but a higher level of interaction with their audience.
These influencers typically have a significant amount of influence in particular subfields and can effec-
tively reach more narrow audiences. In addition, make sure they are up to date on the latest trends and
platforms by keeping a close eye on the new social media channels that are gaining popularity among
the audience the firm is trying to attract. Experiment with using new kinds of platforms or functions so
that you may connect with a more extensive audience. Always keep brand’s messaging constant by, for
example, providing influencers with clear explanations of the brand's core values, messages, and product
advantages. Give them some brand guidelines, some product information, and some key talking points
to ensure that the content they produce represents the brand in a manner that is consistent throughout.

By adhering to these thoughts above, beauty companies will be able to successfully build partnerships
with influencers. These collaborations will allow the companies to effectively advertise their products,
raise brand awareness, and engage their target audience in a way that is both authentic and meaningful.
 35

5 CONCLUSION

In a nutshell, the function of influencer marketing in the beauty sector is growing increasingly important
for beauty brands, as it is also getting increasingly influential providing beauty companies with the abil-
ity to connect with customers on a more personal level and carries a greater weight. The promotion of
products, building of brand awareness, and reaching target audiences may all be accomplished in a direct
and efficient manner by forming partnerships with influential people. By forming partnerships with in-
dividuals who have a sizeable online following and a credible online presence, beauty product manufac-
turers can increase sales of their wares and solidify their position as an industry leader. As the beauty
industry continues to undergo change, businesses in this sector should adapt their business strategies,
ensure they are current with developing fashions and platforms, and place a high priority on developing
genuine and interactive partnerships with industry influencers in order to thrive in this fluid environment.

Co-branding, product reviews and recommendations, sponsored content and advertising, exclusive codes
and affiliate programmes, event partnerships, long-term partnerships, and collaborative product devel-
opment are some of the ways that beauty companies establish mutually beneficial relationships with
influencers. Other strategies include collaborative product development. These partnerships make it pos-
sible to produce authentic and compelling content that speaks directly to the needs of the target audience.

When it comes to running successful influencer marketing initiatives, transparency and authenticity are
two of the most important criteria. Consumers place a high value on honest opinions and anticipate
influencers to disclose any financial relationships with sponsors or partners. Companies in the beauty
industry may keep their clients' trust and protect the credibility of their brands by emphasising the im-
portance of openness.

In addition to this, it is absolutely necessary for beauty brands to locate the correct influencers who are
congruent with the ideals of their brand and their intended audience. Long-term partnerships with influ-
encers make it possible to integrate a brand more deeply and contribute to the development of an au-
thentic connection with an influencer's audience over the course of time.

It is essential to monitor and analyse the efficacy of influencer marketing efforts in order to improve
future collaborations and increase return on investment. Insight into the efficiency of a partnership can
 36

be gained from key performance measures such as the percentage of users who engaged with it, the
number of users who converted, and the number of times the brand was mentioned.
 37

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APPENDIX 1

QUESTIONAIRE SURVEY
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