US TikTokers are praising French cosmetics sold in pharmacies including the more utilitarian ones designed for particular skin ailments. As social media drives beauty product discovery and consumption, brands are engaging in the power of social media trends and user-generated content.
The #Frenchpharmacy hashtag has racked up over 140 million views on TikTok as tourists – mainly Americans – share tips with their followers on which stores to visit and what to get. Pharmacies in France are particularly popular because they double as beauty stores selling local skincare brands such as Avène, Caudalie, La Roche-Posay, and Vichy, sold at significantly lower prices than in the US.
TikTok has become known as a driver of beauty product discovery and consumption, best exemplified by the viral #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt hashtag that sees unknown brands sell out overnight. According to a study by StyleSeat, 89% of people who use TikTok have purchased a beauty product after seeing it on the app.
This latest craze is also bringing back more old-fashioned and utilitarian cosmetic products that French locals don't consider trendy. This is the case for Biafine, a heavy-duty moisturiser, Homeoplasmine, an ointment against rashes, and the antiseptic solution Hexomedine. As beauty discovery expands beyond borders thanks to social media, channelling the power of user-generated content can help give established and recognised brands a new lease of life.
