Online influencers have shaped the way people interact with brands since the advent of social media, adding context to products outside of typical advertising channels. But the idea that more followers equate to more consumer sway is not always true. How exactly is influencer marketing evolving?

New beauty start-ups are regularly springing up on Instagram, but few have managed to make as powerful an impact as New York-based Glossier. How has this blog-turned-brand cultivated a fiercely loyal following? And what can its approach to product creation teach the wider industry?

The average American woman spends $300,000 on face products over her lifetime, and in the search for the ideal foundation or eyeliner, many will seek advice online. With the Beauty Insider Community – an interactive online platform – Sephora is positioning itself as a go-to source for this info.

Boasting millions of followers and a cosmetics line that frequently sells out within minutes of a restock, Jeffree Star is one of the make-up mavens transforming the beauty industry by diminishing the dominance of global brands and encouraging men to try on a little lipstick.