In 2025, TikTok has become every woman’s dream: A shopping mall in your pocket. There is no longer a need to search for things on Amazon or brave the crowds at a 50%-off sale in your nearest department store.
You will find what you need (and want) on TikTok and so much more. This ‘app is a massive part of our digital lives,’ notes Celebian, with 2.35 billion users expected by the end of 2029.
No wonder women look to TikTok for everything. The platform’s explosive growth means you will find anything from breaking news to shopping tips, and even that coveted sparkling Stanley Cup you’ve searched everywhere for.
Scroll your For You page for a minute, and you’ll see it. Every second video includes a product link or a glowing review. Most of these are aimed at Gen Z and Millennial TikTok users, especially women.
TikTok has successfully blurred the line between entertainment and streamlined e-commerce. You’ll watch a makeup tutorial in amazement and tap Add to Cart without hesitation.
In short, TikTok has reshaped how women discover and buy products, particularly in makeup, fashion, and home décor.
TikTok by the Numbers
The shopping trend on TikTok is huge and not slowing down soon. Celebian reports that TikTok has around 120.5 million U.S. users as of mid-2024. A good chunk of this is young to middle-aged women.
TikTok Shop’s sales exploded in 2024, with the global commerce figure hitting $33.2 billion. This is more than double the figure of 2023. Nine billion came from U.S. shoppers, which equals a 650% jump.
Around 47.2 million Americans bought something via TikTok in 2024. These customers bought via short TikTok videos and directly from the TikTok shop. These and the following statistics explain why women in 2025 say: TikTok made me buy it.
There are 135.79 million TikTok users in the U.S. as of February 2025.
TikTok Shop’s GMV is at $33.2 billion worldwide as of 2024.
As of February 2025, 44.3% of TikTok users are women.
34 million TikTok videos are posted every day.
The average user opens the TikTok app around 20 times each day.
TikTok users prefer TikTok ads to general Internet ads.
61% of TikTok users find new brands on the platform
1 in 4 users have bought a beauty product after watching a beauty/makeup video.
Millennials are 2.3 times more likely to tag a brand after creating a UGC video, while Gen Z users are 1.2 times more likely to send a direct message to a brand after buying a product.
Emotional ads make the biggest impact on TikTok.
“I read on Celebian that TikTok Shop launched in 2023 and is already one of the app’s most popular features,” says Maya, 27, a successful fashion influencer. “It is so true, since I see Shop Now buttons on almost every video. And, I’ve lost count of how many lipsticks I’ve bought after watching a tutorial!”
How TikTok Trends Explode
So, why are several shopping trends exploding on TikTok? The answer lies in both the TikTok community and the algorithm.
The app promotes authentic videos that are more personal than polished. Female TikTok users tend to find these videos more relatable, which is how they go viral.
According to industry reports, the TikTok algorithm pushes relatable and creative content. These videos fuel viral beauty challenges, outfit overhauls, and DIY demos.
One user may post an unboxing or how-to video, with hundreds joining in on the comments explaining their versions or asking questions. When the content creator combines their video with hashtags and trending sounds, it can go viral overnight.
For instance, something as plain as a glass water bottle can blow up on TikTok when influencers decorate theirs.
The same can happen for products like lip gloss and flared skirts. It all depends on the creators/fans/sell feedback loop.
Therefore, TikTok trends go viral because:
Influencers and peers are viewed as credible. TikTokers are more likely to believe an influencer’s review than a traditional ad. They are also more likely to act according to a micro-influencer’s recommendation.
Short videos keep viewers’ attention. Viewers scroll quickly on TikTok, so they keep scrolling if nothing catches their eye. Women, in particular, are more likely to complete a video if it is short and punchy. The more views a video gets, the more it is pushed by the For You feed.
Shopping features make buying products easy. TikTok Shop products include live streams and Buy Now buttons. These features make it easy to use with one tap. Some coupons and sales drive quick buying decisions. 58% of TikTok users said exclusive deals on TikTok Shop would make them buy in-app.
What does this look like practically, though? Imagine watching a makeup tutorial and being impressed by it. Halfway through, the creator points to the eyeliner she’s using, and a TikTok icon pops up. You tap on it, check out, and pay while watching the video.
TikTok Shop makes shopping part of TikTok entertainment. An impulse is converted to instant action on a loop.
Beauty and Makeup Buys
Makeup tutorials and beauty product sales are huge on TikTok. Take Clinique’s Almost Lipstick in Black Honey. It was once an old cult classic, but when it hit TikTok’s FYP, it exploded on #BeautyTok in 2021.
A single TikTok featuring this lipstick drew 1.5 million likes, and Sephora stores soon ran out of stock as influencers and users created their own lipstick videos.
And it’s not just makeup. Women love hair and self-care videos as well. A simple heatless curling ribbon from Kitsch blew up on the platform. Overnight, countless videos were uploaded, with users trying the ribbon and being amazed at the results. No wonder the packaging labels it as ‘viral on TikTok.’
The trend is also very clear: If a product looks good on camera, is easy to use, and solves a beauty issue, women will add it to their cart.
Fashion Finds and Transactions
Search #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt and you’ll see that clothes are just as popular as beauty and hair products on TikTok. For example, in 2025, $18 floral dresses went viral after one content creator tried them on.
Brands quickly took note of this trend, including SHEIN, which hit $964 million in TikTok sales at the beginning of 2024, beating Nike.
Why? Because TikTok users and content creators made videos of their SHEIN hauls, discounts, unboxings, and outfits.
It is hard for everyday shoppers to resist buying their own outfits based on these videos. Women see dozens, if not hundreds, of #TikTokOutfits every day. These videos come with styling tips and peer validation.
TikTok makes shopping fun and playful on top of everything else. A formal dress can quickly go viral if someone dances the Macarena in it. Even a pair of boots stomping to the beat of ‘We Will Rock You’ will quickly draw attention. It is shopping, but also a lot of fun.
Home Décor and Lifestyle
Women also love home products and how they are presented on TikTok. Bed Threads’ earth-toned linen sheets sold out incredibly fast after a group of TikTokers raved about the sheets’ slow-living vibes.
Samsung’s Frame TV, which is designed to hang on a wall like art, also became TikTok-famous for being both a gadget and stylish.
In 2025, women are redecorating their homes via short-form video inspiration. Brands have caught on and now drop 10-second videos called TikTok Reveals or Quick Install Demos.
Traditional Ads Are Dying
As short-form, shoppable videos continue to trend on TikTok, traditional ads will continue to lose relevance. TikTok users, especially women, trust real people and authenticity more than highly polished videos.
The following combination is getting brands and content creators the engagement and sales they want:
Authentic content and influencers. Content creators or brands team up to create fun, original videos.
TikTok Shop. Videos include a link that directs shoppers to a product page.
Trends. Content creators and brands monitor the Discover page and recreate the best sounds and memes in their product videos.
Data analysis. Everyone who creates content analyzes which videos work and refines their strategies accordingly. TikTok analytics are gold for brands and content creators targeting Millennials and Gen-Z audiences.
Small business owner Aisha noted, “My online boutique traffic doubled after I started doing TikTok styling videos. Customers would comment on them, saying ‘I just bought this outfit from you.”
Why Women Can’t Resist ‘TikTok Made Me Buy It’
Women are more easily persuaded by TikTok videos because:
They don’t want to miss out on the fun stuff. TikTok videos influence 55% of impulse buys.
“TikTok made me buy it” may sound funny, but it perfectly describes female TikTok users’ consumer journey in 2025. Now, checking out on TikTok is as normal as scrolling for the latest memes. The shift happened because social media became social commerce.
Women are leading the shopping charge, one catching TikTok video at a time.
The Jezebel editorial staff was not involved in the creation of this content.
