Expert's Opinion

TikTok Trends Insight with Clare Varga, Director of Beauty at WGSN

Claire Varga is a beauty expert for WGSN.

The pace and sheer number of trends on TikTok can be overwhelming and this often leads brands to confuse something that is trending for a trend. Clair Varga, director of beauty at WGSN, has the expert scoop on this marketplace.

Because WGSN forecasts trends rather than track them—and can contextualize them within macro trends—we’re able to distinguish between the two and cut out the noise and identify the trends that matter. 

Mob Wife

The #MobWife aesthetic we highlighted is a great example of this. The mob wife look is trending but is part of a broader trend towards anti-perfectionist and anti ‘clean girl’ narratives characterized by glamorous statement make-up. We called this messy beauty and it was identified as a Top Trend for 2024. 

Broccoli Freckles

Even seemingly superficial trends like #BroccoliFreckles have underlying drivers. In 2022, WGSN predicted that faux freckles would be trending because of changing body-positive beauty narratives and consumers’ increasing focus on sun protection due to climate change. Brands that followed WGSN’s forecasts would have been ready to respond to this TikTok trend and suggest their products as a more practical broccoli alternative.

If you are a beauty or fashion brand or retailer trying to navigate the wild world of TikTok, then you’re probably fed up with all the so-called “viral trends” that come and go on the internet (newsflash: these are not all actually real trends!).

WGSN recently launched its WGSN TikTok Analytics.

It’s a new offering from the trend forecasting firm and the first of its kind. It will help brands and retailers know what viral trends to invest in, and which to avoid. The proprietary tool, which is available to WGSN subscribers, will be invaluable in today’s social-driven marketplace and can help businesses to make better trend, buying, and marketing decisions. And who better to offer this tool than WGSN, who can boast 25 years of trend forecasting, 3,500 clients around the world, and an accuracy rate of over 90%?

Genuine trend or just trending this week? A fad to test or a product to invest in? Navigating all the trends on TikTok can be overwhelming. In today’s fast-paced digital world, where there is an endless stream of aesthetics going viral on the platform, how can brands keep up?

WGSN has the answer: a brand new, proprietary methodology that combines data analytics, expert insight and WGSN’s signature STEPIC model to ensure brands cut out the noise and identify the trends that matter. 

The trend forecaster’s approach identifies the TikTok trends that matter by analyzing their health, strength and stability in the context of their macro forecasts. This enables WGSN to predict the lifespan of a trend, anticipate what will come next, and identify any risks to avoid. By doing so, brands can incorporate trends into their long-term product and marketing strategies and avoid the short-term reactive approach. 

What’s Ahead for TikTok?

No more TikTok FOMO. Instead of jumping from trend to trend, decision-makers can confidently stay ahead of whatever the algorithm throws at them, and eliminate the anxiety around keeping up with every trend. 

Trends on TikTok don’t just spring from nowhere – and they aren’t as fast as people assume. By framing the trends within proprietary macro forecasts, WGSN delivers a contextualized view and predicts where each trend will go next.

This new series will be a game-changer. We have created a first-of-its-kind proprietary methodology combining data and human forecasting expertise to provide clients with a comprehensive analysis and visualization of a TikTok trend’s strength and lifespan. This is crucial for planning and product development, ensuring our clients are always ahead of the trends – even the weird ones!

About the Expert: Clare Varga, Director of Beauty, WGSN

Clare marries an understanding of product design and innovative technology to create future visions for customers in manufacturing and retail. She is interested in how human behavior influences the products and services people want to buy.

With a background in performance sport and knowledge of color psychology, health and wellness, Clare helps shape the future trends across WGSN.

An engaging speaker, Clare has presented for global brands and industry events. As a media commentator, she is known for her long-range vision and perceptive trend naming.

Keep Up With Our Content. Subscribe To Happi Newsletters