Dispatch02: Are Beauty Brands Deliberately Mishandling Creator Gifting?
Unpacking the latest controversies around the YSL Beauty 'Make Me' Blushes and going back to the basics of gifting best practice...
Gifting creators has become a must-have in every beauty brand marketing plan. Brands spend thousands engaging vast cohorts of talent at varying levels—whether through a PR agency, specialist influencer agency, or scaled UGC platform. The ultimate aim? Drive sales by making the product the next #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt viral hit through earned media, using a low-cost, high-reward approach that often entails no payment, contracts, or guarantees.
When it pays off, it pays off big. For instance, when Korean brand TIRTIR gifted product and received a review from US creator Mikayla Nogueira (15.9M Million Followers), she stated that "their sales skyrocketed" so dramatically that the brand pulled out all the stops during her visit to Korea, gifting her a Birkin bag rumoured to be worth $30,000.
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Previously you could predict gifting would have one of two outcomes: you either struck gold with a glowing review that blew up, or there was a small murmur of activity that quickly faded. But lately, there's been a shift as creators become empowered to call out brand failures their is higher chance of negative PR, with brands consequently facing the decision of if and how they try and control the narrative. The latest commotion involved YSL Beauty and their new "Make Me" blushes. When creator Golloria George called out the unflattering pale shades and lack of inclusivity, "The review sparked several other reviews, a slew of racist comments, and eventually George's TikTok hiatus." The controversy highlighted two brand missteps: first, creating a range of products that aren't inclusive in the first place as creator and industry veteran Alexis Androulakis brilliantly calls out in her LinkedIn post, and second, gifting to creators like Golloria, spectacularly drawing attention to the first brand failure.
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This led to speculation that YSL had deliberately orchestrated the controversy, potentially plotting to step in and correct the issue, change the narrative, and ride a wave of positive applause.
Is this far-fetched? Not necessarily, considering recent examples. Take the TIRTIR cushion foundation case. In April 2024, a video amassed 24 million views when TIRTIR gifted creator Miss Darcei 9 shades, none dark enough for her—predictably sparking online outrage and negative buzz around the brand. Surprisingly, by May, TIRTIR had expanded to 20 shades, then to 30 by June. Come August, they'd rolled out yet another 10-shade expansion.
We know product development doesn't happen that quickly. This suggests a strategic PR move: seeding negative call-outs, then swiftly resolving them to much acclaim. This clever tactic has catapulted the product to global success and the top spot on Amazon's best-selling foundation list.
While brands like TIRTIR, Rhode, Fenty, and Patrick Ta are ahead of the curve with marketing savvy and nimble teams to deploy gifting strategies effectively, YSL Beauty's blunder reminds us that most legacy brands haven't kept pace. Their PR team is likely hoping this will blow over rather than stepping in to make changes or even comment.
Many brands and agencies have grown complacent, recycling the same PR lists and mindlessly sending out mountains of products. The industry desperately needs a refresher on how, when, and why to gift products to creators. So, let me present three golden rules for influencer gifting...
Rule 1: One size doesn't fit all—think about the context for every individual
Is the product relevant for the individual? Consider if the shade range will work, if it's suitable for their skin conditions, and if it aligns with their values (e.g., vegan products). When in doubt, always check—it's good practice to ensure creators want to receive products to reduce waste.
Secondly, consider the overall package for the creator. While gifting isn't a replacement for payment, can you offer affiliate commission, potential paid usage or exclusive money-can't-buy experiences to add-ons alongside the product gifting?
Rule 2: When creators give you feedback, address it promptly (don't ignore!)
Feedback is invaluable. It may be uncomfortable to acknowledge when things don't land as intended, but embrace it. Stay humble and address concerns both privately and publicly when needed. Consider the cautionary tale of Youthforia's dramatic fall after months of awkward silence following criticism of their darkest shade's pigmentation. Patrick Ta does this well, stating in one of his latest TikToks ‘please do not buy my foundation if you love a full coverage beat down, this is not for you’ directly addressing critique about the finish of his first foundation launch.
Rule 3: Focus your gifting strategy on building community and loyalty, not just gaining impressions
Building community is a long game. Use paid media for large-scale impressions, and leverage gifting and reward programs to nurture your core community of creators and customers (who are often one and the same in today's world). REFY excels at this, using semi-private community channels like their Instagram Broadcast group to surprise and delight their inner circle.
Views are the authors own. Sonika Phakey is a freelance strategist for Fashion & Beauty.
sonikasonika.com / Connect with me on LinkedIn