BusinessIn Wales

‘TikTok Shop gave my business a second chance’

‘TikTok Shop gave my business a second chance’

Daniel Bevan - Senior Journalist

Daniel Bevan - Senior Journalist

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A Cardiff-based skincare entrepreneur has transformed her local beauty brand into a national sensation, thanks to the power of TikTok Shop.

Laura Mallows, founder of Mallows Beauty, began her business journey selling handmade body butters, scrubs, and shaving products from a small retail unit in Cardiff. But it wasn’t until she embraced TikTok LIVE shopping that the business really began to thrive.

Realising she could generate more revenue in a single hour online than during an entire day in-store, Laura made the bold decision to close her bricks-and-mortar shop and pivot her entire strategy towards digital retail.

That gamble paid off. In 2024 alone, Mallows Beauty took home £450,000 in sales during Black Friday alone. The brand’s soaring popularity has also led to retail partnerships with national high street giants Boots and Superdrug.

“I was so close to shutting the doors for good,” said Laura. “But going live on TikTok Shop gave my business a second chance. I make more in an hour online than I did in a full day in the shop. It’s connected me with customers from across the UK. I’m not just keeping the brand alive, I’m expanding. I’m so lucky to have such a supportive community online.”

Mallows Beauty is one of a growing number of Welsh and UK-based small businesses riding the wave of “discovery commerce” through TikTok Shop, the e-commerce arm of the social media platform launched in 2021. The platform now supports more than 200,000 UK SMEs, and was named the fastest-growing online retailer in the UK in 2024.

Jan Wilk, Head of TikTok Shop UK, said: “Small businesses thrive on TikTok Shop because of our unique tools like LIVE shopping sessions, which offer an unmatched opportunity to build real-time, authentic customer connections, something missing from online retail for years.”

With over 30 million TikTok users in the UK, TikTok LIVE allows business owners to demonstrate products, answer customer questions in real-time, and drive direct purchases, often with explosive results.

The success of Welsh businesses like Mallows Beauty highlights the potential for digital retail to level the playing field for entrepreneurs across Wales and beyond. As Laura’s story proves, embracing new technology can turn even the smallest of start-ups into major players in the UK’s retail landscape.

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