A student launched an eyelash-serum brand from her mother’s kitchen and generated more than £100,000 during one 12-hour livestream | World News
Daisy Kelly launched her beauty brand, Glow For It, from her mother’s kitchen table in 2020 while she was still a student. The business, which began after Kelly developed an eyelash serum inspired by her own experience of pulling out her eyelashes, now generates £6 million a year in sales. More than 40% of its sales come through TikTok Shop UK, where livestream shopping has become a major sales channel. Kelly told the BBC that the brand generated more than £100,000 in revenue during a single 12-hour TikTok livestream, describing the format as a turning point for her business.
How did TikTok live shopping change Glow For It’s business growth
Kelly told the BBC that a single 12-hour TikTok livestream generated more than £100,000 in revenue for Glow For It. She said the format had significantly affected the company’s growth, describing the experience as a direct way to connect with customers and respond to their questions.“I think live shopping gives people that connection and interaction that we’re all craving,” Kelly said. She added that the livestream’s performance had changed the direction of her business, saying, “It’s categorically changed the trajectory of my business.”The company broadcasts from a studio for a minimum of six hours a day, using different presenters to demonstrate its products and interact with shoppers. The sessions include product demonstrations and responses to customer queries, allowing potential buyers to learn more about the items while watching the stream.Kelly compared the experience to operating a physical retail outlet, saying, “It’s like having 500 people in your shop.” Her experience illustrates how livestreams have become an important part of Glow For It’s sales operation, alongside its other TikTok Shop activity.
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How is livestream shopping changing the online retail industry
Glow For It’s experience comes as livestream shopping expands across online retail platforms. According to the BBC, services offering livestream shopping include Instagram Live, YouTube Shopping, eBay and Amazon Live, although the formats differ between platforms.Research from retail agency Savvy Marketing found that 30% of shoppers surveyed had purchased something through a live shopping event. Catherine Shuttleworth, the agency’s chief executive, said retailers needed to develop a strategy for the format as it continued to grow.TikTok Shop reported that its UK sales increased by more than 30% year on year in June 2026. The platform also said livestream shopping was its fastest-growing format, with more than 6,000 livestreams taking place each day.The figures provide context for the channel’s role in Glow For It’s business. For Kelly, livestreams have become a significant part of the company’s sales activity, with the brand using regular broadcasts to demonstrate products and communicate directly with potential customers.
How are small businesses using TikTok Shop livestreams to increase sales
Manny Malik, a halal butcher from Wolverhampton, uses TikTok Shop to sell meat from his family business, Malik Butchers. Malik said a three-hour TikTok livestream had generated £8,000 in meat sales the previous week. He explained that selling the same amount would normally take three to four days through the family shop.Malik said the platform had helped support the business’s expansion, with a second store planned in Stoke. However, he also highlighted the commission charged by online marketplaces. TikTok Shop UK keeps up to 9p from every £1 sold under its standard commission structure.Another example was Buket Sevik, founder of jewellery brand Adorina. After leaving her business manager job to establish the company in February 2026, she began selling through TikTok Shop in May. She told the BBC that the business had grown from 50 orders a month to 500 orders a week after she started livestream selling.Sevik said livestreaming offered flexibility because she could choose when to broadcast around her responsibilities as a mother. Demand had increased to the point where she was trying to hire someone to help with the business.
Why are Gen Z and Gen Y shoppers more likely to buy viral products
The growth of livestream shopping has also raised concerns about consumer spending. Research from Savvy Marketing found that 66% of Gen Y and Gen Z shoppers surveyed said seeing products sell out or go viral made them more likely to buy them.Money Wellness, a free debt advice service, warned that live shopping events could encourage people to spend more than intended. Rebecca Lamb, the organisation’s external relations manager, said the combination of time-sensitive offers and convenient payment options could influence purchasing decisions.“Every time you snap up a bargain before it sells out, your brain gets a dopamine hit – the same rush you get from gambling,” Lamb told the BBC. She also highlighted the role of one-tap payments, which can make purchases easier to complete before shoppers have fully considered their spending.For Glow For It, livestream shopping has become a major sales channel since the brand’s launch from Kelly’s mother’s kitchen in 2020. The company now generates £6 million a year in sales, with more than 40% coming through TikTok Shop UK. Its £100,000-plus revenue from a single 12-hour livestream is one example of the sales activity reported by businesses using the format.
