Natalie O’Neill is one of 2024’s most sought-after UK skincare creators thanks to her candid, straightforward reviews. She began producing beauty content in 2022 and now has more than 690,000 followers on TikTok and 257,000 on Instagram. She shares more in-depth advice and recommendations on her website.
Her blunt delivery has rapidly scaled her following and she gained more than 350,000 followers in her first year on TikTok. She is the app’s skincare saviour, and users have shared how the creator’s recommendations have quelled their skin issues.
O’Neill told CORQ: “A lot of my content is brutally honest and some people find that a bit inflammatory or negative, but this is my honest opinion and you don’t have to listen to [it].” What might come across as “negative” has allowed O’Neill to stand out and instil loyalty and trust with her audience.
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On rapid TikTok growth
O’Neill didn’t have any plans to create beauty content, despite being a skincare enthusiast for more than ten years. She started her influencer career by posting “random” videos on TikTok, such as her playing with filters, which led to questions about her skincare regime. “I was just initially replying to comments. I wasn’t like, ‘OK, I’m going to make a video [about skincare] for people that they didn’t ask for’.”
O’Neill discusses topics such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), perioral dermatitis and skin picking, but her niche started with content about comedonal acne (AKA clogged pores).
“People talk about acne, they talk about hyperpigmentation, but they never talk about this in-between, which is that you might have OK-ish skin but you’re having these little bumps.”
@natalie_oneillll Replying to @🧸🍒lace🍀🐇 it’s not gonna work for everyone but you won’t know until you try. If you’re getting lil pimples, just make sure you’re not using way too much – i got u ✨ how to do the sebaceous filaments hack using la roche posay cicaplast #cicaplast #sebaceousfilaments #noseblackheads #cicaplastbaumeb5
A video that catalysed her audience growth is of her discussing how she used one product in 2020 that gave her closed comedones for months, and how she reversed the damage by using retinoids. Many people related to the skin concern and wanted to know how she fixed it without visiting a dermatologist.
Her other successful content formats are her in-store shopping videos at Superdrug, hacks and dupes, or discussing a product that has “changed the game”. One of her most popular videos is about the biggest lie consumers are told in skincare, which has more than 7.6 million views, 933,000 likes and 5,500 comments.
On success with brand partnerships
O’Neill will be upfront if she doesn’t like a product – even if she’s working with the brand. “I’m not afraid to tell [brands] that I don’t like some of the products they make. Other influencers might be worried that the brand might not want to work with them, but I don’t find that. As long as you’re moderately respectful about what you say, you can be honest.”
O’Neill has a few rules in place for partnerships, such as a timeline for trying a new launch and not applying a product to her face within the ad itself. She will also only try one new item at a time to give it a fair test – if it results in a breakout, she will not trial another new product until she has reinstated her old routine and calmed her skin.
@natalie_oneillll Brutally honest truths about some beauty products I used to love… until I realised how mid they are in comparison to what else is out there, and also got over some internal biases a lot of us still share 🙃 #viralskincare #viralmakeup #charlottetilburymakeup #beauty #beautyreview #skincare
Additionally, she will never say that the product or brand she is promoting is “the best thing”. She will instead explain what she likes about the launch and note the range’s pros and cons.
“I always try to talk about products like ‘This is a great option for this type of person with this budget and this desire’. I can’t tell [my followers] that an eye cream which brightens your eyes temporarily will also reverse fine lines at the age of 35. It’s just not the truth.”
The secret to conversion
Her frankness is what generates sales for companies. O’Neill’s Linktree includes links to her product recommendations and blog posts, as well as discount codes. She has a range of options at different price points, and she sees herself as a “small guide with options on products to choose from”. Some of her most popular links are for Dermatica, Dr Sam’s and Qure’s LED mask (which retails for nearly £300).
She has an ongoing partnership with Dr Sam’s and the company reached out to her with a brand deal because she was the top quoted name at checkout. With Dermatica, she said she receives many comments about people starting their personalised skincare journeys because of her videos.
@natalie_oneillll We have ourselves some walking contradictions 🤪 skincare marketing is wild tbh #skincaretips #badskincare #skincaremistakes #skincaretiktok #hyperpigmentation
As TikTok’s skincare guru, what does she think will be a major trend in 2025? Retinaldehyde, which is already accumulating buzz.
Reflecting on her career journey so far, O’Neill said the most rewarding part of her work feedback from followers that she has helped them, which tells her she is “doing the right thing”.
By Caroline Edwards, news and features writer for CORQ.
