‘Someone just spent £1,700,’ squealed influencer P. Louise on a TikTok livestream last week.
The beauty entrepreneur, a social media personality from Cheshire, was running an online auction. People were bidding for a year’s worth of her makeup, which included affordable products like £5 eyeshadows, £5 foundation, and £2 lip oils.
Although a dedicated fan paid £1,700 for the winning bid, it was a small amount for the influencer, Paige Williams, who is now estimated to have a net worth of £100 million.
P. Louise, age 32, is getting more attention from her online fans due to her frequent interactions with them.
Serena Williams’ beauty company was recently given permission to use TikTok’s ‘live auction’ feature, where viewers can bid on items and experiences as they watch. She’s quickly taken advantage of this new ability.
Recently, fans have been spending surprisingly large amounts of money on her merchandise, with many believing the items are overpriced.
I’m hearing reports that some of P. Louise’s fans are spending beyond their means, even going into debt, trying to purchase her products.
Meeting her in person is also highly sought after. Recently, a package including a £200 store credit and a chance to meet Williams sold for £1,000.
One fan paid £870 for the opportunity to go to a store’s opening, and also bought some extra items.
To understand how significant this amount is, consider that in 2014, Louis Tomlinson of the popular band One Direction charged only £500 for meet-and-greets with fans – and he donated the proceeds to his local soccer club, Doncaster Rovers.
Someone close to the situation described the brand’s actions as purely motivated by profit and deeply concerning. They criticized P. Louise for building an intensely loyal customer base, particularly by capitalizing on trends and influencers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, suggesting the methods used are manipulative.
‘Their business model is to just sell sell sell, there’s no care about the people.’
A viewer named @natalietifftaylor says she watched a livestream for 14 hours straight after the brand promised a reward to the longest viewer. However, she didn’t win anything. She claims the prizes actually went to the people who donated the most money to the streamer during the broadcast.
TikTok’s auctions are different from traditional ones because of a ‘gifting’ feature. People aren’t just trying to win items; they’re also spending money to get attention, improve their ranking, or increase their odds of being noticed by the seller or other viewers.
Comment sections beneath clips of the auctions posted on social media are filled with concern.
Some people have compared the system to gambling, with one user pointing out that paying for a chance to win qualifies as such. They described it as being similar to watching live gambling streams.
As a long-time follower of P. Louise, I’m really worried about who they’re targeting with their marketing. It seems like most of their fans are young girls and women, and that’s a group that’s especially easily influenced by what they see online and what influencers are promoting. It just feels like a lot of pressure is being put on them, and it’s concerning to me.
Some critics say the brand’s marketing creates a feeling of needing to buy quickly and feel special, which leads customers to overspend.
One TikTok user confessed to accumulating a large credit card debt, and blamed it on making many purchases from the same brand.
Even within the influencer community, there is unease.
Make-up artist and social media personality Robert Welsh strongly criticized the tactic, calling it extreme and exploitative. While acknowledging he understands how marketing works, he believes this goes far beyond typical, clever advertising.
He explained that TikTok auctions are meant to be lighthearted, especially considering many users are young. However, he was concerned that some fans were going as far as spending their rent money just for the opportunity to meet P. Louise.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, there are further questions about transparency.
Although the brand makes it seem like their livestreams come from their fancy headquarters in Stockport, they’re actually filmed at THG Studios in Altrincham – a professional studio used by well-known figures like former footballer Gary Neville.
There’s no question this was a massive success. In September 2025, P. Louise had a record-breaking live shopping event on TikTok UK, earning over £2 million in just 14 hours. Now, the brand consistently ranks as a top seller in numerous TikTok Shop categories.
And that is precisely why the scrutiny matters.
P. Louise’s approach is likely to become widespread. The focus has shifted from if it works to that it works – and it clearly does. Now, we need to consider the financial implications and who will ultimately pay for it.
ITV bosses keen to expand Love Island podcast
Okay, so I’m hearing AMAZING things! Apparently, the people at ITV are thinking about continuing the official Love Island podcast after the show finishes airing! Can you believe it?! It’s because we, the fans, just can’t stop talking about it after the final episode, and they want to keep all that energy going. It’s like, they finally get us! They want to be part of our post-show obsession, and honestly, I’m living for it! I need to know everything that happens with my faves even after they leave the villa!
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve noticed a really interesting trend: former Love Island contestants are finding huge success sharing their honest experiences on podcasts. They’re diving into everything – what really happened behind the scenes, the ups and downs of their relationships, and how they’re navigating life after the show. People are clearly loving this behind-the-curtain access, and the audiences are massive!
According to a source, ITV is exploring ways to benefit financially from successful podcasts, specifically by leveraging their talent and content.
Creating a longer, official podcast would help keep Love Island fans engaged on ITV’s platforms, letting the network share exclusive content and control the story. The timing is also important, as the recent departure of After Sun hosts Indiyah Polack and Amy Hart gives ITV a chance to reconsider how it keeps the conversation about the show going.
Molly-Mae and Adidas are a hit
Molly-Mae Hague’s Adidas collaboration sold out incredibly quickly – in less than a minute! There’s talk of another release coming soon, but already, people are reselling the items online. I’ve seen both the green ‘matcha’ Sambas and brown ‘coffee’ Superstars listed on Vinted for almost twice the original price. While they originally cost £100, some are now being offered for around £190 or more.
UP
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following the buzz around Dami Hope’s recent interview with Paul Brunson on the ‘We Need To Talk’ podcast, and I highly recommend giving it a listen. He really opened up about everything – his relationship with Indiyah, even the difficult parts – and I was so impressed by his honesty and self-awareness. It takes a lot of maturity to be that vulnerable publicly, and what struck me most was that he didn’t say a single negative thing about Indiyah. It’s a really insightful conversation.
DOWN
This week, I’m focusing on Antonia Higham, a TikTok creator from London. While sharing personal experiences online is common for influencers, her decision to publicly document getting a facelift at age 28 is causing concern. Since late March, she’s shared around 60 videos about the procedure, which she had done in Istanbul. In one video, she explained she’s always wanted a “youthful, lifted, fresh look.” The amount of content she’s posting, and the message it sends, has worried many viewers. One commenter expressed their sadness, suggesting the doctor who performed the surgery should be reported.
Victoria Beckham’s new spring collection with Gap is being promoted in a unique way – she’s relying on family instead of typical social media influencers. Her youngest son Cruz’s girlfriend, Jackie Apostel, a DJ and model, has been showcasing the clothes on Instagram, praising them as ‘iconic,’ and was recently photographed wearing the collection in New York City. This comes after reports that Victoria Beckham helped launch Jackie’s career. The approach appears successful, as Jackie has also secured a partnership with the high-end outdoor brand Barbour.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/i/html_modules/Personal/Harry/M%2B_Molly_Clayton/01_Molly_FYP/index.html
This week, a new Japanese restaurant called Mitsu is opening in Shoreditch, in the location previously occupied by Nobu – a move that’s already causing some discussion. They’re celebrating with a launch party for 300 social media influencers this Thursday, and I predict it will be full of food lovers sharing their experience on TikTok.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/i/html_modules/Personal/Harry/M%2B_Molly_Clayton/02_Molly_DMs/index.html
Email me – molly.clayton@dailymail.co.uk
Instagram – @mollyroseclayton
TikTok – @mollclayton
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2026-04-22 19:35