At Klaviyo’s recent K:LDN 2026 event, we heard how beauty leaders from REFY, Sculpted by Aimee and Wonderskin are moving away from chasing one-hit social moments and are using viral demand to build longer-term customer relationships.

While each brand has grown rapidly through social-first launches and creator-led marketing, the panel recognised that virality and social spikes alone are not enough to sustain growth.  

Instead, they are redesigning customer journeys around education, community and first-party data to turn fleeting attention into deeper shopper engagement, repeat purchasing and greater customer lifetime value (CLV).

Viral launches aren’t the finish line

In the Attention Economy, while viral moments can accelerate customer acquisition, they are only valuable if brands can convert that attention into long-term loyalty, the panel agreed.

Hero products – from REFY’s Brow Sculpt to Wonderskin’s peel-off Lip Stain and Sculpted by Aimee’s recent blush launches – have generated significant social attention across TikTok and Instagram. But, in an increasingly competitive social commerce environment, the challenge is no longer simply capturing attention but sustaining it long enough to build the repeat purchasing behaviours that grow CLV.

Michelle Hurney, Head of CRM at Wonderskin, said that being able to move past the initial hype relied on both customer context and education.

“People come in on the hype, but it’s actually about understanding why would they want the product: What problem is it solving? How is it going to make their life easier? How is it going to fit into their beauty routine?”

“We really focus on educating customers about the product and making sure they understand the benefits beyond that initial viral moment,” she said.

A similar philosophy has emerged at Sculpted by Aimee. Head of CRM, Kathleen Loftus, explained how its founder, Aimee Connolly, has built lasting customer engagement through educational content, making product tutorials and advice a core part of the brand experience, rather than simply supporting individual launches.

“Aimee has always educated our customers… it’s about showing them how to use the products and helping them get the best out of them,” she said.

Community is replacing the traditional influencer model

As customer acquisition costs continue to rise, the panel also pointed to a growing pivot away from relying solely on creator partnerships to drive hype. Now brand efforts centre around nurturing highly engaged customer communities, niche interest groups and micro-influencers.

Brands are increasingly using these communities to sustain engagement long after the initial viral product hype has faded.

By involving loyal customers in product development, rewarding them with exclusive access and encouraging advocacy, they can build deeper emotional connections that strengthen brand affinity and encourage repeat purchasing.

For REFY, that means involving its community in product testing and development, giving them a voice and the opportunity to shape the brand’s product offerings.  Kate Poyser, REFY’s Senior CRM & Loyalty Manager, explained how customers test every element of its new products, from formulations to applicators, with feedback directly shaping future launches.

“The community tests every element… we really listen to that feedback,” she said, adding that REFY increasingly treats its community members “more like they are our influencers.”

Sculpted by Aimee has adopted a similarly community-first approach. Loftus described how its founder remains closely connected to customers through WhatsApp groups and regular conversations.

“We have WhatsApp groups with them. Aimee talks to them like she talks to us. It’s really conversational,” Loftus added.  Sculpted by Aimee also invites loyal community members to campaign shoots and rewards them with exclusive experiences, helping customers become active participants in the brand rather than simply purchasers.

First-party data is beauty’s competitive advantage

Running throughout the discussion was the importance of first-party data in helping brands build personalised customer experiences and deeper relationships following viral engagement.

Rather than creating generic CRM journeys, Hurney explained how customers entering Wonderskin’s brand world through different hero products receive tailored onboarding and welcome journeys based on their first purchase. This recognises that someone buying foundation requires different education and communication flow from someone discovering the brand through its Lip Stains, for example.

REFY similarly described using customer feedback to influence future formulations and product development, while Sculpted by Aimee discussed continually analysing customer behaviour to better understand purchasing patterns and optimise engagement over time.

While virality may win the first sale, education, community and data-driven customer relationships are what create lasting commercial value.