Livestream mayhem: Charlotte Tilbury, Cai Xukun break Douyin

What happened On the evening of April 25, a Douyin livestream hosted by the founder of British cosmetics label Charlotte Tilbury and brand ambassador, Chinese pop idol Cai Xukun took an unexpected turn. The stream was abruptly interrupted twice — first shortly after the duo began chatting in English, triggering Douyin’s content moderation rules, which limit foreign-language use in non-educational broadcasts. The platform flagged a “livestream abnormality” around 19:11. After the initial shutdown, Cai continued solo alongside the host, maintaining high audience engagement for nearly 50 minutes. Viewership repeatedly topped 100,000, with cumulative likes soaring past 36 million and products selling out. A second disruption, reportedly technical in nature, briefly paused the session again. Yet, enthusiasm didn’t wane. The numbers tell the story By the end of the evening, total viewership had reached 1.47 million. The session not only propelled Charlotte Tilbury to the top of Douyin’s cosmetics and fragrance rankings, but also netted the brand 80,000 new followers on its official account in a single day. The event came on the heels of aggressive brand moves in China. In late February, Charlotte Tilbury named Cai as its global makeup ambassador. He stars in the brand’s “Born to Be Legendary” campaign. Four days prior to the livestream, actress Zhao Lusi was announced as another global face — the appointment was tied to the launch of the “Pillow Talk Dreamscape” cushion compact and a Shanghai pop-up experience co-created with café chain B&C. The Jing Take Charlotte Tilbury’s April 25 livestream was a masterclass in high-stakes beauty marketing — and a reminder that even polished campaigns can encounter local friction. What should have been a routine brand activation moment with superstar Cai quickly turned into a case study in the nuances of policy. The stream’s initial suspension, apparently triggered by the founder’s use of English, highlights the cultural and regulatory intricacies of livestream commerce in China. Douyin’s algorithmic content governance is notoriously opaque, and its flagging of non-Mandarin speech — even in the context of a high-profile beauty launch — underscores the platform’s emphasis on local language and control. But rather than derail the campaign, the disruptions created a viral moment — one that netizens quickly rallied around. The livestream became a trending topic on Weibo’s Hot Search List. The hashtag #CaixukunLivestreamAbruptlyBanned garnered over 20 million views on the microblogging platform. Viral momentum: Chinese social media reacts User sentiment on Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote) was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing admiration for the founder Tilbury herself. Many couldn’t believe the founder’s age. Xiaohongshu user @ChangFengPoLong (@长风破long) wrote: “Is she the brand’s founder? She looks so energetic! I’ve always seen her on CT’s product pages, and now I finally get to see her in person." @MeowTheCat (@meow的咪) posted: “CT is truly full of energy. Even at her age, she’s still incredibly spirited, and her sales skills are impressive, too.” Lessons for global beauty brands These comments reflect how younger Chinese consumers, especially women, are increasingly receptive to founder-led storytelling — even when delivered in English. It also shows that authenticity and charisma often override language barriers. Despite two interruptions, CT’s livestream ultimately proved a case study in resilience and relevance. By combining the global allure of Tilbury herself with Cai’s star power, the brand bridged East and West in real time — even if the signal dropped. For international beauty brands navigating China’s tightly regulated and fast-moving livestream economy, Charlotte Tilbury just offered a compelling playbook: localize fast, adapt faster, and never underestimate the power of a charismatic founder. The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

Livestream mayhem: Charlotte Tilbury, Cai Xukun break Douyin

On this page

Published May 02, 2025

Sectors

Insights

Company

Get Started with

SUBSCRIBE for full access to analysis, insights, and coverage.

Livestream mayhem: Charlotte Tilbury, Cai Xukun break Douyin